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Pecatonica River near Blanchardville

Highest listed crest 16.54 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft109 crests since 1940

The Pecatonica River near Blanchardville crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 109 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2025. The highest, 16.54 ft on July 6, 1993, was major flooding, 5.54 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Pecatonica River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.54 ft
July 6, 1993; 5,650 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
3
30th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
July 12, 2025
11.05 ft, minor flooding
Location
Lafayette County
Wisconsin

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Pecatonica River near Blanchardville
Action stage9.022Oct 23, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.060Jul 12, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.016Oct 3, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.03Mar 15, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

109 crests from 1940 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Pecatonica River near Blanchardville, 1940 to 2025 681012141618ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 16.0 ft Aug 27, 1940: 9.76 ft, action stage; 965 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1941: 11.34 ft, minor flooding; 1,310 cubic feet per secondAug 2, 1942: 12.98 ft, minor flooding; 2,550 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1943: 14.04 ft, moderate flooding; 5,450 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1944: 14.00 ft, moderate flooding; 5,440 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1945: 11.24 ft, minor flooding; 1,690 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1946: 14.37 ft, moderate flooding; 6,500 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1947: 12.12 ft, minor flooding; 2,980 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1948: 15.74 ft, moderate flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1949: 13.18 ft, minor flooding; 4,260 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1950: 15.73 ft, moderate flooding; 7,150 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1951: 10.06 ft, action stage; 1,070 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1952: 12.62 ft, minor flooding; 3,250 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1953: 15.25 ft, moderate flooding; 8,750 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1954: 13.10 ft, minor flooding; 3,300 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1954: 11.29 ft, minor flooding; 1,830 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1956: 9.80 ft, action stage; 1,070 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1957: 12.96 ft, minor flooding; 2,820 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1958: 11.90 ft, minor flooding; 1,700 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1959: 15.61 ft, moderate flooding; 9,680 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1960: 14.81 ft, moderate flooding; 6,960 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1961: 12.86 ft, minor flooding; 2,900 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1962: 10.37 ft, action stage; 1,040 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1963: 13.29 ft, minor flooding; 3,600 cubic feet per secondAug 21, 1964: 9.25 ft, action stage; 744 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1965: 14.96 ft, moderate flooding; 5,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1966: 14.71 ft, moderate flooding; 4,500 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1967: 13.80 ft, minor flooding; 4,810 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1968: 8.47 ft, below flood stage; 587 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1969: 13.04 ft, minor flooding; 2,260 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 1970: 6.89 ft, below flood stage; 409 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1971: 10.14 ft, action stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1972: 11.85 ft, minor flooding; 1,380 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1973: 12.50 ft, minor flooding; 2,380 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1974: 12.91 ft, minor flooding; 2,920 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1975: 13.65 ft, minor flooding; 3,320 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1976: 13.04 ft, minor flooding; 2,500 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1977: 12.48 ft, minor flooding; 1,750 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1978: 12.75 ft, minor flooding; 2,110 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1979: 11.16 ft, minor flooding; 1,310 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1980: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 2,010 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 1981: 13.16 ft, minor flooding; 2,510 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1982: 12.24 ft, minor flooding; 1,890 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1982: 10.84 ft, action stage; 1,190 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1984: 12.75 ft, minor flooding; 2,320 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1985: 12.68 ft, minor flooding; 1,800 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1986: 11.60 ft, minor flooding; 1,450 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1988: 8.73 ft, below flood stage; 610 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1989: 12.97 ft, minor flooding; 1,400 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1990: 14.05 ft, moderate flooding; 2,540 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1991: 10.77 ft, action stage; 970 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1992: 9.33 ft, action stage; 681 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1993: 13.14 ft, minor flooding; 2,648 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1993: 16.54 ft, major flooding; 5,650 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1994: 13.89 ft, minor flooding; 3,354 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 1995: 6.76 ft, below flood stage; 394 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 1996: 