River Conditions
Illustrated map of Black Hawk Lake

River stage

Austin, Cedar River

River level
3.50 ft
Status
Below flood stage
7-day change
-0.35 ft
Recent high
15.03 ft
Recent low
2.92 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS ASNM5

30-day change
+0.50 ft
Average
4.11 ft
Readings
122
Data span
122 days
Record crest
23.26 ft

In brief

The Cedar River at Austin, MN read 3.50 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 1.50 ft below action stage. That is 0.50 ft higher than 30 days earlier.

Source: National Weather Service gauge ASNM5

River level timeline

1591317SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13ACTION 5.00 ftHIGH 15.03LOW 3.003.50 ftLAST READING

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 5.00 ftMinor flooding 10.00 ft CURRENT 3.50 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 23.26 ft 2004-09-16
2 21.49 ft 2000-07-10
3 21.42 ft 2008-06-12
4 20.58 ft 2024-06-22
5 20.35 ft 1978-07-17
6 19.83 ft 2010-09-24
7 19.50 ft 2016-09-23
8 19.43 ft 1993-08-15

Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.

What happens at each level

  1. 5.00 ft

    Water begins to overflow right bank into adjacent farm field downstream of County Road 28 bridge.

Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Cedar River flooding at Austin?

No. The Cedar River at Austin is at 3.5 ft, 1.5 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Austin?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 5 ft and minor flooding 10 ft.

What is the highest the Cedar River has been at Austin?

The highest crest on record is 23.26 ft, on 2004-09-16.

Is the Cedar River high or low right now at Austin?

At 3.5 ft it is higher than 52% of readings over the last 122 days.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge ASNM5); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05457000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.