La Crosse River near La Crosse water level

Name: La Crosse River near La Crosse 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, La Crosse River, Wisconsin, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.99ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 07:00 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 422 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The La Crosse River near La Crosse is at 2.99 ft, in the normal range.

It is 4.51 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.98 ft and 3.55 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: 11.94 ftJuly 22, 2017

Floating and fishing near La Crosse River near La Crosse

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

Flood stage here is 7.50 ft, 4.51 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

11.70 ft: Water approaching Humane Society building and within 10 feet of outdoor dog runs.
11.60 ft: Water approaching soccer fields west of Mathy Construction.
11.50 ft: Water covering 12th Avenue South under Highway 16 bridge and over La Crosse Marsh Asphalt Trail Spillway. Water over part of Viterbo Softball Field.
11.40 ft: Water approximately one foot below north bank at Riverside park.
2.99 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	11.94 ft	July 22, 2017
2	11.80 ft	August 30, 2018
3	11.13 ft	March 16, 2019
4	10.59 ft	June 11, 2008
5	10.48 ft	September 24, 2016
6	9.23 ft	September 6, 2018
7	9.18 ft	June 29, 1998
8	8.92 ft	September 26, 2010
9	8.90 ft	February 12, 2009
10	8.78 ft	March 14, 2007

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:15 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min First quarter 64%

Map

Other gauges on the La Crosse River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
La Crosse River at SpartaRiver gauge, La Crosse River	3.88 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	21 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black River near GalesvilleRiver gauge, Black River	3.83 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	14 mi
Crooked Creek at FreeburgRiver gauge, Crooked Creek	6.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	19 mi
Root River near HoustonRiver gauge, Root River	4.20 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
South Fork Root River near HoustonRiver gauge, South Fork Root River	2.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	20 mi
Silver Creek at State Highway 21 near AngeloRiver gauge, Silver Creek	6.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Mississippi River at WinonaRiver gauge, Mississippi River	5.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	25 mi
Trempealeau River at DodgeRiver gauge, Trempealeau River	5.85 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	25 mi
La Crosse River @ Cnty Trunk Highwy Bb near TomahRiver gauge, La Crosse River @ Cnty Trunk Highwy Bb	6.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	26 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the La Crosse River near La Crosse?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 4.51 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 La Crosse River near La Crosse today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:00 PM CDT, the water level was 2.99 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is La Crosse River near La Crosse rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of La Crosse River near La Crosse normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at La Crosse River near La Crosse?

The highest level on record is 11.94 ft on July 22, 2017.

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:05383075 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.86080, -91.21042 (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	2.99 ft	2026-10-20 00:00	Provisional
Flow	422 cfs	2026-10-20 00:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: La Crosse River near La Crosse (usgs:05383075). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/la-crosse-river-near-la-crosse

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