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Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Dells

Highest listed crest 20.70 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft48 crests since 1935

The Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Dells crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 48 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1935 to 2026. The highest, 20.70 ft on March 16, 1973, was major flooding, 4.70 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Wisconsin River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
20.70 ft
March 16, 1973; 62,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.9 ft
Crests at major
3
30th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
April 16, 2026
16.76 ft, minor flooding
Location
Sauk County
Near Baraboo (9.5 mi), Reedsburg (12.9 mi)

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 Wisconsin Dells
Action stage13.016May 21, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.012Apr 16, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.67Jun 24, 1993Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.93Mar 16, 1973Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

48 crests from 1935 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Dells, 1935 to 2026 510152025ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 18.9 ft Mar 27, 1935: 17.80 ft, moderate flooding; 64,600 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 1938: 18.83 ft, moderate flooding; 72,200 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1943: 15.63 ft, action stage; 57,500 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1957: 15.58 ft, action stage; 61,700 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1960: 16.02 ft, minor flooding; 63,300 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1965: 18.95 ft, major flooding; 50,200 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1966: 15.87 ft, action stage; 33,800 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1967: 19.22 ft, major flooding; 51,800 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1968: 17.30 ft, minor flooding; 42,100 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1968: 17.30 ft, minor flooding; 42,100 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1969: 17.91 ft, moderate flooding; 46,300 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1971: 15.95 ft, action stage; 36,000 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 1972: 17.77 ft, moderate flooding; 45,500 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1973: 20.70 ft, major flooding; 62,600 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1975: 15.88 ft, action stage; 37,400 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1976: 16.68 ft, minor flooding; 41,000 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1980: 16.82 ft, minor flooding; 45,100 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1982: 15.82 ft, action stage; 40,500 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1983: 17.74 ft, moderate flooding; 49,400 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1986: 17.89 ft, moderate flooding; 53,400 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1990: 16.31 ft, minor flooding; 44,700 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1991: 14.60 ft, action stage; 40,190 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1992: 13.56 ft, action stage; 35,570 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1993: 18.16 ft, moderate flooding; 59,100 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1994: 12.88 ft, below flood stage; 32,690 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1995: 11.99 ft, below flood stage; 29,090 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1996: 15.65 ft, action stage; 45,010 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1997: 14.27 ft, action stage; 38,670 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1998: 13.42 ft, action stage; 35,020 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2003: 15.11 ft, action stage; 42,500 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2003: 16.31 ft, minor flooding; 48,500 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2008: 14.75 ft, action stage; 41,300 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2008: 12.02 ft, below flood stageApr 30, 2009: 9.56 ft, below flood stageJul 17, 2010: 10.92 ft, below flood stageSep 27, 2010: 17.56 ft, minor flooding; 56,800 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2011: 8.85 ft, below flood stageApr 13, 2011: 16.56 ft, minor flooding; 50,300 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2014: 13.75 ft, action stage; 36,600 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2015: 9.80 ft, below flood stage; 21,400 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2015: 11.02 ft, below flood stage; 26,180 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2015: 10.94 ft, below flood stage; 25,851 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2015: 14.05 ft, action stage; 39,435 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2016: 16.31 ft, minor flooding; 50,800 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2017: 14.19 ft, action stageJun 15, 2017: 11.75 ft, below flood stageApr 21, 2019: 16.90 ft, minor flooding; 59,100 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2026: 16.76 ft, minor flooding; 57,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 20.70 ft, Mar 16, 1973 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Dells 1930s: 2 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 6 6 1970s: 3 1980s: 3 1990s: 2 2000s: 1 2010s: 4 2020s: 1 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Wisconsin Dells
1Mar 16, 197320.70+4.70Major62,600
2Apr 5, 196719.22+3.22Major51,800
3Apr 15, 196518.95+2.95Major50,200
4Sep 14, 193818.83+2.83Moderate72,200
5Jun 24, 199318.16+2.16Moderate59,100
6Jun 30, 196917.91+1.91Moderate46,300
7Sep 30, 198617.89+1.89Moderate53,400
8Mar 27, 193517.80+1.80Moderate64,600
9Sep 29, 197217.77+1.77Moderate45,500
10Mar 10, 198317.74+1.74Moderate49,400
11Sep 27, 201017.56+1.56Minor56,800
12Mar 10, 196817.30+1.30Minor42,100
13Jun 28, 196817.30+1.30Minor42,100
14Apr 21, 201916.90+0.90Minor59,100
15Sep 25, 198016.82+0.82Minor45,100
16Apr 16, 202616.76+0.76Minor57,000
17Mar 31, 197616.68+0.68Minor41,000
18Apr 13, 201116.56+0.56Minor50,300
19Jun 15, 199016.31+0.31Minor44,700
20Jun 15, 200316.31+0.31Minor48,500
21Mar 19, 201616.31+0.31Minor50,800
22May 10, 196016.02+0.02Minor63,300
23Apr 13, 197115.95−0.05Action36,000
24Apr 30, 197515.88−0.12Action37,400
25Mar 24, 196615.87−0.13Action33,800
26Apr 6, 198215.82−0.18Action40,500
27Apr 22, 199615.65−0.35Action45,010
28Jun 4, 194315.63−0.37Action57,500
29Apr 11, 195715.58−0.42Action61,700
30May 15, 200315.11−0.89Action42,500
31Apr 22, 200814.75−1.25Action41,300
32Mar 29, 199114.60−1.40Action40,190
33Apr 8, 199714.27−1.73Action38,670
34May 21, 201714.19−1.81Action—
35Dec 17, 201514.05−1.95Action39,435
36Apr 14, 201413.75−2.25Action36,600
37Apr 18, 199213.56−2.44Action35,570
38Apr 2, 199813.42−2.58Action35,020
39Apr 29, 199412.88−3.12Below flood stage32,690
40Jun 9, 200812.02−3.98Below flood stage—
41Aug 31, 199511.99−4.01Below flood stage29,090
42Jun 15, 201711.75−4.25Below flood stage—
43May 24, 201511.02−4.98Below flood stage26,180
44Jun 11, 201510.94−5.06Below flood stage25,851
45Jul 17, 201010.92−5.08Below flood stage—
46Apr 13, 20159.80−6.20Below flood stage21,400
47Apr 30, 20099.56−6.44Below flood stage—
48Mar 23, 20118.85−7.15Below flood stage—

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.

March 16, 1973: 20.70 ft here, major flooding

  • PortageWI · Mar 17, 1973 · 20.20 ft · Major
  • MuscodaWI · Mar 20, 1973 · 10.36 ft · Moderate
  • Wisconsin RapidsWI · Mar 16, 1973 · 12.00 ft · Minor

April 5, 1967: 19.22 ft here, major flooding

April 15, 1965: 18.95 ft here, major 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
MuscodaWI9.011.48 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 Dells this gaugeWI16.020.70 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 Sauk County

Flood gauges in Sauk County
La Valle15.023.23 ft, Jun 10, 20082
Reedsburg14.021.85 ft, Aug 29, 20183
Rock Springs18.528.73 ft, Jun 11, 20083
West Baraboo9.013.69 ft, Jun 13, 20081
Baraboo16.027.48 ft, Jun 13, 20082

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WDEW3, 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.