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West Branch Lac Qui Parle River at Dawson — water level right now

Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota · NWS gauge DAWM5
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
39
minor flood stage
 
41.12
record crest
set 2011-03-24
–
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 · 36
minor · 39
moderate · 40
major · 42
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage42extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage40some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage39low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage36water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
141.122011-03-24+2.12 above
241.052019-03-25+2.05 above
3412001-04-13+2 above
440.22001-04-09+1.2 above
539.352023-04-11+0.35 above
638.172018-04-250.83 below
735.222022-05-153.78 below
835.182014-06-253.82 below
934.92020-03-154.1 below
1034.242017-05-234.76 below
1134.032024-06-244.97 below
1233.872015-08-225.13 below

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

Minnesota River at Montevideo 16 mi away · loading… Minnesota River at Granite Falls 26 mi away · loading… Minnesota River at Ortonville 32 mi away · loading… Redwood River at Marshall 36 mi away · loading… Redwood River at Russell 42 mi away · loading… Redwood River at Redwood Falls 51 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDDAWM5
USGS site05299800
CountyLac qui Parle
StateMinnesota
NWS forecast officeChanhassen
River forecast centerNorth Central River Forecast Center
Coordinates44.929, -96.052
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 West Branch Lac Qui Parle River at Dawson

Is West Branch Lac Qui Parle River at Dawson 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 39 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for West Branch Lac Qui Parle River at Dawson?

major flood stage 42 ft, moderate flood stage 40 ft, minor flood stage 39 ft, action stage 36 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at West Branch Lac Qui Parle River at Dawson?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 41.12 ft, reached on 2011-03-24 — that is 2.12 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.