14.47 ft, moderate flooding; 2,970 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1997: 13.18 ft, minor flooding; 2,100 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1998: 12.25 ft, minor flooding; 1,660 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1999: 12.67 ft, minor flooding; 2,090 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2000: 13.08 ft, minor flooding; 1,840 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2001: 8.50 ft, below flood stage; 555 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2002: 9.63 ft, action stage; 706 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2004: 13.62 ft, minor flooding; 1,980 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2005: 12.30 ft, minor flooding; 1,370 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2006: 8.68 ft, below flood stage; 527 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2007: 10.78 ft, action stageAug 20, 2007: 13.04 ft, minor flooding; 1,620 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2008: 11.42 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 2008: 15.15 ft, moderate flooding; 2,540 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2008: 13.78 ft, minor flooding; 1,910 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2009: 10.49 ft, action stageMar 9, 2009: 11.45 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 2009: 10.69 ft, action stageApr 27, 2009: 10.67 ft, action stageJun 20, 2009: 13.13 ft, minor flooding; 1,660 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2010: 10.62 ft, action stageApr 8, 2010: 9.45 ft, action stageJul 25, 2010: 9.56 ft, action stageMar 21, 2011: 10.05 ft, action stage; 819 cubic feet per secondNov 10, 2011: 7.89 ft, below flood stage; 502 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2013: 14.34 ft, moderate flooding; 6,320 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2014: 11.18 ft, minor flooding; 1,170 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2015: 9.36 ft, action stage; 615 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2015: 11.43 ft, minor flooding; 1,333 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 2016: 9.16 ft, action stageMar 17, 2016: 11.14 ft, minor flooding; 962 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 2016: 11.56 ft, minor flooding; 1,060 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 2016: 9.71 ft, action stage; 657 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 2017: 12.38 ft, minor floodingJul 21, 2017: 14.89 ft, moderate flooding; 2,540 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2018: 16.02 ft, major flooding; 5,330 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2018: 11.02 ft, minor flooding; 1,090 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2018: 11.66 ft, minor flooding; 1,290 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2018: 12.52 ft, minor flooding; 1,590 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 2018: 11.57 ft, minor flooding; 1,260 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2018: 14.81 ft, moderate flooding; 3,440 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2018: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 1,580 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2018: 11.25 ft, minor flooding; 1,080 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2019: 11.24 ft, minor flooding; 1,140 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 2019: 11.28 ft, minor flooding; 1,050 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 16.34 ft, major flooding; 6,950 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2019: 11.06 ft, minor flooding; 1,090 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2019: 12.14 ft, minor flooding; 1,420 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2019: 13.75 ft, minor flooding; 1,680 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 2020: 10.59 ft, action stage; 947 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2022: 7.93 ft, below flood stage; 489 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2024: 11.11 ft, minor flooding; 1,060 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2025: 11.05 ft, minor flooding; 883 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.54 ft, Jul 6, 1993 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Pecatonica River near Blanchardville 1940s: 9 1950s: 8 1960s: 7 1970s: 8 1980s: 7 1990s: 8 2000s: 9 2010s: 21 21 2020s: 2 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 109 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Pecatonica River near Blanchardville
1Jul 6, 199316.54+5.54Major5,650
2Mar 15, 201916.34+5.34Major6,950
3Feb 21, 201816.02+5.02Major5,330
4Feb 28, 194815.74+4.74Moderate11,700
5Jul 17, 195015.73+4.73Moderate7,150
6Apr 1, 195915.61+4.61Moderate9,680
7Feb 20, 195315.25+4.25Moderate8,750
8Jun 9, 200815.15+4.15Moderate2,540
9Mar 2, 196514.96+3.96Moderate5,800
10Jul 21, 201714.89+3.89Moderate2,540
11Mar 30, 196014.81+3.81Moderate6,960
12Oct 3, 201814.81+3.81Moderate3,440
13Feb 9, 196614.71+3.71Moderate4,500
14Jul 18, 199614.47+3.47Moderate2,970
15Jan 6, 194614.37+3.37Moderate6,500
16Jun 23, 201314.34+3.34Moderate6,320
17Jun 30, 199014.05+3.05Moderate2,540
18Mar 16, 194314.04+3.04Moderate5,450
19Mar 15, 194414.00+3.00Moderate5,440
20Feb 21, 199413.89+2.89Minor3,354
21Jan 25, 196713.80+2.80Minor4,810
22Jun 14, 200813.78+2.78Minor1,910
23Oct 3, 201913.75+2.75Minor1,680
24Mar 22, 197513.65+2.65Minor3,320
25May 24, 200413.62+2.62Minor1,980
26Mar 18, 196313.29+2.29Minor3,600
27Mar 5, 194913.18+2.18Minor4,260
28Feb 21, 199713.18+2.18Minor2,100
29Aug 28, 198113.16+2.16Minor2,510
30Mar 26, 199313.14+2.14Minor2,648
31Jun 20, 200913.13+2.13Minor1,660
32Jun 22, 195413.10+2.10Minor3,300
33Jun 2, 200013.08+2.08Minor1,840
34Jun 26, 196913.04+2.04Minor2,260
35Mar 5, 197613.04+2.04Minor2,500
36Aug 20, 200713.04+2.04Minor1,620
37Aug 2, 194212.98+1.98Minor2,550
38Mar 12, 198912.97+1.97Minor1,400
39Jun 11, 195712.96+1.96Minor2,820
40Mar 4, 197412.91+1.91Minor2,920
41Mar 26, 196112.86+1.86Minor2,900
42Jul 2, 197812.75+1.75Minor2,110
43Jul 11, 198412.75+1.75Minor2,320
44Feb 23, 198512.68+1.68Minor1,800
45Apr 24, 199912.67+1.67Minor2,090
46Mar 19, 195212.62+1.62Minor3,250
47Oct 11, 201812.60+1.60Minor1,580
48Sep 6, 201812.52+1.52Minor1,590
49Feb 2, 197312.50+1.50Minor2,380
50Jul 19, 197712.48+1.48Minor1,750

