Chance Mississippi flooding could affect Riverside Park, Rose and Clinton streets

River stages in La Crosse this week could surpass levels of four years ago, and may even exceed the second-biggest flood in the city’s history.

Meteorologist Jordan Wendt of the National Weather Service – La Crosse said that if the Mississippi River rises to 17 feet, as it did in 1965, much of Riverside Park could be underwater and flooding could affect Rose and Clinton streets on the north side.

Wendt said the Mississippi has risen 4 feet at La Crosse just since Thursday, and it could go up another 2 or 3 feet before it crests early next week.

“Since April 1st, we’ve seen the Mississippi River rise in La Crosse 6 feet, but it was pretty slow going back then,” Wendt said Tuesday on WIZM’s La Crosse Talk.

The river level rose to 13 feet Monday night, according to local readings. That’s one foot above the La Crosse flood stage.

On April 18, 2001, the Mississippi reached its second-highest level ever in La Crosse at 16.4 feet. The latest forecast is for a crest of 15.2 feet late on Sunday night or early Monday.

The river has gone above 16 feet in La Crosse only two times on record — in 1965 and 2001.