Red Cedar River near Colfax water level

Name: Red Cedar River near Colfax 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, Red Cedar River, Wisconsin, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.64ft Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 AM CDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 645 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The Red Cedar River near Colfax is at 2.64 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

It has dropped 0.11 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.46 ft and 2.84 ft.

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

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 9.08 ftMarch 31, 1967

Floating and fishing near Red Cedar River near Colfax

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.08 ft	March 31, 1967
2	7.88 ft	April 12, 2014
3	7.55 ft	May 19, 2017
4	7.15 ft	March 18, 2016
5	6.87 ft	November 23, 2015
6	6.63 ft	April 25, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min First quarter 57%

Map

Other gauges on the Red Cedar River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Red Cedar River at MenomonieRiver gauge, Red Cedar River	1,130 cfs	Normal	±0	17 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hay River at WheelerRiver gauge, Hay River	223 cfs	Normal	−10.0 cfs	10 mi
Chippewa River at Chippewa FallsRiver gauge, Chippewa River	1,360 cfs	Low	−460.0 cfs	17 mi
Chippewa River at Grand Ave at Eau ClaireRiver gauge, Chippewa River	1,930 cfs	Low	−150.0 cfs	20 mi
Eau Galle River at Spring ValleyRiver gauge, Eau Galle River	14.6 cfs	Normal	−0.9 cfs	29 mi
Chippewa River at DurandRiver gauge, Chippewa River	2.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	32 mi
Flambeau River near BruceRiver gauge, Flambeau River	665 cfs	Low	+126 cfs	34 mi
Chippewa River near BruceRiver gauge, Chippewa River	400 cfs	Very low	−13.0 cfs	35 mi
Jump River at SheldonRiver gauge, Jump River	129 cfs	Normal	−21.0 cfs	41 mi

Questions and answers

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 Red Cedar River near Colfax today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 AM CDT, the water level was 2.64 ft. Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Red Cedar River near Colfax rising or falling?

Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Red Cedar River near Colfax normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Red Cedar River near Colfax?

The highest level on record is 9.08 ft on March 31, 1967.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05367500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.05306, -91.71194 (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	2.64 ft	2026-10-19 08:00	Provisional
Flow	645 cfs	2026-10-19 08:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Red Cedar River near Colfax (usgs:05367500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/red-cedar-river-near-colfax

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