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Iowa River in Iowa

River39.9 mi

Around here

Around Iowa River

Blanchard Island Recreation Area13.6 miPort Louisa National Wildlife Refuge3.6 mi10 mi

Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US

About this river

Iowa River is a 39.9 mile river. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Iowa River at Oakville, IA (site 05465700). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 8. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.

Typical flow by month

2009 to 2026

Iowa River typically runs highest in June, at a median 19,750 cfs, and lowest in January, at 3,830 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 101,000 cfs, in 2014.

Show the numbers
Typical flow by month at Iowa River at Oakville, IA, in cfs
MonthTypical (cfs)Usual range (cfs)
January3,8302,400 to 9,270
February4,7003,540 to 9,290
March12,1007,620 to 21,000
April13,6009,620 to 21,750
May16,70010,700 to 24,100
June19,75010,300 to 29,050
July13,8009,090 to 22,400
August5,0504,140 to 11,200
September4,8202,495 to 10,900
October4,1901,980 to 12,800
November4,6102,750 to 10,000
December4,2002,310 to 10,200

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 17 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Iowa River at Oakville, IA (site 05465700). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.

Boat access nearby

8 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Iowa River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.

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

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