Cottonwood River (MN) at New Ulm
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 4:00 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 11.00 ft
- Record crest
- 20.86 ft1965
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 16.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 13.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 11.00 ft |
| Action | 9.00 ft |
- 22.75 ftWater impacts Cottonwood Townhouses.
- 22.00 ftSwimming pond at Flandrau SP closed and sandbagged for flood protection.
- 20.00 ftWater begins to impact residence on Butternut Street
- 19.00 ftAll trails at Flandrau SP closed due to flooding
- 18.00 ftFlood waters reach the back of the campground at Flandrau SP
- 13.00 ftFlood waters begin to impact Cottonwood Street west of the river.
- 11.00 ftFlood waters begin to impact low lying areas...and some roads along the river.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
69 crests on NOAA’s list since 1947.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 8, 1965 | 20.86 ft |
| 2 | June 24, 2024 | 19.72 ft |
| 3 | July 6, 2018 | 19.64 ft |
| 4 | April 10, 1969 | 19.15 ft |
| 5 | September 26, 2010 | 18.95 ft |
| 6 | June 19, 1993 | 18.90 ft |
| 7 | April 25, 2001 | 18.18 ft |
| 8 | March 24, 2019 | 17.92 ft |
| 9 | March 4, 2020 | 17.54 ft |
| 10 | May 16, 2023 | 17.22 ft |
| 11 | March 24, 2011 | 17.15 ft |
| 12 | July 9, 1947 | 16.94 ft |
| 13 | May 10, 1993 | 16.40 ft |
| 14 | March 30, 1997 | 16.03 ft |
| 15 | March 30, 1962 | 15.88 ft |
| 16 | March 20, 2010 | 15.56 ft |
| 17 | April 7, 1951 | 15.44 ft |
| 18 | May 9, 1983 | 15.36 ft |
| 19 | June 17, 2011 | 15.28 ft |
| 20 | March 21, 1948 | 15.25 ft |
| 21 | June 25, 1984 | 15.24 ft |
| 22 | April 25, 2018 | 15.16 ft |
| 23 | April 19, 2019 | 15.02 ft |
| 24 | March 19, 1980 | 14.62 ft |
| 25 | May 1, 1986 | 14.48 ft |
Most recent crests
- June 24, 2024: 19.72 ft
- May 16, 2023: 17.22 ft
- April 14, 2023: 12.56 ft
- May 16, 2022: 10.19 ft
- March 26, 2021: 7.15 ft
- March 30, 2020: 11.84 ft
- March 4, 2020: 17.54 ft
- September 15, 2019: 14.11 ft
- April 19, 2019: 15.02 ft
- March 24, 2019: 17.92 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamCottonwood River (MN) at Springfield
- DownstreamMinnesota River at Mankato
- Minnesota River at New Ulm
- Little Cottonwood River at Courtland 2S
- Minnesota River at Judson
- Watonwan River at La Salle 3ESE
- South Fork Watonwan River at Madelia 3SW
- Sleepy Eye Creek at Cobden CR8
- Cottonwood River (MN) at Leavenworth
- Seven Mile Creek (MN) at St. Peter 6S
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.