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Wisconsin River at Muscoda

Highest listed crest 11.48 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft30 crests since 1881

The Wisconsin River at Muscoda crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 30 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1881 to 2026. The highest, 11.48 ft on September 16, 1938, was major flooding, 2.48 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Wisconsin River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
11.48 ft
September 16, 1938; 80,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
2
46th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
April 19, 2026
9.83 ft, minor flooding
Location
Grant County
Wisconsin

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Wisconsin River at Muscoda
Action stage7.08Jun 15, 2008The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.015Apr 19, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.05Jun 26, 1993Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.02Sep 16, 1938Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

30 crests from 1881 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Wisconsin River at Muscoda, 1881 to 2026 89101112ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft Jun 11, 1881: 11.10 ft, major floodingApr 29, 1916: 9.20 ft, minor flooding; 54,300 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1920: 10.10 ft, moderate flooding; 63,300 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1922: 10.60 ft, moderate flooding; 72,100 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1928: 9.50 ft, minor flooding; 52,600 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1929: 9.30 ft, minor flooding; 51,800 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1935: 9.90 ft, minor flooding; 62,200 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1938: 11.48 ft, major flooding; 80,800 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1940: 9.15 ft, minor flooding; 50,700 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1942: 9.30 ft, minor flooding; 54,600 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1943: 9.64 ft, minor flooding; 57,900 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1946: 9.00 ft, minor flooding; 51,300 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1951: 9.95 ft, minor flooding; 64,800 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1960: 10.17 ft, moderate flooding; 67,200 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1965: 8.95 ft, action stage; 48,500 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1967: 9.47 ft, minor flooding; 54,200 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1973: 10.36 ft, moderate flooding; 65,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1983: 9.28 ft, minor flooding; 51,500 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1986: 8.89 ft, action stage; 47,600 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1986: 9.77 ft, minor flooding; 55,500 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1990: 8.67 ft, action stage; 42,600 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1993: 10.34 ft, moderate flooding; 59,600 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1996: 8.72 ft, action stage; 44,800 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2001: 8.27 ft, action stage; 44,400 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2003: 8.18 ft, action stage; 42,100 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2004: 8.20 ft, action stage; 41,300 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2008: 8.62 ft, action stage; 44,300 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2010: 9.57 ft, minor flooding; 57,000 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2019: 9.48 ft, minor flooding; 55,308 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2026: 9.83 ft, minor flooding; 62,641 cubic feet per second Highest, 11.48 ft, Sep 16, 1938 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Wisconsin River at Muscoda 1880s: 1 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 1 1920s: 4 4 1930s: 2 1940s: 4 1950s: 1 1960s: 2 1970s: 1 1980s: 2 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 2020s: 1 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, Wisconsin River at Muscoda
1Sep 16, 193811.48+2.48Major80,800
2Jun 11, 188111.10+2.10Major—
3Apr 16, 192210.60+1.60Moderate72,100
4Mar 20, 197310.36+1.36Moderate65,000
5Jun 26, 199310.34+1.34Moderate59,600
6May 12, 196010.17+1.17Moderate67,200
7Apr 2, 192010.10+1.10Moderate63,300
8Apr 14, 19519.95+0.95Minor64,800
9Mar 29, 19359.90+0.90Minor62,200
10Apr 19, 20269.83+0.83Minor62,641
11Oct 3, 19869.77+0.77Minor55,500
12Jun 6, 19439.64+0.64Minor57,900
13Sep 30, 20109.57+0.57Minor57,000
14Sep 22, 19289.50+0.50Minor52,600
15Apr 24, 20199.48+0.48Minor55,308
16Apr 7, 19679.47+0.47Minor54,200
17Apr 14, 19299.30+0.30Minor51,800
18Jun 7, 19429.30+0.30Minor54,600
19Mar 13, 19839.28+0.28Minor51,500
20Apr 29, 19169.20+0.20Minor54,300
21Jul 1, 19409.15+0.15Minor50,700
22Mar 21, 19469.000.00Minor51,300
23Apr 18, 19658.95−0.05Action48,500
24Apr 6, 19868.89−0.11Action47,600
25Apr 25, 19968.72−0.28Action44,800
26Jun 18, 19908.67−0.33Action42,600
27Jun 15, 20088.62−0.38Action44,300
28Apr 16, 20018.27−0.73Action44,400
29Jun 18, 20048.20−0.80Action41,300
30May 17, 20038.18−0.82Action42,100

The worst floods along the Wisconsin River

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

September 16, 1938: 11.48 ft here, major flooding

April 16, 1922: 10.60 ft here, moderate flooding

March 20, 1973: 10.36 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Wisconsin River

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

Flood gauges on the Wisconsin River
MerrillWI11.018.26 ft, Aug 31, 19412
Muscoda this gaugeWI9.011.48 ft, Sep 16, 19382
PortageWI17.020.66 ft, Sep 28, 20108
Rainbow ReservoirWI6.07.59 ft, Sep 5, 19410
RothschildWI25.032.30 ft, Sep 1, 19416
Wisconsin DellsWI16.020.70 ft, Mar 16, 19733
Wisconsin RapidsWI12.018.80 ft, Jun 15, 18802
Alexander DamWI1,259.01,260.53 ft, Apr 14, 20230
Biron DamWI1,017.01,020.73 ft, Sep 25, 20100
Dubay DamWI1,098.01,103.11 ft, Sep 24, 20100
Stevens Point DamWI1,076.01,080.64 ft, Sep 24, 20100
Wausau DamWI1,167.01,169.87 ft, Apr 18, 20230
Whiting DamWI1,053.01,055.99 ft, Sep 25, 20100
Wisconsin Rapids DamWI991.0993.27 ft, Sep 25, 20100

Other gauges in Grant County

Flood gauges in Grant County
Burton18.026.45 ft, Jul 22, 201717
Rockville9.017.26 ft, Jul 16, 19509

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MUSW3, 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.