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Mississippi River at La Crosse - Pool 8

Highest listed crest 17.89 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft45 crests since 1881

The Mississippi River at La Crosse - Pool 8 crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 45 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1881 to 2024. The highest, 17.89 ft on April 22, 1965, was major flooding, 5.89 feet above flood stage. 39 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 28 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
17.89 ft
April 22, 1965; 278,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.5 ft
Crests at major
4
21st of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
July 2, 2024
14.94 ft, moderate flooding
Location
La Crosse County
Near La Crosse (1.9 mi), Onalaska (5.9 mi), Holmen (10.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Mississippi River at La Crosse - Pool 8
Action stage10.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.012Jun 25, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.029Jul 2, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.54Apr 26, 2023Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

45 crests from 1881 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at La Crosse - Pool 8, 1881 to 2024 12141618ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 15.5 ft May 4, 1881: 13.00 ft, moderate floodingOct 17, 1881: 14.40 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 1888: 13.60 ft, moderate floodingMay 8, 1888: 14.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 22, 1894: 12.80 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 1897: 13.70 ft, moderate floodingSep 20, 1903: 13.30 ft, moderate floodingJun 12, 1905: 12.40 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1916: 13.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1920: 14.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 17, 1922: 13.70 ft, moderate floodingSep 15, 1938: 12.10 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 1942: 13.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 22, 1943: 13.30 ft, moderate floodingJun 22, 1944: 12.30 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 1945: 12.40 ft, minor floodingMay 15, 1950: 12.60 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1951: 14.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 1952: 15.30 ft, moderate floodingMay 7, 1954: 14.32 ft, moderate floodingApr 22, 1965: 17.89 ft, major flooding; 278,000 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1967: 14.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 1969: 15.70 ft, major floodingMar 20, 1973: 13.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 2, 1975: 14.50 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1976: 12.00 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 1982: 12.90 ft, minor floodingMar 12, 1983: 13.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 8, 1986: 14.00 ft, moderate floodingSep 28, 1986: 13.70 ft, moderate floodingJun 26, 1993: 14.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 12, 1997: 15.01 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 2001: 16.41 ft, major floodingSep 27, 2010: 13.84 ft, moderate flooding; 167,000 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2011: 14.35 ft, moderate flooding; 176,900 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 2014: 13.73 ft, moderate flooding; 169,060 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2016: 12.04 ft, minor floodingMay 25, 2017: 12.42 ft, minor flooding; 133,240 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2018: 12.26 ft, minor flooding; 129,720 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2018: 12.17 ft, minor flooding; 127,740 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2019: 14.58 ft, moderate flooding; 185,105 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2019: 14.33 ft, moderate floodingJun 1, 2019: 13.33 ft, moderate flooding; 154,168 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2023: 15.89 ft, major floodingJul 2, 2024: 14.94 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 17.89 ft, Apr 22, 1965 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at La Crosse - Pool 8 1880s: 4 1890s: 2 1900s: 2 1910s: 1 1920s: 2 1930s: 1 1940s: 4 1950s: 4 1960s: 3 1970s: 3 1980s: 4 1990s: 2 2000s: 1 2010s: 10 10 2020s: 2 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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, Mississippi River at La Crosse - Pool 8
1Apr 22, 196517.89+5.89Major278,000
2Apr 18, 200116.41+4.41Major—
3Apr 26, 202315.89+3.89Major—
4Apr 20, 196915.70+3.70Major—
5Apr 20, 195215.30+3.30Moderate—
6Apr 12, 199715.01+3.01Moderate—
7Jul 2, 202414.94+2.94Moderate—
8Apr 19, 195114.90+2.90Moderate—
9Apr 7, 196714.60+2.60Moderate—
10Apr 3, 201914.58+2.58Moderate185,105
11May 8, 188814.50+2.50Moderate—
12May 2, 197514.50+2.50Moderate—
13Oct 17, 188114.40+2.40Moderate—
14Apr 14, 201114.35+2.35Moderate176,900
15Apr 24, 201914.33+2.33Moderate—
16May 7, 195414.32+2.32Moderate—
17Apr 2, 192014.20+2.20Moderate—
18Jun 26, 199314.10+2.10Moderate—
19Apr 8, 198614.00+2.00Moderate—
20Sep 27, 201013.84+1.84Moderate167,000
21Jul 2, 201413.73+1.73Moderate169,060
22Apr 10, 189713.70+1.70Moderate—
23Apr 17, 192213.70+1.70Moderate—
24Sep 28, 198613.70+1.70Moderate—
25Apr 18, 188813.60+1.60Moderate—
26Apr 28, 191613.60+1.60Moderate—
27Jun 1, 201913.33+1.33Moderate154,168
28Sep 20, 190313.30+1.30Moderate—
29Jun 22, 194313.30+1.30Moderate—
30Mar 12, 198313.10+1.10Moderate—
31May 4, 188113.00+1.00Moderate—
32Jun 5, 194213.00+1.00Moderate—
33Mar 20, 197313.00+1.00Moderate—
34Apr 24, 198212.90+0.90Minor—
35May 22, 189412.80+0.80Minor—
36May 15, 195012.60+0.60Minor—
37May 25, 201712.42+0.42Minor133,240
38Jun 12, 190512.40+0.40Minor—
39Mar 27, 194512.40+0.40Minor—
40Jun 22, 194412.30+0.30Minor—
41May 4, 201812.26+0.26Minor129,720
42Jun 25, 201812.17+0.17Minor127,740
43Sep 15, 193812.10+0.10Minor—
44Sep 26, 201612.04+0.04Minor—
45Apr 6, 197612.000.00Minor—

