Skip to content

Prairie River in Wisconsin

Stream20.6 mi
Make a poster

Around here

Around Prairie River

2 mi

Nature3

Source: USGS GNIS · Public land: USGS PAD-US

About this river

Prairie River is a 20.6 mile stream. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Prairie River near Merrill, WI (site 05394500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 4. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.

Typical flow by month

1914 to 2026

Prairie River typically runs highest in April, at a median 344 cfs, and lowest in February, at 84 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 4,200 cfs, in 1941.

Show the numbers
Typical flow by month at Prairie River near Merrill, WI, in cfs
MonthTypical (cfs)Usual range (cfs)
January8776 to 100
February8473 to 100
March10787 to 142
April344216 to 589
May190150 to 288
June148107 to 231
July10386 to 141
August9781 to 128
September10987 to 161
October12497 to 183
November134105 to 187
December10586 to 124

Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 104 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Prairie River near Merrill, WI (site 05394500). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.

Boat access nearby

One mapped launch sits in the mapped area of Prairie River. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.

Made to print

Put Prairie River on your wall

This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.

Make the posterOrder by December 8 for Christmas delivery.
Free widget

Embed this gauge on your site

Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Prairie River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.

Embed code

See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.