Rivers in Minnesota

Cannon River at Northfield

Dakota County, MinnesotaNWS NRFM5USGS 05355024Chanhassen office

Below flood stage
892.56ftStage

Observed Thu, Sep 24, 9:45 AM CDT

Flood stage
897.00 ft
Record crest
901.52 ft2024

Open the live map with the river flood outlook

Flood stages and impacts

CategoryStage
Major flood900.00 ft
Moderate flood899.00 ft
Minor flood897.00 ft
Action895.00 ft
  1. 903.00 ftHwy 3 floods north of 5th Street.
  2. 902.00 ftHwy 19 Bridge over Spring Creek on Carleton campus floods.
  3. 901.50 ftWater reaches bottom of deck on 2nd Street bridge.
  4. 901.00 ftLower windows breached on buildings on west side of river (Froggy's, Law offices).
  5. 900.50 ftNorthfield Fire building threatened by flood waters; parking lot flooded, water reaches building.
  6. 900.00 ftA few properties on east side of river, above the dam, flood near downtown Northfield.
  7. 899.50 ftWater reaches top of wall on east side of town near dam, as well as west side downstream of dam below Froggy's.
  8. 899.00 ftLaird Stadium at Carleton College begins to flood; west gymnasium threatened.
  9. 897.50 ftFlood waters reach Carleton College soccer fields. Babcock Park north of downtown begins to flood.
  10. 897.00 ftWater backs up into businesses along river in downtown Northfield. Riverwalk on west side of town begins to flood.

Flood outlook

Chance of flooding, September to November

CategoryChance
Minor flooding10%
Moderate floodingUnder 5%
Major floodingUnder 5%

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.

Crest history

16 crests on NOAA’s list since 2001.

#DateStage
1June 23, 2024901.52 ft
2September 24, 2010901.50 ft
3September 24, 2016901.30 ft
4June 20, 2014899.70 ft
5July 13, 2013899.45 ft
6March 22, 2019899.10 ft
7April 12, 2001898.40 ft
8October 6, 2019898.13 ft
9May 15, 2023898.04 ft
10April 3, 2023896.77 ft
11September 6, 2018896.30 ft
12March 30, 2020895.87 ft
13May 17, 2017895.10 ft
14June 14, 2022894.95 ft
15March 25, 2021893.96 ft
16September 11, 2015893.10 ft

Most recent crests

  • June 23, 2024: 901.52 ft
  • May 15, 2023: 898.04 ft
  • April 3, 2023: 896.77 ft
  • June 14, 2022: 894.95 ft
  • March 25, 2021: 893.96 ft
  • March 30, 2020: 895.87 ft
  • October 6, 2019: 898.13 ft
  • March 22, 2019: 899.10 ft
  • September 6, 2018: 896.30 ft
  • May 17, 2017: 895.10 ft

Nearby

Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.

What this means

Forecasts by the North Central River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. 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. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Stage may be affected by ice.

Sources

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.