Baraboo River at La Valle water level

Name: Baraboo River at La Valle water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Baraboo River, Wisconsin, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

6.01ft Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT (58 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Baraboo River at La Valle is at 6.01 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 6.04 ft, based on 9 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.03 ft below typical. It is 8.99 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.04 ft, a difference of −0.03 ft.

It has dropped 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.96 ft and 7.63 ft.

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

Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.04 ft0.03 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.89 ft – 6.91 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.04 ft−0.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.96 ft – 7.63 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.76 ft – 13.28 ft
Highest on record: 23.23 ftJune 10, 2008

Floating and fishing near Baraboo River at La Valle

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 15.00 ft, 8.99 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

23.00 ft: Center St Bridge is covered. Water is several feet deep across most of downtown. Water extends to Hwy 58 impacting many buildings in downtown.
22.00 ft: Center St bridge is covered. Floodwaters are about 4 feet deep around W Main St and Center St. Water covers the road past the 400 State Trail and is in the first floor or many buildings east of the trail, including South St.
20.00 ft: Floodwaters have spread into downtown La Valle and are about 2 feet deep around W Main St and Center Rd. Water extends to the 400 State Trail. Many businesses/homes along Commercial St and E and W Main St along the river have water in the first floor.
19.00 ft: Floodwaters get into the basement of a some homes/businesses on West Main St. Water is 1-2 ft deep near W Main St and Center St, impacting the first floors of several businesses. The 400 State Trail and homes along South St. may be impacted.
18.00 ft: Floodwaters get close to buildings around W Main St, Commercial St, and Center St. The 400 State Trail may be impacted by water. Water gets into the basement of some buildings/homes on W Main St.
15.00 ft: Between stages 12 feet and 18 feet, there is lowland flooding in the La Valle area.
12.00 ft: There is minor lowland flooding in the La Valle area.
6.01 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	23.23 ft	June 10, 2008
2	22.55 ft	August 29, 2018
3	18.09 ft	September 5, 2018
4	17.73 ft	September 5, 2018
5	17.00 ft	September 8, 2016
6	14.88 ft	July 22, 2017
7	14.00 ft	March 15, 2007
8	14.00 ft	July 16, 2010
9	13.19 ft	May 5, 2018
10	13.00 ft	August 19, 2007

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:20 AM Sunset 06:12 PM Daylight 10 hr, 52 min First quarter 58%

Map

Other gauges on the Baraboo River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Baraboo River at Main Street at ReedsburgRiver gauge, Baraboo River	5.90 ft	Below flood stage	−0.46 ft	7 mi
Baraboo River near BarabooRiver gauge, Baraboo River	8.15 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	26 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wisconsin River near Wisconsin DellsRiver gauge, Wisconsin River	2.19 ft	Below flood stage	+0.13 ft	19 mi
Lemonweir River at New LisbonRiver gauge, Lemonweir River	4.47 ft	Below flood stage	+0.11 ft	21 mi
Devils Lake near BarabooLake, Devils Lake	7.54 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	23 mi
Kickapoo R @ St Highway 131 at OntarioRiver gauge, Kickapoo R @ St Highway 131	8.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	25 mi
Kickapoo River at La FargeRiver gauge, Kickapoo River	3.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	26 mi
Wisconsin River at MuscodaRiver gauge, Wisconsin River	1.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	31 mi
Yellow River at NecedahRiver gauge, Yellow River	9.77 ft	Below flood stage	+0.09 ft	31 mi
Black Earth Creek at Black EarthRiver gauge, Black Earth Creek	2.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	37 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Baraboo River at La Valle higher than last year?

No, it is 0.03 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.04 ft.

What is flood stage for the Baraboo River at La Valle?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 8.99 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Baraboo River at La Valle in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.04 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.89 ft and 6.91 ft, based on 9 years of records.

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 Baraboo River at La Valle today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT, the water level was 6.01 ft. Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Baraboo River at La Valle rising or falling?

Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Baraboo River at La Valle normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05404129 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.58231, -90.13353 (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	6.01 ft	2026-10-19 11:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Baraboo River at La Valle (usgs:05404129). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/baraboo-river-at-la-valle

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