The worst floods along the Pecatonica River

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

July 6, 1993: 16.54 ft here, major flooding

  • DarlingtonWI · Jul 6, 1993 · 18.22 ft · Major
  • FreeportIL · Jul 11, 1993 · 16.61 ft · Major
  • MartintownWI · Jul 8, 1993 · 20.36 ft · Moderate

March 15, 2019: 16.34 ft here, major flooding

  • MartintownWI · Mar 16, 2019 · 22.41 ft · Major · its highest
  • DarlingtonWI · Mar 14, 2019 · 17.60 ft · Major
  • FreeportIL · Mar 17, 2019 · 17.27 ft · Major · its highest
  • ShirlandIL · Mar 17, 2019 · 16.46 ft · Major

February 21, 2018: 16.02 ft here, major flooding

  • FreeportIL · Feb 25, 2018 · 16.14 ft · Major
  • ShirlandIL · Feb 24, 2018 · 15.58 ft · Major
  • MartintownWI · Feb 23, 2018 · 20.16 ft · Moderate
  • DarlingtonWI · Feb 21, 2018 · 15.38 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Pecatonica River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Pecatonica River
DarlingtonWI13.520.71 ft, Jul 16, 195014
Blanchardville this gaugeWI11.016.54 ft, Jul 6, 19933
MartintownWI13.522.41 ft, Mar 16, 20192
FreeportIL13.017.27 ft, Mar 17, 201914
ShirlandIL12.018.08 ft, Mar 25, 197511

Other gauges in Lafayette County

Flood gauges in Lafayette County
Buncombe15.019.57 ft, Jun 29, 19691
Darlington13.520.71 ft, Jul 16, 195014

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BCHW3, 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.