River Levels
Iowa river levels
Live streamflow for 99 gauged Iowa reaches, highest first. Where a gauge has a long enough record, the reading is placed against its own history for today's date.
68% of gauged Iowa rivers are running above normal for the date, as of October 25, 2026.
Of 71 gauged reaches with a long enough USGS record, 4 are below normal (0 of them much below), 19 are in the normal range, and 48 are above normal (10 of them much above). Normal means the middle half of that gauge's own history for this calendar date.
To cite: Boating Hubs analysis of USGS streamflow, boatinghubs.com/flows/iowa.
| River | Flow | Usually today | Vs normal | NWS flood status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi RiverMississippi River at Clinton, IA | 31,200 cfs9.33 ft | 34,200 cfs | Normal43rd percentile · 153 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River at Sioux City, IA | 26,100 cfs10.58 ft | 32,600 cfs | Below normal21st percentile · 74 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 10.7 ft by Fri 7 AM, below flood stage. |
| Iowa RiverIowa River at Oakville, IA | 14,000 cfs5.89 ft | 4,750 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 17 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Des Moines RiverDes Moines River at Ottumwa, IA | 11,200 cfs4.93 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Cedar RiverCedar River at Cedar Rapids, IA | 7,090 cfs5.49 ft | 1,630 cfs | Much above normal92nd percentile · 124 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 5.5 ft by Sun 1 PM, below flood stage. |
| Cedar RiverCedar River at Blairs Ferry Road at Palo, IA | 6,850 cfs5.98 ft | 2,420 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 17 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Cedar RiverCedar River at Waterloo, IA | 4,790 cfs6.90 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Skunk RiverSkunk River at Augusta, IA | 4,510 cfs5.68 ft | 560 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 112 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Cedar RiverCedar River at Cedar Falls, IA | 4,110 cfs | 1,660 cfs | Normal71st percentile · 13 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Des Moines RiverDes Moines River near Saylorville, IA | 3,730 cfs6.08 ft | 1,200 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 49 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Raccoon RiverRaccoon River at Van Meter, IA | 3,680 cfs6.14 ft | 334 cfs | Much above normal93rd percentile · 111 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Wapsipinicon RiverWapsipinicon River near De Witt, IA | 3,110 cfs8.85 ft | 578 cfs | Much above normal92nd percentile · 92 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 8.7 ft by Sun 1 PM, below flood stage. |
| Iowa RiverIowa River at Iowa City, IA | 2,960 cfs13.20 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Des Moines RiverDes Moines River near Stratford, IA | 2,900 cfs7.22 ft | 893 cfs | Above normal75th percentile · 59 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Iowa RiverIowa River near Belle Plaine, IA | 2,770 cfs10.35 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 15 ft. NWS reads 10.27 ft here. |
| Nishnabotna RiverNishnabotna River above Hamburg, IA | 2,520 cfs11.82 ft | 410 cfs | Above normal88th percentile · 104 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| South Skunk RiverSouth Skunk River near Oskaloosa, IA | 2,410 cfs12.74 ft | 233 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 81 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Iowa RiverIowa River at County Highway E49 near Tama, IA | 2,040 cfs5.60 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Wapsipinicon RiverWapsipinicon River near Anamosa, IA | 1,910 cfs7.40 ft | 357 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 24 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 7.4 ft by Sun 1 PM, below flood stage. |
| Maquoketa RiverMaquoketa River near Maquoketa, IA | 1,600 cfs12.22 ft | 574 cfs | Above normal86th percentile · 113 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Des Moines RiverDes Moines River at Fort Dodge, IA | 1,480 cfs4.63 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| North Raccoon RiverNorth Raccoon River near Jefferson, IA | 1,430 cfs6.82 ft | 158 cfs | Above normal86th percentile · 86 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| West Nishnabotna RiverWest Nishnabotna River at Randolph, IA | 1,330 cfs9.95 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Shell Rock RiverShell Rock River at Shell Rock, IA | 1,310 cfs8.64 ft | 486 cfs | Above normal78th percentile · 73 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| South Skunk RiverSouth Skunk River at Colfax, IA | 1,250 cfs10.11 ft | 136 cfs | Above normal89th percentile · 41 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Wapsipinicon RiverWapsipinicon River at Independence, IA | 1,090 cfs5.84 ft | 170 cfs | Above normal85th percentile · 93 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Little Sioux RiverLittle Sioux River near Turin, IA | 1,030 cfs8.06 ft | 502 cfs | Normal67th percentile · 68 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| East Nishnabotna RiverEast Nishnabotna River at Red Oak, IA | 1,000 cfs7.63 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Turkey RiverTurkey River above French Hollow Cr at Elkader, IA | 881 cfs6.41 ft | 379 cfs | Normal74th percentile · 25 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| South Raccoon RiverSouth Raccoon River at Redfield, IA | 829 cfs3.87 ft | 131 cfs | Above normal90th percentile · 86 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Cedar RiverCedar River at Charles City, IA | 781 cfs3.18 ft | 325 cfs | Above normal79th percentile · 62 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| West Fork Cedar RiverWest Fork Cedar River at Finchford, IA | 748 cfs8.07 ft | 202 cfs | Above normal82nd percentile · 81 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| North Skunk RiverNorth Skunk River near Sigourney, IA | 679 cfs6.79 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Little Sioux RiverLittle Sioux River at Correctionville, IA | 664 cfs5.52 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River near Hawarden, IA | 604 cfs11.91 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| West Nishnabotna RiverWest Nishnabotna River at Hancock, IA | 577 cfs3.55 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Beaver CreekBeaver Creek near Grimes, IA | 538 cfs5.48 ft | 44 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 66 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Black Hawk CreekBlack Hawk Creek at Hudson, IA | 500 cfs8.00 ft | 67 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 74 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Turkey RiverTurkey River near Eldorado, IA | 492 cfs6.05 ft | 188 cfs | Normal71st percentile · 26 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 13 ft. NWS reads 6.03 ft here. |
| West Nodaway RiverNodaway River at Clarinda, IA | 489 cfs11.24 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Boyer RiverBoyer River at Logan, IA | 472 cfs4.52 ft | 125 cfs | Above normal82nd percentile · 108 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Rock RiverRock River near Rock Valley, IA | 469 cfs5.11 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| North Fork Maquoketa RiverNorth Fork Maquoketa River near Fulton, IA | 460 cfs3.70 ft | 265 cfs | Above normal76th percentile · 28 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 12 ft. NWS reads 3.7 ft here. |
| Beaver CreekBeaver Creek at New Hartford, IA | 458 cfs4.05 ft | 70 cfs | Much above normal92nd percentile · 81 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| English RiverEnglish River at Kalona, IA | 436 cfs5.56 ft | 63 cfs | Above normal83rd percentile · 87 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Volga RiverVolga River at Littleport, IA | 434 cfs5.63 ft | 110 cfs | Above normal82nd percentile · 27 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 12 ft. NWS reads 5.61 ft here. |
| Ioway CreekIoway Creek at Ames, IA | 422 cfs2.60 ft | 29 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 107 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Boone RiverBoone River near Webster City, IA | 408 cfs2.93 ft | 81 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 86 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Wolf CreekWolf Creek near Dysart, IA | 385 cfs3.54 ft | 77 cfs | Above normal84th percentile · 31 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 12 ft. NWS reads 3.52 ft here. |
| East Fork Des Moines RiverEast Fork Des Moines River at Dakota City, IA | 363 cfs8.55 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| East Nishnabotna RiverEast Nishnabotna River near Atlantic, IA | 361 cfs3.85 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| South Skunk RiverSouth Skunk River near Ames, IA | 357 cfs4.58 ft | 34 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 106 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Little Sioux RiverLittle Sioux River at Linn Grove, IA | 351 cfs6.09 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Middle RiverMiddle River near Indianola, IA | 348 cfs8.46 ft | 33 cfs | Above normal86th percentile · 86 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Maquoketa RiverMaquoketa River at Manchester, IA | 330 cfs4.96 ft | 105 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 26 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Middle Raccoon RiverMiddle Raccoon River at Panora, IA | 322 cfs4.96 ft | 82 cfs | Above normal81st percentile · 56 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 11 ft. NWS reads 4.88 ft here. |
| Upper Iowa RiverUpper Iowa River at Bluffton, IA | 317 cfs3.68 ft | 157 cfs | Normal69th percentile · 24 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| North Raccoon RiverNorth Raccoon River near Sac City, IA | 312 cfs8.13 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| South Fork Iowa RiverSouth Fork Iowa River NE of New Providence, IA | 280 cfs4.17 ft | 47 cfs | Above normal83rd percentile · 31 yr record | Below flood stage |
| North RiverNorth River near Norwalk, IA | 274 cfs7.85 ft | 21 cfs | Above normal85th percentile · 86 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
Streamflow from the U.S. Geological Survey, updated hourly. "Usually today" is the median for this calendar date over the gauge's full record. A gauge tells you how much water is moving, not whether a stretch is safe to run: check the channel, the hazards and a current local notice before you launch. Flood stages and forecasts: NOAA National Weather Service; "Vs normal" is our comparison with the USGS record, not a National Weather Service product.
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