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Wisconsin River below Wisconsin Rapids Dam

Highest listed crest 993.27 ftFlood stage 991.0 ft8 crests since 1935

The Wisconsin River below Wisconsin Rapids Dam crested above flood stage 6 times among the 8 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1935 to 2016. The highest, 993.27 ft on September 25, 2010, was moderate flooding, 2.27 feet above flood stage. 11 other gauges on the Wisconsin River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
993.27 ft
September 25, 2010; 78,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
991.0 ft
Major flooding from 993.5 ft
Crests at major
0
6 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
March 18, 2016
991.73 ft, minor flooding
Location
Wood County
Near Wisconsin Rapids (0.2 mi), Plover (14.8 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 below Wisconsin Rapids Dam
Action stage989.02Jun 21, 1993The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)991.04Mar 18, 2016Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage992.52Sep 25, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage993.50—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

8 crests from 1935 to 2016. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Wisconsin River below Wisconsin Rapids Dam, 1935 to 2016 990991992993994ft Flood stage 991.0 ftMajor 993.5 ft Mar 24, 1935: 992.60 ft, moderate flooding; 75,000 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 1938: 991.90 ft, minor flooding; 69,700 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1965: 990.92 ft, action stage; 64,700 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1967: 991.00 ft, minor flooding; 65,000 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1993: 990.90 ft, action stage; 64,500 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2010: 993.27 ft, moderate flooding; 78,400 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2011: 991.41 ft, minor flooding; 63,900 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2016: 991.73 ft, minor flooding; 61,468 cubic feet per second Highest, 993.27 ft, Sep 25, 2010 1940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Wisconsin River below Wisconsin Rapids Dam 1930s: 2 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 3 3 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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 below Wisconsin Rapids Dam
1Sep 25, 2010993.27+2.27Moderate78,400
2Mar 24, 1935992.60+1.60Moderate75,000
3Sep 11, 1938991.90+0.90Minor69,700
4Mar 18, 2016991.73+0.73Minor61,468
5Apr 12, 2011991.41+0.41Minor63,900
6Apr 3, 1967991.000.00Minor65,000
7Apr 13, 1965990.92−0.08Action64,700
8Jun 21, 1993990.90−0.10Action64,500

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 25, 2010: 993.27 ft here, moderate flooding

  • RothschildWI · Sep 24, 2010 · 29.46 ft · Major
  • PortageWI · Sep 28, 2010 · 20.66 ft · Major · its highest
  • Wisconsin RapidsWI · Sep 25, 2010 · 14.80 ft · Major
  • Dubay DamWI · Sep 24, 2010 · 1,103.11 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • Stevens Point DamWI · Sep 24, 2010 · 1,080.64 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • Biron DamWI · Sep 25, 2010 · 1,020.73 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • Wausau DamWI · Sep 24, 2010 · 1,169.50 ft · Minor
  • Whiting DamWI · Sep 25, 2010 · 1,055.99 ft · Minor · its highest
  • Wisconsin DellsWI · Sep 27, 2010 · 17.56 ft · Minor
  • MerrillWI · Sep 25, 2010 · 12.23 ft · Minor

March 24, 1935: 992.60 ft here, moderate flooding

September 11, 1938: 991.90 ft here, minor 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 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 Dam this gaugeWI991.0993.27 ft, Sep 25, 20100

Other gauges in Wood County

Flood gauges in Wood County
Wisconsin Rapids12.018.80 ft, Jun 15, 18802
Biron Dam1,017.01,020.73 ft, Sep 25, 20100
Babcock12.018.43 ft, Sep 24, 20103
Pittsville13.017.60 ft, Sep 24, 20101

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WDSW3, 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.