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Big Rib River at Rib Falls — water level right now

Marathon County, Wisconsin · NWS gauge RIBW3
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
10
minor flood stage
 
16.2
record crest
set 1938-08-31
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 7
minor · 10
moderate · 13.8
major · 15
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage15extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage13.8some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage10low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage7water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
116.21938-08-31+6.2 above
215.152010-09-24+5.15 above
314.871990-06-16+4.87 above
414.51942-09-18+4.5 above
513.421941-08-31+3.42 above
613.222011-04-11+3.22 above
712.982016-03-16+2.98 above
812.922018-09-05+2.92 above
912.432019-04-18+2.43 above
1011.61943-06-27+1.6 above
1111.51936-05-06+1.5 above
1211.491993-06-21+1.49 above

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Big Eau Pleine River near Stratford 13 mi away · loading… Wisconsin River below Wausau Dam 13 mi away · loading… Wisconsin River at Rothschild 15 mi away · loading… Wisconsin River below Alexander Dam 17 mi away · loading… Big Eau Pleine River at Big Eau Pleine Reservoir 18 mi away · loading… Eau Claire River (East) at Kelly 18 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDRIBW3
USGS site05396000
CountyMarathon
StateWisconsin
NWS forecast officeGreen Bay
River forecast centerNorth Central River Forecast Center
Coordinates44.973, -89.906
Time zoneCST6CDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Big Rib River at Rib Falls

Is Big Rib River at Rib Falls flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 10 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Big Rib River at Rib Falls?

major flood stage 15 ft, moderate flood stage 13.8 ft, minor flood stage 10 ft, action stage 7 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Big Rib River at Rib Falls?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 16.2 ft, reached on 1938-08-31 — that is 6.2 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Green Bay and local emergency management.