The worst floods along the Mississippi River

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

April 22, 1965: 17.89 ft here, major flooding

April 18, 2001: 16.41 ft here, major flooding

April 26, 2023: 15.89 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Mississippi River

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

Flood gauges on the Mississippi River
TiptonvilleMO37.048.35 ft, May 5, 20112
Alma - Pool 5MN672.0672.13 ft, Apr 16, 20010
AltonIL21.039.55 ft, Aug 1, 19937
Baton RougeLA35.047.28 ft, May 15, 192731
BellevueIL17.023.51 ft, Apr 26, 196511
BrainerdMN16.017.61 ft, Jun 28, 20120
BrownsvilleMN635.0640.20 ft, Apr 22, 19650
BurlingtonIL15.025.73 ft, Jun 17, 200836
CamancheIA17.024.65 ft, Apr 28, 196520
Canton Lock and Dam 20MO15.027.88 ft, Jul 9, 19933
Cape GirardeauMO32.048.86 ft, Jan 2, 201615
CaruthersvilleMO32.047.61 ft, May 7, 20112
ChesterIL27.049.74 ft, Aug 7, 19939
Clarksville Lock and Dam 24MO25.037.73 ft, Jul 29, 199310
ClaytonIA620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
DakotaMN644.0649.08 ft, Apr 21, 19650
DonaldsonvilleLA27.036.01 ft, May 15, 19273
Dubuque (LD11)IA16.025.69 ft, Apr 26, 196513
Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)IA17.026.81 ft, Apr 26, 196518
Fort RipleyMN10.514.15 ft, Apr 8, 19970
Fridley abv 37th Ave NEMN16.020.00 ft, Apr 17, 19656
FultonIL16.024.75 ft, Apr 28, 196513
GladstoneIL10.022.46 ft, Jun 17, 200824
GraftonIL20.038.17 ft, Aug 1, 199315
Gregory LandingMO15.028.49 ft, Jul 9, 19934
HannibalMO17.031.80 ft, Jul 15, 199310
HelenaAR44.060.21 ft, Feb 12, 19374
HerculaneumMO26.029.79 ft, Jul 10, 20240
HickmanKY34.054.29 ft, May 2, 20113
Hwy 169 at ChamplinMN12.017.96 ft, Apr 12, 19653
Hwy 610 in Brooklyn ParkMN12.019.53 ft, Apr 17, 19654
Illinois CityIA15.024.10 ft, Jul 9, 199321
KeithsburgIA14.024.49 ft, Jun 17, 200822
KeokukIA16.027.58 ft, Jul 10, 199324
La Crosse - Pool 8 this gaugeWI12.017.89 ft, Apr 22, 19654
LaGrangeMO17.030.00 ft, Jul 13, 19934
Lake CityWI16.022.18 ft, Apr 19, 19653
Lansing - Pool 9IA17.022.50 ft, Apr 24, 19651
LeClaireIA11.017.75 ft, Apr 28, 196516
LouisianaMO15.028.40 ft, Jul 28, 19934
McGregorIA16.025.38 ft, Apr 24, 19653
Mel Price (Alton) Lock and DamIL21.042.72 ft, Aug 1, 19938
MemphisTN34.048.70 ft, Feb 10, 19372
MuscatineIA16.025.61 ft, Jul 9, 199321
NatchezMS48.061.95 ft, May 19, 20116
New BostonIL15.025.90 ft, Jul 9, 199322
New MadridMO34.048.35 ft, May 6, 20114
New OrleansLA17.021.27 ft, Apr 25, 19225
OsceolaAR28.050.90 ft, Feb 7, 193742
QuincyIL19.032.13 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL18.031.30 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Red River LandingLA48.063.39 ft, May 18, 20110
Red WingMN14.020.70 ft, Apr 18, 19659
ReserveLA22.026.00 ft, Jun 11, 19291
Rock IslandIL15.022.70 ft, May 2, 201920
Saverton Lock and Dam 22MO16.029.58 ft, Jul 25, 19939
St. CloudMN9.011.44 ft, Apr 8, 19971
St. LouisMO30.049.58 ft, Aug 1, 19939
St. PaulMN14.026.01 ft, Apr 16, 196516
ThebesIL33.047.74 ft, Jan 2, 201612
Tunica Mhoon LandingMS30.053.20 ft, Feb 10, 19375
VicksburgLA43.057.10 ft, May 19, 201112
Wabasha - Pool 4MN12.020.05 ft, Apr 19, 19657
Winfield Lock and Dam 25MO26.039.62 ft, Aug 1, 19939
Winona - Pool 6MN13.020.77 ft, Apr 19, 19655
Lock and Dam 10 - GuttenbergIA15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Lock and Dam 2 - HastingsMN15.025.90 ft, Apr 17, 196512
Lock and Dam 3 - Red WingMN680.5687.77 ft, Apr 19, 19658
Lock and Dam 4 - AlmaWI16.019.78 ft, Apr 19, 19652
Lock and Dam 5 - Minnesota CityMN660.0667.85 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 5a - WinonaMN655.0663.35 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 6 - TrempealeauMN647.0653.02 ft, Apr 21, 19654
Lock and Dam 7 - La CrescentMN641.0647.38 ft, Apr 21, 19652
Lock and Dam 8 - GenoaWI631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653
Lock and Dam 9 - LynxvilleWI625.0633.16 ft, Apr 24, 19653
AitkinMN13.022.49 ft, May 20, 195011
Arkansas CityAR37.059.20 ft, Apr 21, 192715
GreenvilleAR48.065.40 ft, Apr 21, 192718

Other gauges in La Crosse County

Flood gauges in La Crosse County
Galesville12.016.79 ft, Sep 25, 20104
La Crosse7.511.94 ft, Jul 22, 20170

La Crosse County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Wisconsin

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LACW3, 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.