National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

The 2001 Mississippi River Flood

This was a very lengthy event, with initial flooding beginning on April 15th. The last site finally dropped below flood stage on May 18th. Some tributaries went above flood stage more than once, and required additional warnings.

Recorded crests* along the main stem of the Mississippi River:

  • Lake City
    • 20.13 feet around 11 pm Monday, April 16th
    • 3rd highest crest on record
  • Wabasha:
    • 18.22 feet around 11 am Monday, April 16th
    • 2nd highest crest on record
  • Alma:
    • 18.15 feet around 7 pm Monday, April 16th
    • 2nd highest crest on record
  • Winona:
    • 20.08 feet around 2 pm Wednesday, April 18th
    • 2nd highest crest on record
  • La Crosse:
    • 16.41 feet around 2 am Wednesday, April 18th
    • 3rd highest crest on record
  • Lansing:
    • 19.93 feet early Saturday morning, April 21st
    • 2nd highest crest on record
  • McGregor:
    • 23.75 feet late Friday night, April 20th
    • 2nd highest crest on record
  • Guttenberg:
    • 21.65 feet Sunday morning, April 22nd
    • 2nd highest crest on record

 


Here are some pictures from around the La Crosse area on Wednesday, April 18th.
Pictures by Todd Shea, Warning Coordination Meteorologist.

 

flooding pic
Copeland Park Pavilion in La Crosse.
flooding pic

 

flooding pic
Riverside park in La Crosse.
flooding pic

 

flooding pic

 

flooding pic

 


Mississippi River Basin Statistics
 
River and Station Flood Stage (ft) Above Flood Stages
(dates)
Crest
From: To: Stage (ft) Date (time CDT)
Cedar River at...  
Lansing, MN 18 ft 4/07 4/08 18.72 ft 4/07 at 530 pm
4/11 4/12 18.77 ft 4/12 at 830 am
Austin, MN 15 ft 4/07 4/08 16.40 ft 4/07 at 500 pm
4/11 4/13 16.80 ft 4/12 at 800 am
Charles City, IA 12 ft 4/05 4/09 14.04 ft 4/06 at 100 am
4/05 4/09 17.79 ft 4/08 at 500 pm
4/12 4/14 17.31 ft 4/12 at 700 pm
Turtle Creek
at Austin, MN
10.5 ft 4/04 4/08 11.20 ft 4/05 at 1258 pm
4/04 4/08 12.07 ft 4/07 at 400 pm
4/11 4/13 11.89 ft 4/12 at 445 am
Dobbins Creek
at Austin, MN
11.5 ft 4/11 4/12 12.57 ft 4/12 at 1215 am
South Branch Root River at...  
Preston, MN 937 ft 4/07 4/08 939.12 ft 4/07 at 345 pm
* * * * * * 936.86 ft 4/12 at 1100 am
Lanesboro, MN 12 ft * * * * * * 11.58 ft 4/07 at 1115 pm
* * * * * * 9.72 ft 4/12 at 430 pm
Root River at...  
Houston, MN 15 ft 4/08 4/08 15.00 ft 4/08 at 500 pm
4/13 4/13 15.51 ft 4/13 at 1200 pm
Hokah, MN 47 ft 4/06 4/11 49.00 ft 4/06 at 800 am
4/06 4/11 51.00 ft 4/09 at 100 am
4/11 4/16 51.20 ft 4/13 at 1030 am
Upper Iowa River at...
Decorah, IA 12 ft * * * * * * 9.70 ft 4/08 at 430 pm
* * * * * * 9.73 ft 4/13 at 1112 am
Dorchester, IA 14 ft 4/07 4/09 16.15 ft 4/09 at 600 am
4/13 4/14 15.93 ft 4/13 at 1100 pm
Turkey River at...
Garber, IA 17 ft * * * * * * 15.07 ft 4/07 at 1200 am
* * * * * * 16.14 ft 4/12 at 1100 pm
Trempealeau River at...
Dodge, WI 9 ft * * * * * * 8.05 ft 4/09 at 900 pm
4/14 4/15 9.15 ft 4/14 at 500 pm
Black River at...
Neillsville, WI 18 ft * * * * * * 14.60 ft 4/07 at 1100 am
* * * * * * 13.39 ft 4/12 at 600 pm
Black River Falls, WI 47 ft 4/06 4/09 48.10 ft 4/06 at 1100 am
4/06 4/09 52.08 ft 4/07 at 900 pm
4/11 4/14 51.48 ft 4/12 at 1000 am
Galesville, WI 12 ft 4/08 4/11 13.78 ft 4/09 at 1000 am
4/13 4/15 13.81 ft 4/14 at 500 am
Kickapoo River at...
Viola, WI 761 ft 4/12 4/13 761.10 ft 4/14 at 200 pm
Soldiers Grove, WI 723 ft 4/14 4/14 723.10 ft 4/14 at 400 am
Gays Mills, WI 698 ft * * * * * * 696.50 ft 4/09 at 715 am
4/13 4/15 699.10 ft 4/14 at 200 pm
Steuben, WI 12 ft * * * * * * 10.69 ft 4/09 at 830 pm
4/15 4/17 11.62 ft 4/15 at 1000 pm
Zumbro River at...
Rochester, MN 963 ft 4/12 4/12 963.64 ft 4/12 at 639 am
Zumbro Falls, MN 18 ft 4/08 4/09 18.81 ft 4/08 at 300 pm
4/12 4/14 23.06 ft 4/13 at 100 am
Theilman, MN 38 ft 4/08 4/09 38.50 ft 4/09 at 400 am
4/12 4/14 40.53 ft 4/13 at 915 am
Wisconsin River at...
Muscoda, WI 9 ft * * * * * * 8.31 ft 4/16 at 300 pm
Mississippi River at...
Lake City, MN 16 ft 4/11 5/18 20.13 ft 4/16 at 1100 pm
2nd Crest 19.87 ft 4/28 at 600 am
Wabasha, MN 12 ft 4/10 5/16 18.22 ft 4/16 at 1100 am
2nd Crest 17.61 ft 4/28 at 600 am
Alma, WI 16 ft 4/13 5/4 18.15 ft 4/16 at 700 pm
2nd Crest 17.50 ft 4/28 at 700 am
Winona, MN 13 ft 4/11 5/13 20.08 ft 4/17 at 200 pm
2nd Crest 19.52 ft 4/29 at 200 am
La Crosse, WI 12 ft 4/12 5/14 16.41 ft 4/18 at 300 am
2nd Crest 15.78 ft 4/30 at 820 am
Lansing, IA 18 ft 4/16 5/11 19.93 ft 4/21 at 100 am
McGregor, IA 16 ft 4/13 5/18 23.75 ft 4/20 at 400 pm
Guttenberg, IA 15 ft 4/14 5/16 21.65 ft 4/22 at 700 am

* * *: means location did not reach flood stage, or information is not yet available.