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Chippewa River (WI) at Eau Claire — water level right now

Eau Claire County, Wisconsin · NWS gauge ECLW3
Loading the latest reading…
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current stage (ft)
 
773
minor flood stage
 
781
record crest
set 1941-09-01
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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 · 764
minor · 773
moderate · 776
major · 778
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage778extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage776some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage773low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage764water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
17811941-09-01+8 above
2779.61967-04-02+6.6 above
3778.91993-06-21+5.9 above
4778.51954-05-03+5.5 above
5777.82010-09-25+4.8 above
67771938-09-10+4 above
7776.82013-06-02+3.8 above
8776.442023-04-22+3.44 above
9776.22002-04-14+3.2 above
10775.062019-04-19+2.06 above
11775.042017-05-20+2.04 above
12774.91996-04-21+1.9 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

Eau Claire River near Fall Creek 11 mi away · loading… Chippewa River (WI) at Durand 26 mi away · loading… Trempealeau River at Arcadia 38 mi away · loading… Mississippi River below Lock and Dam 4 - Alma 39 mi away · loading… Mississippi River at Alma - Pool 5 42 mi away · loading… Black River (WI) at Hatfield Dam 47 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDECLW3
USGS site05366800
CountyEau Claire
StateWisconsin
NWS forecast officeChanhassen
River forecast centerNorth Central River Forecast Center
Coordinates44.81, -91.503
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 Chippewa River (WI) at Eau Claire

Is Chippewa River (WI) at Eau Claire 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 773 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Chippewa River (WI) at Eau Claire?

major flood stage 778 ft, moderate flood stage 776 ft, minor flood stage 773 ft, action stage 764 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Chippewa River (WI) at Eau Claire?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 781 ft, reached on 1941-09-01 — that is 8 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 Chanhassen and local emergency management.