Big Rib River at Rib Falls, WI
River level and flood forecast · Marathon County
The river is 8.0 ft below flood stage (10 ft).
Flow: 41 cubic feet per second (USGS).
River camera
Watch the time-lapse
Camera by the U.S. Geological Survey. Most take a picture every hour, some every few minutes; many stop at night.
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Get flood alerts for this river
An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Big Rib River at Rib Falls to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 15 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 13.8 ft |
| Flood stage | 10 ft |
| Action stage | 7 ft |
| Record crest (August 31, 1938) | 16.2 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 15 ftAbout 8 feet of water is covering Lions park in Marathon City downstream of Rib Falls. Water is in the first level of many homes on River Road north of Marathon City.
- 13 ftThe water current is fast in the Rib Falls area. In Marathon City, several feet of water is covering Lions Park and water is surrounding homes near River Road north of Marathon City. Widespread lowland flooding is occurring downstream to western Wausau.
- 11.5 ftUp to 2 feet of floodwater is covering parts of Lions Park.
- 10 ftFlooding affects are mainly lowland areas downstream of Rib Falls toward Marathon City.
- 9 ftThere is minor flooding of lowland downstream between Rib Falls and Marathon City. There is minor flooding in Lions Park in Marathon City.
- 7 ftThere is minor lowland flooding.
Highest crests on record
- 16.2 ft — August 31, 1938
- 15.15 ft — September 24, 2010
- 14.87 ft — June 16, 1990
- 14.5 ft — September 18, 1942
- 13.42 ft — August 31, 1941
Recent crests: 10.42 ft (March 30, 2025) · 11.2 ft (April 11, 2023) · 9.5 ft (March 23, 2022) · 6.79 ft (July 24, 2021) · 10.18 ft (March 29, 2020)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (RIBW3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.