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Root River near Franklin water level

River gauge, Root River, Wisconsin, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.45ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
30.8 cfs
5 10 Highest onrecord 11.71 ft Minor floodstage 8.00 ft

History

2.53.0ftOct 16Oct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 192.53.0ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 19
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Root River near Franklin reads 2.45 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.55 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.42 ft and 3.50 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record
11.71 ftAugust 10, 2025

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 8.00 ft, still 5.55 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft
Nicholson Rd, Drexel, S Howell Ave, S 60th and Oakwood Rd, 8 Mile Rd and 27th St, Root River Parkway and Ryan Rd are flooded. Yards along the river are flooded.
11.00 ft
Nicholson Rd, Drexel, S Howell Ave, S 60th and Oakwood Rd, 8 Mile Rd and 27th St and Root River Parkway are flooded. Water approaches Ryan Rd. Yards along the river are flooded.
10.50 ft
Nicholson Rd, Drexel, S Howell Ave, S 60th and Oakwood Rd, 8 Mile Rd and 27th St flood. Portions of Root River Parkway are flooded. Yards along the river are flooded.
9.50 ft
Oakwood Road near S 60th is flooded. Water approaches 8 Mile Rd and 27th St. Nicholson Rd may be flooded. Some yards along the river are flooded. Portions of Root River Parkway are flooded.
9.00 ft
Portions of the Root River Parkway are flooded. Oakwood Road near S 60th is flooded. Some yards along the river are flooded.
8.00 ft
A low spot on Oakwood Road is flooded. E County Line Rd floods near Nicholson Rd. Some yards along the river flood.
7.00 ft
There is minor flooding to agricultural land.
2.45 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

RankLevelDate
111.71 ftAugust 10, 2025
211.00 ftJune 8, 2008
310.51 ftJuly 23, 2010
49.57 ftMarch 30, 1960
59.48 ftMay 18, 2020
69.43 ftJuly 3, 2000
79.32 ftJune 20, 2009
89.31 ftApril 21, 1973
99.30 ftSeptember 12, 2022
109.23 ftApril 16, 2026

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min First quarter 58%

Map

Other gauges on the Root River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Root River at Grange Avenue at GreendaleRiver gauge, Root River 5.0 cfs Normal −0.5 cfs 5.0 mi
Root River at W. Eight Mile Rd near CaledoniaRiver gauge, Root River 5.39 ft No reference yet −0.32 ft 2.3 mi
Root River at RacineRiver gauge, Root River 2.88 ft Below flood stage −0.14 ft 12 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Root River Canal near FranklinCanal gauge, Root River Canal 2.57 ft Below flood stage −0.14 ft 4.0 mi
Holmes Ave Creek Tributary @ Gmia Outfall 1 at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Holmes Ave Creek Tributary @ Gmia Outfall 1 0.1 cfs Normal +0.1 cfs 7 mi
Muskego (Big Muskego) Lake Outlet near Wind LakeRiver gauge, Muskego (Big Muskego) Lake Outlet 8.69 ft Very low −0.17 ft 7 mi
Oak Creek at South MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Oak Creek 2.55 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 7 mi
Wilson Park Creek @ Gmia Outfall 7 @ MilwaukeeRiver gauge 0.7 cfs Normal −0.2 cfs 7 mi
Wilson Park Creek at Gmia Infall at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Wilson Park Creek 0.4 cfs Normal −0.1 cfs 7 mi
Wind Lake at Outlet at Wind LakeLake, Wind Lake 5.02 ft Low −2.68 ft 8 mi
Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ MilwaukeeRiver gauge 5.96 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Root River near Franklin?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.55 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Root River near Franklin today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT, the water level was 2.45 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Root River near Franklin rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Root River near Franklin normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Root River near Franklin?

The highest level on record is 11.71 ft on August 10, 2025.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:04087220 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.87361, -87.99583 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 2.45 ft 2026-10-19 11:00 Provisional
Flow 30.8 cfs 2026-10-19 11:00 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Root River near Franklin (usgs:04087220). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/root-river-near-franklin

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer