Canada
United States
Belgium
France
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Austria
Czechia
Germany
Poland
Slovenia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Türkiye
Denmark
Finland
Norway
SwedenWisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells water level
River gauge, Wisconsin River, Wisconsin, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 4,730 cfs
History
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Wisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells, where the gauge shows 2.97 ft.
It is 13.03 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.
It is on the way up, by 0.74 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 13.03 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 1.88 ft – 2.98 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
- 20.70 ftMarch 16, 1973
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 18.21 ft
- Floodwaters affect cabins and trailers southeast of Wisconsin Dells along Levee Road, Van Hoosen Road, Indian Trail Parkway and boat launch and Norway Drive. Water may impact structures on Rivers Edge Rd. Water from the Wisconsin River backs into Hulburt Creek causing floodwaters to affect the backyards of some businesses in downtown Wisconsin Dells along Highway 13 east of I90. Water may impact the intersection of Indian Trail and County Rd A, Fish St, Sherri Linn Dr, and parts of Ingebretson Rd.
- 17.60 ft
- Floodwaters affect cabins and trailers southeast of Wisconsin Dells along Levee Road, Van Hoosen Road, Indian Trail Parkway and boat launch, Fish St, Ingebretson Road, Sherri Linn Dr and Norway Drive. Water approaches structures on Rivers Edge Rd. Water from the Wisconsin River backs into Hulburt Creek causing floodwaters to affect the backyards of some businesses in downtown Wisconsin Dells along Highway 13 east of I 90. Water approaches the intersection of Indian Trail and County Rd A.
- 17.00 ft
- Floodwaters affect cabins and trailers southeast of Wisconsin Dells along Levee Road, River Shores Rd, River Mills Rd, Van Hoosen Road, Indian Trail Parkway and boat launch, Fish St, Ingebretson Road, Sherri Linn Dr and Norway Drive.
- 16.93 ft
- Floodwaters affect cabins and trailers southeast of Wisconsin Dells along Levee Road, Van Hoosen Road, Indian Trail Parkway and boat launch, Ingebretson Road and Norway Drive.
- 16.00 ft
- Newport Park and boat ramps floods. Yards along Indian Trail Parkway flood. There is widespread flooding to agricultural land and wooded land in the Wisconsin Dells area.
- 15.64 ft
- There is widespread flooding to lowland and agricultural land in the Wisconsin Dells area.
- 15.00 ft
- There is widespread lowland and agricultural land flooding.
- 14.00 ft
- There is minor lowland flooding.
- 13.50 ft
- There is minor lowland flooding.
- 13.00 ft
- There is minor lowland flooding
- 12.91 ft
- There is minor lowland flooding in the Wisconsin Dells area.
- 2.97 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 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20.70 ft | March 16, 1973 |
| 2 | 19.22 ft | April 5, 1967 |
| 3 | 18.95 ft | April 15, 1965 |
| 4 | 18.83 ft | September 14, 1938 |
| 5 | 18.16 ft | June 24, 1993 |
| 6 | 17.91 ft | June 30, 1969 |
| 7 | 17.89 ft | September 30, 1986 |
| 8 | 17.80 ft | March 27, 1935 |
| 9 | 17.77 ft | September 29, 1972 |
| 10 | 17.74 ft | March 10, 1983 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Wisconsin River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin River at MerrillRiver gauge, Wisconsin River | 3.69 ft | Below flood stage | −0.07 ft | 109 mi |
| Wisconsin River at RothschildRiver gauge, Wisconsin River | 13.24 ft | Below flood stage | +0.13 ft | 89 mi |
| Wisconsin River at MosineeRiver gauge, Wisconsin River | 12.33 ft | No reference yet | +0.33 ft | 83 mi |
| Wisconsin River at Wisconsin RapidsRiver gauge, Wisconsin River | 2.62 ft | Below flood stage | +0.04 ft | 55 mi |
| Wisconsin River below Castle Rock Dam near MaustonRiver gauge, Wisconsin River | 10.74 ft | No reference yet | +0.34 ft | 20 mi |
| Wisconsin River at MuscodaRiver gauge, Wisconsin River | 1.26 ft | Below flood stage | +0.05 ft | 44 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baraboo River near BarabooRiver gauge, Baraboo River | 7.87 ft | Below flood stage | −0.25 ft | 10 mi |
| Devils Lake near BarabooLake, Devils Lake | 7.75 ft | High | +0.22 ft | 12 mi |
| Baraboo River at Main Street at ReedsburgRiver gauge, Baraboo River | 5.73 ft | Below flood stage | −0.11 ft | 14 mi |
| Baraboo River at La ValleRiver gauge, Baraboo River | 5.98 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 19 mi |
| Lemonweir River at New LisbonRiver gauge, Lemonweir River | 4.31 ft | Below flood stage | −0.15 ft | 28 mi |
| Pleasant Lake near WestfieldLake, Pleasant Lake | 980.43 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 28 mi |
| Chaffee Creek at I-39 near ColomaRiver gauge, Chaffee Creek | 11.6 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 29 mi |
| Sixmile Creek at State Highway 19 near WaunakeeRiver gauge, Sixmile Creek | 6.7 cfs | Low | −0.7 cfs | 32 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Wisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 13.03 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 Wisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 01:00 PM CDT, the water level was 2.97 ft. Up 0.74 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Wisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells rising or falling?
Up 0.74 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Wisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Wisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells?
The highest level on record is 20.70 ft on March 16, 1973.
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:05404000(Agency page)- Coordinates
43.60500, -89.75667(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
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 2.97 ft | 2026-10-20 18:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 4,730 cfs | 2026-10-20 18:00 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Wisconsin River near Wisconsin Dells (usgs:05404000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/wisconsin-river-near-wisconsin-dells
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