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Kickapoo River at Viola

Highest listed crest 23.72 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft25 crests since 1978

The Kickapoo River at Viola crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 25 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1978 to 2026. The highest, 23.72 ft on August 29, 2018, was major flooding, 9.72 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Kickapoo River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.72 ft
August 29, 2018
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
6
11th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
July 4, 2026
15.88 ft, minor flooding
Location
Vernon County
Wisconsin
Identifiers
NWS VIOW3
No USGS station

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Kickapoo River at Viola
Action stage12.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.014Jul 4, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.05Apr 5, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.06Aug 29, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

25 crests from 1978 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Kickapoo River at Viola, 1978 to 2026 141618202224ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Jul 1, 1978: 21.00 ft, major flooding; 14,950 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2000: 15.30 ft, minor floodingApr 12, 2001: 16.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 3, 2004: 14.68 ft, minor flooding; 1,700 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2004: 15.34 ft, minor floodingJun 1, 2004: 14.89 ft, minor flooding; 1,800 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2004: 14.80 ft, minor flooding; 1,750 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2007: 16.21 ft, moderate floodingAug 20, 2007: 18.20 ft, major floodingJun 9, 2008: 21.25 ft, major flooding; 15,930 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 2010: 17.25 ft, moderate floodingSep 25, 2010: 14.33 ft, minor flooding; 1,130 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2011: 15.24 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 2013: 15.05 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 2014: 14.33 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 2014: 14.60 ft, minor floodingSep 22, 2016: 19.32 ft, major floodingJul 21, 2017: 20.25 ft, major floodingAug 29, 2018: 23.72 ft, major floodingMay 29, 2019: 14.30 ft, minor flooding; 1,477 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 2019: 17.20 ft, moderate flooding; 4,603 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2019: 14.40 ft, minor flooding; 1,513 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2024: 15.46 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 2026: 17.18 ft, moderate flooding; 3,942 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2026: 15.88 ft, minor flooding; 2,724 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.72 ft, Aug 29, 2018 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Kickapoo River at Viola 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 9 2010s: 12 12 2020s: 3 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Kickapoo River at Viola
1Aug 29, 201823.72+9.72Major—
2Jun 9, 200821.25+7.25Major15,930
3Jul 1, 197821.00+7.00Major14,950
4Jul 21, 201720.25+6.25Major—
5Sep 22, 201619.32+5.32Major—
6Aug 20, 200718.20+4.20Major—
7Aug 14, 201017.25+3.25Moderate—
8Jul 20, 201917.20+3.20Moderate4,603
9Apr 5, 202617.18+3.18Moderate3,942
10Mar 15, 200716.21+2.21Moderate—
11Apr 12, 200116.10+2.10Moderate—
12Jul 4, 202615.88+1.88Minor2,724
13Jul 16, 202415.46+1.46Minor—
14Mar 7, 200415.34+1.34Minor—
15Jun 2, 200015.30+1.30Minor—
16Mar 24, 201115.24+1.24Minor—
17Apr 11, 201315.05+1.05Minor—
18Jun 1, 200414.89+0.89Minor1,800
19Jun 13, 200414.80+0.80Minor1,750
20Mar 3, 200414.68+0.68Minor1,700
21Apr 15, 201414.60+0.60Minor—
22Oct 3, 201914.40+0.40Minor1,513
23Sep 25, 201014.33+0.33Minor1,130
24Mar 29, 201414.33+0.33Minor—
25May 29, 201914.30+0.30Minor1,477

The worst floods along the Kickapoo River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Kickapoo River that crested above flood stage within a week.

August 29, 2018: 23.72 ft here, major flooding

  • OntarioWI · Aug 28, 2018 · 28.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • ReadstownWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 23.17 ft · Major · its highest
  • Gays MillsWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 22.31 ft · Major · its highest
  • Soldiers GroveWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 21.06 ft · Major
  • SteubenWI · Aug 30, 2018 · 19.84 ft · Major · its highest
  • La FargeWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 19.42 ft · Major · its highest

June 9, 2008: 21.25 ft here, major flooding

  • OntarioWI · Jun 8, 2008 · 21.96 ft · Major
  • Soldiers GroveWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 21.21 ft · Major
  • Gays MillsWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 20.44 ft · Major
  • ReadstownWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 19.65 ft · Major
  • SteubenWI · Jun 10, 2008 · 19.16 ft · Major
  • La FargeWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 15.78 ft · Major

July 1, 1978: 21.00 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Kickapoo River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Kickapoo River
Gays MillsWI13.022.31 ft, Aug 29, 20186
La FargeWI12.019.42 ft, Aug 29, 20185
OntarioWI16.028.50 ft, Aug 28, 20189
ReadstownWI11.023.17 ft, Aug 29, 20187
Soldiers GroveWI13.021.63 ft, Jul 22, 19515
SteubenWI12.019.84 ft, Aug 30, 20185
Viola this gaugeWI14.023.72 ft, Aug 29, 20186
WiltonWI6.07.35 ft, Apr 4, 20260

Other gauges in Vernon County

Flood gauges in Vernon County
La Farge12.019.42 ft, Aug 29, 20185
Readstown11.023.17 ft, Aug 29, 20187
Lock and Dam 8 - Genoa631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653

Vernon County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Wisconsin

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge VIOW3, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.