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SwedenMississippi River at Winona water level
River gauge, Mississippi River, Minnesota, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 13,200 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.70 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 01:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 10:35 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The gauge at Mississippi River at Winona reads 5.74 ft, a normal level.
It is 7.26 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.70 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 01:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.69 ft and 5.76 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 20.77 ftApril 19, 1965
- Forecast peak
- 5.70 ftSunday, October 18 at 01:00 PM
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 13.00 ft, still 7.26 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 25.00 ft
- Water levels reach the top of the emergency dike.
- 24.00 ft
- Water overtops the levee downtown.
- 22.00 ft
- Water levels reach the designed dike protection level.
- 20.77 ft
- The water reaches the flood of record set in 1965.
- 20.50 ft
- Railroad lines go under water.
- 17.00 ft
- Some railroad lines may become inoperative.
- 16.60 ft
- Lock and Dam 6 goes out of operation.
- 16.00 ft
- Lock and Dam 5A goes out of operation.
- 13.00 ft
- Prairie Island Park begins to flood. Pumping operations are underway by the city of Winona, and dike patrols are started.
- 12.50 ft
- Spillway lot and Saint Charles Street boat launch is barricaded.
- 10.50 ft
- Pumping stations are put into operation along Washington, Kansas, and High Forest streets.
- 10.00 ft
- Olmstead Street Pumping Station is put into operation.
- 5.74 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 | 20.77 ft | April 19, 1965 |
| 2 | 20.07 ft | April 17, 2001 |
| 3 | 19.44 ft | April 19, 1969 |
| 4 | 18.81 ft | April 26, 2023 |
| 5 | 18.30 ft | April 11, 1997 |
| 6 | 17.93 ft | April 20, 1952 |
| 7 | 17.36 ft | April 18, 1951 |
| 8 | 17.30 ft | April 3, 2019 |
| 9 | 16.92 ft | April 7, 1967 |
| 10 | 16.87 ft | June 18, 1880 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Mississippi River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River at Us Highway 169 at ChamplinRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 4.28 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 117 mi |
| Mississippi River at Highway 610 in Brooklyn ParkRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 1.65 ft | Below flood stage | −0.04 ft | 110 mi |
| Mississippi River above 37th Ave. Ne in FridleyRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 88.74 ft | No reference yet | ±0 | 106 mi |
| Mississippi River at St. PaulRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 3.13 ft | Below flood stage | +0.15 ft | 94 mi |
| Mississippi River below L&d 2 at HastingsRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 5,990 cfs | Normal | −240.0 cfs | 76 mi |
| Mississippi River at PrescottRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 9,230 cfs | Normal | −380.0 cfs | 75 mi |
| Mississippi River at Red WingRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 2.58 ft | Below flood stage | +0.11 ft | 57 mi |
| Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 5A near WinonaRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 5.92 ft | No reference yet | +0.02 ft | 2.5 mi |
| Mississippi River at BrownsvilleRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 31.33 ft | No reference yet | +0.01 ft | 31 mi |
| Mississippi River at McGregorRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 6.83 ft | Low | +0.04 ft | 75 mi |
| Mississippi River at ClaytonRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 11.48 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 83 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trempealeau River at DodgeRiver gauge, Trempealeau River | 5.98 ft | Below flood stage | −0.12 ft | 7 mi |
| Trempealeau River at ArcadiaRiver gauge, Trempealeau River | 3.77 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 15 mi |
| Black River near GalesvilleRiver gauge, Black River | 3.80 ft | Below flood stage | +0.14 ft | 17 mi |
| Root River above RushfordRiver gauge, Root River | 10.06 ft | Below flood stage | +0.19 ft | 20 mi |
| Root River near HoustonRiver gauge, Root River | 4.14 ft | Below flood stage | +0.12 ft | 20 mi |
| South Fork Root River near HoustonRiver gauge, South Fork Root River | 2.20 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 22 mi |
| La Crosse River near La CrosseRiver gauge, La Crosse River | 3.00 ft | Below flood stage | −0.50 ft | 25 mi |
| Root River near Pilot MoundRiver gauge, Root River | 8.80 ft | Below flood stage | +0.19 ft | 27 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Mississippi River at Winona?
The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 7.26 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 Mississippi River at Winona today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 AM CDT, the water level was 5.74 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Mississippi River at Winona rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Mississippi River at Winona normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Mississippi River at Winona?
The highest level on record is 20.77 ft on April 19, 1965.
Is Mississippi River at Winona expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.70 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 01:00 PM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:05378500(Agency page)- Coordinates
44.05571, -91.63782(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 | 5.74 ft | 2026-10-18 16:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 13,200 cfs | 2026-10-18 16:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Mississippi River at Winona (usgs:05378500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/minnesota/mississippi-river-at-winona
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