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Yellow River (WI) at Babcock

Highest listed crest 18.43 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft64 crests since 1944

The Yellow River (WI) at Babcock crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 64 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1944 to 2026. The highest, 18.43 ft on September 24, 2010, was major flooding, 6.43 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Yellow River (WI) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
18.43 ft
September 24, 2010; 14,808 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 17.0 ft
Crests at major
3
30th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
April 15, 2026
15.15 ft, minor flooding
Location
Wood County
Wisconsin

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Yellow River (WI) at Babcock
Action stage10.01Mar 14, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.050Apr 15, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.510Aug 29, 2021Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage17.03Sep 24, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

64 crests from 1944 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Yellow River (WI) at Babcock, 1944 to 2026 101214161820ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 17.0 ft Jun 19, 1944: 13.60 ft, minor flooding; 4,880 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1945: 15.78 ft, moderate flooding; 8,430 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1950: 13.98 ft, minor flooding; 5,400 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1952: 17.38 ft, major flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1953: 15.06 ft, minor flooding; 7,130 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1956: 15.85 ft, moderate flooding; 8,470 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1960: 14.14 ft, minor flooding; 5,460 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1961: 15.41 ft, minor flooding; 7,680 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1963: 16.03 ft, moderate flooding; 8,810 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1965: 14.61 ft, minor flooding; 6,320 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1967: 17.05 ft, major flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1968: 15.53 ft, moderate flooding; 7,890 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1969: 14.57 ft, minor flooding; 6,260 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 1972: 14.17 ft, minor flooding; 5,220 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1973: 15.46 ft, minor flooding; 7,550 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1975: 14.57 ft, minor flooding; 6,160 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 1978: 14.03 ft, minor flooding; 5,470 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1979: 15.41 ft, minor flooding; 6,000 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1980: 14.91 ft, minor flooding; 6,930 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1983: 15.40 ft, minor flooding; 7,740 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1986: 15.77 ft, moderate flooding; 8,640 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1989: 14.45 ft, minor flooding; 6,110 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1990: 14.84 ft, minor flooding; 6,740 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1991: 13.56 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1992: 13.22 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 1993: 15.63 ft, moderate flooding; 8,080 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1998: 13.67 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 2001: 13.34 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 2001: 13.40 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 2001: 13.15 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 2002: 13.37 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 2004: 12.80 ft, minor floodingJun 12, 2004: 12.31 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 2005: 12.58 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 2008: 12.55 ft, minor flooding; 3,673 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2010: 12.50 ft, minor flooding; 3,625 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2010: 12.88 ft, minor flooding; 3,997 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2010: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 3,180 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2010: 18.43 ft, major flooding; 14,808 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2011: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 3,721 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2011: 13.96 ft, minor flooding; 5,362 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2013: 12.86 ft, minor