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Wisconsin River at Merrill water level

River gauge, Wisconsin River, Wisconsin, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.88ft Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
913 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 18.26 ft Minor floodstage 11.00 ft

History

4.04.24.44.6ftOct 16Oct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 194.04.24.44.6ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 19
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Wisconsin River at Merrill, where the gauge shows 3.88 ft.

It is 7.12 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.36 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.88 ft – 4.85 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
18.26 ftAugust 31, 1941

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 11.00 ft.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft
The Merrill sewage disposal plant, area parks and lowland are flooded. The western approach of Highway 64 bridge is covered with floodwaters.
16.00 ft
The west approach to the highway 64 bridge becomes flooded.
13.00 ft
Several feet of water may be covering area parks and lowland in Merrill. Floodwaters reach the base of the river gauging station.
11.00 ft
Flooding mainly affects Merrill area parks and agricultural land.
10.00 ft
There is minor lowland flooding.
3.88 ft
Right now
3.50 ft
Submerged rocks and structures may become more hazardous to boaters over more sections of the river.

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
118.26 ftAugust 31, 1941
217.50 ftJuly 24, 1912
313.85 ftSeptember 18, 1942
413.28 ftApril 14, 2023
513.28 ftApril 14, 2023
613.23 ftApril 11, 2011
713.04 ftApril 2, 1967
812.95 ftApril 21, 1996
912.71 ftApril 6, 1997
1012.60 ftApril 22, 1916

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:20 AM Sunset 06:08 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min First quarter 60%

Map

Other gauges on the Wisconsin River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Wisconsin River at RothschildRiver gauge, Wisconsin River 13.00 ft Below flood stage −0.20 ft 20 mi
Wisconsin River at MosineeRiver gauge, Wisconsin River 11.80 ft No reference yet −0.01 ft 26 mi
Wisconsin River at Wisconsin RapidsRiver gauge, Wisconsin River 2.68 ft Below flood stage +0.05 ft 55 mi
Wisconsin River below Castle Rock Dam near MaustonRiver gauge, Wisconsin River 10.32 ft No reference yet +0.12 ft 92 mi
Wisconsin River near Wisconsin DellsRiver gauge, Wisconsin River 2.05 ft Below flood stage −0.17 ft 109 mi
Wisconsin River at MuscodaRiver gauge, Wisconsin River 1.22 ft Below flood stage −0.08 ft 142 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Prairie River near MerrillRiver gauge, Prairie River 2.10 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 4.3 mi
Big Rib River at Rib FallsRiver gauge, Big Rib River 2.62 ft Below flood stage +0.14 ft 18 mi
Eau Claire River at KellyRiver gauge, Eau Claire River 0.52 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 19 mi
Discovery Farms Waterway Mt1 near AthensRiver gauge, Discovery Farms Waterway Mt1 0.00 ft No reference yet ±0 23 mi
Spirit River at Spirit FallsRiver gauge, Spirit River 1.53 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 24 mi
Discovery Farms Waterway Mt3 near MilanRiver gauge, Discovery Farms Waterway Mt3 0.00 ft No reference yet ±0 29 mi
Big Eau Pleine River at StratfordRiver gauge, Big Eau Pleine River 2.53 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 31 mi
Red River at Morgan Road near MorganRiver gauge, Red River 5.92 ft Below flood stage −0.08 ft 45 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Wisconsin River at Merrill?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 7.12 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 at Merrill today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT, the water level was 3.88 ft. Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Wisconsin River at Merrill rising or falling?

Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Wisconsin River at Merrill normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Wisconsin River at Merrill?

The highest level on record is 18.26 ft on August 31, 1941.

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:05395000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
45.17833, -89.68167 (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 3.88 ft 2026-10-19 15:00 Provisional
Flow 913 cfs 2026-10-19 15:00 Provisional

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Embed this gauge

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Wisconsin River at Merrill (usgs:05395000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/wisconsin-river-at-merrill

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