River stage
Racine, Root River
- River level
- 2.82 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.44 ft
- Recent high
- 4.90 ft
- Recent low
- 2.21 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS RACW3
- 30-day change
- +0.49 ft
- Average
- 2.80 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 11.29 ft
In brief
The Root River at Racine, WI read 2.82 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 3.18 ft below action stage. That is 0.49 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge RACW3
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.29 ft | 2008-06-09 |
| 2 | 8.54 ft | 1974-03-05 |
| 3 | 8.13 ft | 1966-02-12 |
| 4 | 7.88 ft | 1973-04-22 |
| 5 | 7.80 ft | 2020-05-19 |
| 6 | 7.50 ft | 1983-04-04 |
| 7 | 7.33 ft | 2026-04-18 |
| 8 | 7.30 ft | 2013-04-19 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 6.00 ft
There is minor lowland flooding.
- 6.50 ft
There is minor flooding in Lincoln Park and Horlick Park in Racine. Part of Domanik Dr in Lincoln Park is flooded.
- 7.00 ft
There is flooding in Lincoln Park and Horlick Park in Racine. Part of Domanik Dr in Lincoln Park is flooded.
- 7.50 ft
Lincoln Park and Horlick Park in Racine are flooded and closed. Water over Dominik Dr in Lincoln Park. Floodwaters are in the back yards of some homes and there is some basement flooding.
- 8.00 ft
Lincoln Park and Horlick Park in Racine are flooded and closed. Water over Dominik Dr in Lincoln Park. There is basement flooding to around 250 homes in Racine.
- 9.00 ft
Water surrounds some homes in Racine. Lincoln Park and Horlick Park in Racine are flooded and closed. Water over Dominik Dr in Lincoln Park. There is basement flooding to around 250 homes in Racine.
- 10.00 ft
Water surrounds some homes in Racine. Lincoln Park and Horlick Park in Racine are flooded and closed. Water over Dominik Dr in Lincoln Park. There is basement flooding to around 250 homes in Racine.
- 11.00 ft
Water surrounds some homes in Racine. Lincoln Park and Horlick Park in Racine are flooded and closed. Water over Dominik Dr in Lincoln Park. There is basement flooding to around 250 homes in Racine.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Trout stocking on the Root River
Wisconsin DNR stocked the Root River 7 times in 2025, 537,867 fish in total. RAINBOW TROUT and COHO SALMON at YEARLING and LARGE FINGERLING. Wisconsin DNR's published figures for 2025, the most recent season it has confirmed, record 91,033 trout actually released here across 7 visits.
| Species | Fish | When |
|---|---|---|
| RAINBOW TROUT | 33,107 | None |
| COHO SALMON | 131,790 | None |
| COHO SALMON | 91,627 | None |
| RAINBOW TROUT | 28,963 | None |
| COHO SALMON | 131,790 | None |
| COHO SALMON | 91,627 | None |
| RAINBOW TROUT | 28,963 | None |
Wisconsin DNR lists a week or a month rather than a date, and counts fish as an estimate. Full Wisconsin stocking schedule →
Frequently asked questions
Is the Root River flooding at Racine?
No. The Root River at Racine is at 2.82 ft, 3.18 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Racine?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 6 ft, minor flooding 7 ft, moderate flooding 7.5 ft and major flooding 8 ft.
What is the highest the Root River has been at Racine?
The highest crest on record is 11.29 ft, on 2008-06-09.
Is the Root River high or low right now at Racine?
At 2.82 ft it is higher than 65% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge RACW3); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 04087240). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.