flooding; 3,976 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2013: 12.04 ft, minor flooding; 3,212 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2013: 12.63 ft, minor flooding; 3,750 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2014: 12.35 ft, minor flooding; 3,485 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2015: 12.18 ft, minor flooding; 3,331 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2015: 13.89 ft, minor flooding; 5,262 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2016: 15.53 ft, moderate flooding; 7,379 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2017: 15.64 ft, moderate flooding; 7,520 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2017: 13.09 ft, minor flooding; 3,857 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2017: 13.89 ft, minor flooding; 4,791 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2019: 15.95 ft, moderate flooding; 8,140 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2019: 13.03 ft, minor flooding; 3,882 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2020: 11.77 ft, action stage; 2,820 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2021: 15.92 ft, moderate flooding; 8,170 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2022: 12.25 ft, minor flooding; 3,120 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2023: 14.41 ft, minor floodingOct 26, 2023: 14.61 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 2024: 12.06 ft, minor floodingJun 23, 2024: 15.26 ft, minor flooding; 6,879 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2025: 12.63 ft, minor flooding; 3,488 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2025: 12.65 ft, minor flooding; 3,580 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2026: 12.53 ft, minor flooding; 3,408 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2026: 15.15 ft, minor flooding; 6,700 cubic feet per second Highest, 18.43 ft, Sep 24, 2010 1960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Yellow River (WI) at Babcock 1940s: 2 1950s: 4 1960s: 7 1970s: 5 1980s: 4 1990s: 5 2000s: 8 2010s: 18 18 2020s: 10 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 64 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Yellow River (WI) at Babcock
1Sep 24, 201018.43+6.43Major14,808
2Apr 2, 195217.38+5.38Major11,600
3Mar 31, 196717.05+5.05Major10,800
4Mar 27, 196316.03+4.03Moderate8,810
5Apr 18, 201915.95+3.95Moderate8,140
6Aug 29, 202115.92+3.92Moderate8,170
7Apr 5, 195615.85+3.85Moderate8,470
8Mar 18, 194515.78+3.78Moderate8,430
9Sep 22, 198615.77+3.77Moderate8,640
10Feb 22, 201715.64+3.64Moderate7,520
11Jun 19, 199315.63+3.63Moderate8,080
12May 17, 196815.53+3.53Moderate7,890
13Mar 17, 201615.53+3.53Moderate7,379
14Apr 17, 197315.46+3.46Minor7,550
15Mar 28, 196115.41+3.41Minor7,680
16Mar 24, 197915.41+3.41Minor6,000
17Mar 7, 198315.40+3.40Minor7,740
18Jun 23, 202415.26+3.26Minor6,879
19Apr 15, 202615.15+3.15Minor6,700
20Mar 22, 195315.06+3.06Minor7,130
21Sep 22, 198014.91+2.91Minor6,930
22Mar 14, 199014.84+2.84Minor6,740
23Apr 12, 196514.61+2.61Minor6,320
24Oct 26, 202314.61+2.61Minor—
25Apr 6, 196914.57+2.57Minor6,260
26Apr 29, 197514.57+2.57Minor6,160
27Mar 28, 198914.45+2.45Minor6,110
28Apr 2, 202314.41+2.41Minor—
29Sep 29, 197214.17+2.17Minor5,220
30May 7, 196014.14+2.14Minor5,460
31Sep 14, 197814.03+2.03Minor5,470
32Mar 28, 195013.98+1.98Minor5,400
33Apr 11, 201113.96+1.96Minor5,362
34Dec 15, 201513.89+1.89Minor5,262
35May 18, 201713.89+1.89Minor4,791
36Jun 28, 199813.67+1.67Minor—
37Jun 19, 194413.60+1.60Minor4,880
38Mar 24, 199113.56+1.56Minor—
39Jun 2, 200113.40+1.40Minor—
40Jun 24, 200213.37+1.37Minor—
41Apr 8, 200113.34+1.34Minor—
42May 18, 199213.22+1.22Minor—
43Jun 13, 200113.15+1.15Minor—
44Apr 21, 201713.09+1.09Minor3,857
45Jul 21, 201913.03+1.03Minor3,882
46Jul 16, 201012.88+0.88Minor3,997
47Apr 16, 201312.86+0.86Minor3,976
48Mar 27, 200412.80+0.80Minor—
49Apr 21, 202512.65+0.65Minor3,580
50May 30, 201312.63+0.63Minor3,750

The worst floods along the Yellow River (WI)

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

September 24, 2010: 18.43 ft here, major flooding

  • NecedahWI · Sep 26, 2010 · 19.98 ft · Major · its highest
  • PittsvilleWI · Sep 24, 2010 · 17.60 ft · Major · its highest

April 18, 2019: 15.95 ft here, moderate flooding

  • NecedahWI · Apr 20, 2019 · 18.77 ft · Major

Gauges on the Yellow River (WI)

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

Flood gauges on the Yellow River (WI)
Babcock this gaugeWI12.018.43 ft, Sep 24, 20103
NecedahWI15.019.98 ft, Sep 26, 20104
PittsvilleWI13.017.60 ft, Sep 24, 20101

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
Wisconsin Rapids Dam991.0993.27 ft, Sep 25, 20100
Pittsville13.017.60 ft, Sep 24, 20101

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BBCW3, 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.