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Milwaukee River at Saukville

Highest listed crest 16.75 ftFlood stage 13.5 ft17 crests since 2008

The Milwaukee River at Saukville crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 17 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2008 to 2019. The highest, 16.75 ft on June 13, 2008, was major flooding, 3.25 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Milwaukee River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.75 ft
June 13, 2008
Flood stage
13.5 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
1
64th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
October 2, 2019
15.22 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Ozaukee County
Near Port Washington (2.5 mi), Grafton (4.3 mi), Cedarburg (6.3 mi)
Identifiers
NWS SAKW3
Out of service

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Milwaukee River at Saukville
Action stage11.08Feb 26, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.52Aug 27, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.52Oct 2, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.01Jun 13, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

17 crests from 2008 to 2019. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Milwaukee River at Saukville, 2008 to 2019 81012141618ft Flood stage 13.5 ftMajor 16.0 ft Jun 13, 2008: 16.75 ft, major floodingMar 13, 2010: 12.53 ft, action stageJul 16, 2010: 10.40 ft, below flood stageJul 23, 2010: 9.87 ft, below flood stageFeb 21, 2011: 10.65 ft, below flood stageMar 23, 2011: 12.19 ft, action stageApr 26, 2011: 11.59 ft, action stageApr 12, 2013: 13.65 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 2014: 13.45 ft, action stageApr 10, 2015: 11.71 ft, action stageDec 15, 2015: 9.34 ft, below flood stageSep 10, 2016: 11.22 ft, action stageJan 23, 2017: 11.70 ft, action stageFeb 26, 2018: 11.97 ft, action stageAug 27, 2018: 13.86 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 2019: 15.59 ft, moderate floodingOct 2, 2019: 15.22 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 16.75 ft, Jun 13, 2008 201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Milwaukee River at Saukville 2000s: 1 2010s: 4 4 2000s2010s
  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, Milwaukee River at Saukville
1Jun 13, 200816.75+3.25Major—
2Mar 17, 201915.59+2.09Moderate—
3Oct 2, 201915.22+1.72Moderate—
4Aug 27, 201813.86+0.36Minor—
5Apr 12, 201313.65+0.15Minor—
6Apr 13, 201413.45−0.05Action—
7Mar 13, 201012.53−0.97Action—
8Mar 23, 201112.19−1.31Action—
9Feb 26, 201811.97−1.53Action—
10Apr 10, 201511.71−1.79Action—
11Jan 23, 201711.70−1.80Action—
12Apr 26, 201111.59−1.91Action—
13Sep 10, 201611.22−2.28Action—
14Feb 21, 201110.65−2.85Below flood stage—
15Jul 16, 201010.40−3.10Below flood stage—
16Jul 23, 20109.87−3.63Below flood stage—
17Dec 15, 20159.34−4.16Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Milwaukee River

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

June 13, 2008: 16.75 ft here, major flooding

March 17, 2019: 15.59 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WaubekaWI · Mar 16, 2019 · 13.77 ft · Major · its highest
  • CedarburgWI · Mar 17, 2019 · 13.26 ft · Moderate

October 2, 2019: 15.22 ft here, moderate flooding

  • CedarburgWI · Oct 3, 2019 · 12.98 ft · Minor
  • WaubekaWI · Oct 2, 2019 · 9.61 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Milwaukee River

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

Flood gauges on the Milwaukee River
Milwaukee-Estabrook ParkWI7.011.20 ft, Aug 10, 20254
Saukville this gaugeWI13.516.75 ft, Jun 13, 20081
WaubekaWI9.513.77 ft, Mar 16, 20191
CedarburgWI11.013.98 ft, Jun 13, 20080

Other gauges in Ozaukee County

Flood gauges in Ozaukee County
Cedarburg10.012.25 ft, Mar 30, 19601
Waubeka9.513.77 ft, Mar 16, 20191
Cedarburg11.013.98 ft, Jun 13, 20080

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SAKW3, 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.