Prairie River near Merrill, WI
River level and flood forecast · Lincoln County
The river is 5.0 ft below flood stage (7 ft).
Flow: 74 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 Prairie River near Merrill to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 11 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 9 ft |
| Flood stage | 7 ft |
| Action stage | 4.5 ft |
| Record crest (August 31, 1941) | 9.45 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 11 ftSeveral feet of water may be covering locations between 6th Street and 4th Street along the river in Merrill.
- 9 ftSeveral feet of floodwaters cover a river walkway. The river current is fast.
- 7 ftWidespread flooding of adjacent wooded lowland and agricultural land. A river walkway is flooded.
- 6 ftFloodwaters cover parts of a river walkway in Merrill.
- 4.5 ftThere is minor flooding of wooded lowland.
Highest crests on record
- 9.45 ft — August 31, 1941
- 7.82 ft — April 14, 2023
- 7.62 ft — April 12, 2011
- 7.6 ft — August 21, 1926
- 7.54 ft — April 20, 1996
Recent crests: 7.82 ft (April 14, 2023) · 7.04 ft (April 14, 2022) · 4.89 ft (April 13, 2021) · 6.53 ft (March 29, 2020) · 7.28 ft (April 18, 2019)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (MRLW3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.