Web Portal Changes: The Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) hosted at https://water.weather.gov will be replaced by the National Water Prediction Service (NWPS), with a target of March 2024. Existing AHPS content and features will be preserved and expanded within NWPS.

Experimental National Water Center Products: The National Hydrologic Discussion, Area Hydrologic Discussion, and Flood Hazard Outlook, and real-time geospatial services depicting River Forecast Center and National Water Model forecasts, continue to be accessible via https://www.weather.gov/owp/operations, as described in the StoryMap here.

Weather Forecast Office Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI

North Central River Forecast Center

Hydrograph

River at a Glance

Download

Inundation Mapping

Probability Information Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period Short-term Probabilistic Guidance (Experimental)

Auto Refresh: OFF

Printable Image About this graph Tabular Data (UTC) Tabular Data (CDT) Datum: NAVD88 Metadata

NOTE: River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Reliability of the Forecast: Based on current and forecast river, weather and reservoir conditions NOTE: Forecasts for the Rock River at Watertown are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.

Default Hydrograph Scale to Flood Categories   Return to Area Map

Upstream Gauge

Downstream Gauge

Flood Categories (in feet) Major Flood Stage: 6.5 Moderate Flood Stage: 6 Flood Stage: 5.5 Action Stage: 4 Low Stage (in feet): -9999 Historic Crests (1) 7.81 ft on 06/13/2008 (2) 6.96 ft on 01/17/1997 (3) 6.32 ft on 04/04/1959 (4) 6.27 ft on 04/18/2013 (5) 6.19 ft on 03/31/1979 Show More Historic Crests (P): Preliminary values subject to further review. Recent Crests (1) 5.62 ft on 10/11/2019 (2) 5.42 ft on 03/14/2019 (3) 6.17 ft on 09/09/2018 (4) 5.77 ft on 08/17/2018 (P) (5) 4.42 ft on 03/12/2017 Show More Recent Crests (P): Preliminary values subject to further review. Low Water Records (1) 0.25 ft on 10/15/1939 (2) 0.49 ft on 09/19/2012 (3) 0.54 ft on 09/05/2005 (4) 0.58 ft on 06/26/2012 (5) 0.66 ft on 09/12/2003 Show More Low Water Records For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov. Show FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers not showing? Why aren't the FEMA National Flood Hazard Layers showing on the ESRI Map? Possible reasons: There are no FEMA National Flood Hazard Layers for the location which you are viewing on ESRI Maps. The FEMA Web Mapping Service (WMS) is down. Note: Your zoom level may have changed. ESRI's zoom levels must be between 14 and 16 to show National Flood Hazard layers.

Zoom Level:16 Legend FEMA Layer Gauge Location Disclaimer Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.

Flood Impacts & Photos

If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
7.11	This level is the 1 percent chance flood meaning that there is a 1 percent chance in any given year of the river reaching this level. Floodwaters affect some streets in Watertown. Riverside Park is flooded. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park along Highway 16, Kanow Park and Rock River Road near Highway 16 are flooded.
6.65	This level is the 2 percent chance flood meaning that there is a 2 percent chance in any given year of the river reaching this level. Floodwaters affect some streets in Watertown. Water is in Riverside Park. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park along Highway 16, Kanow Park and Rock River Road near Highway 16 are flooded.
6	Water nears some streets in Watertown. Water is in Riverside Park in Watertown. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park on Highway 16, Kanow Park and Rock River Road near Highway 16 are flooded.
5.91	This level is the 4 percent chance flood meaning that there is a 4 percent chance in any given year of the river reaching this level. There is widespread lowland flooding in rural areas around Watertown. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park along Highway 16, Kanow Park and Rock River Road near Highway 16 are flooded.
5.5	There is widespread lowland flooding in rural areas around Watertown. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park along Highway 16, Kanow Park and Rock River Road near Highway 16 are flooded.
5.34	About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park on Highway 16, Kanow Park and Rock River Road near Highway 16 are flooded. This level is the 10 percent chance flood meaning that there is a 10 percent chance in any given year of the river reaching this level.
5	There is minor lowland flooding in rural areas around Watertown. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside Park, Rock River Road and Kanow Park near Highway 16 are flooded.
4.84	There is minor lowland flooding in rural areas around Watertown. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park and Kanow Park and Rock River Road near Highway 16 are closed. This level is the 20 percent chance flood meaning that there is a 20 percent chance in any given year of the river reaching this level.
4.7	There is minor lowland flooding in rural areas around Watertown. About 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, Wayside park and Kanow Park on Rock River Road near Highway 16 are flooded. Water touches Rock River Road off of Highway 16.
4	There is minor lowland flooding in rural areas around Watertown. Flood waters start to affect Wayside park on Highway 16 as well as Kanow Park on Rock River Road about 6 miles upstream near Ixonia.
3.97	There is minor lowland flooding in rural areas around Watertown. Floodwaters affect a wayside park on Highway 16 about 6 miles upstream near Ixonia, as well as Kanow Park on Rock River Road near Ixonia. This level is about a 50 percent chance flood meaning there is a 50 percent chance in any given year of the river reaching this level.
Photos (1) Aerial photo looking south-Rock River at Watertown, WI (2) Aerial photo looking west-Rock River at Watertown, WI (3) Minor flooding from Rock River around Ixonia, WI

About This Location

Latitude: 43.188056° N, Longitude: 88.725833° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD83/WGS84 River Stage Reference Frame Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses NWS stage 0 ft 5.5 ft Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps Vertical Datum Elevation (gauge height = 0) Elevation (gauge height = flood stage) Elevation information source NAVD88 792.56 ft 798.06 ft Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps NGVD 29 792.38 ft 797.88 ft Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks MSL Not Available Not Available Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks Other Not Available Not Available   Current/Historical Observations: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data and Site Info for Watertown

Additional Information

How low could the river get?

Resources

Hydrologic Resources Text Products Past Precipitation Forecast Precipitation River Forecast Centers River Stage Summary Inundation Mapping Locations

Additional Resources Area Hydrographs NWS Precipitation and River Forecasting AHPS Iframes for Developers Mobile iNWS for emergency management Long Term Palmer Drought Severity Index Snow Information USGS WI Water Science High Water Mark Signs Levee Safety Information June 2008 National Flood Assessment How to Estimate River Ice Thickness Flood Resiliency at Wastewater Plants Manure Management Advisory System Historic Flooding Events For Southern Wisconsin Ice Jam Potential-4 sites in SE Wis.

Collaborative Agencies The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here. NWS Information National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office N3533 Hardscrabble Road Dousman, WI 53118 (262) 965-2074 Ask Questions/Webmaster Page last modified: 2-Nov-2020 7:29 PM Disclaimer Credits Glossary Privacy Policy About Us Career Opportunities