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Flow report

Iowa River Levels & Streamflow

As of Nov 11, 2026, Iowa rivers are running at 430% of normal across 116 USGS gauges — the highest is 48,300 cfs on the Mississippi River At Clinton. Live discharge, gauge height, and percent-of-normal for every USGS streamgauge in Iowa.

USGS gauges
116
State percent normal
430%
0%normal200%
Paddle runs
0
Updated
Nov 11
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Flow briefing · Nov 11, 2026

Iowa river conditions today

Where rivers are running versus normal, what’s spiking and what’s coming — refreshed daily from USGS and NOAA.

Streamflow levels across Iowa are currently 430% of normal, with the Mississippi River At Clinton reporting the highest discharge in the state at 48,300 cfs and a gauge stage of 10.68 ft.

Meanwhile, the Cedar Creek Near Oakland Mills is seeing a spike today — up 7% since yesterday and currently running near peak.

Tap any gauge below for the full hydrograph, paired weather forecast, and historical context. Use the rivers panel to jump into Iowa's named rivers.

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Active weather warnings for Iowa

# Iowa Storm Center Report

A Special Weather Statement remains in effect for eastern Iowa through 8:15 AM CST on November 11th following strong thunderstorms moving east at 30 mph. Trained weather spotters have reported pea to penny-sized hail along a line from Lost Nation to Marengo, with additional storms north of Durant. Major population centers including Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Marion, and Coralville are among the impacted areas, along with I-80 and I-380 corridors. Residents should expect minor damage to outdoor objects and potential travel hindrances due to hail accumulation. Exercise caution on affected roadways and secure loose outdoor items immediately.

Source: National Weather Service

Iowa vs normal

How Iowa’s rivers compare to normal

Every gauge placed by its own percent of normal, and three years of the statewide trend.

Where every gauge actually sits

One dot per Iowa streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The state average is a single line through all of it.

State average 430%
0% 50% 100% · normal 150% 200%+
Much below normalunder 50% Below normal50–90% Near normal90–110% Above normal110–150% Much above normalover 150%

Percent of normal compares today's discharge with the historical average for this calendar day. Tap any dot to open that gauge.

Iowa streamflow, three water years

Statewide percent of normal, every day since Nov 2023. The dotted line is normal.

430% of normal today
+365pts vs this day last year (65%)
228of 366 days below normal, past year
1110% 3-year peak · Oct 2026 · above the axis
50% 100% normal 150% 200% 250%
Nov 2023 202420252026 Nov 11, 2026

799 daily readings from 116 reporting gauges. Percent of normal is today's statewide discharge against the historical average for the same calendar day — 100% is normal, not "good". The axis tops out at 250%: 78 readings above that — including the 1110% peak in Oct 2026 — are drawn along the top edge, so a few flood days cannot flatten three years of everything else. The line breaks in 2 places where the record skips more than five days — those are gaps in reporting, not readings of zero.

Iowa flow report

116 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow Gage height Water temp Air temp Elevation Watershed
Mississippi River At Clinton, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05420500
49,600 cfs 10.73 ft 55°F 40°F 593 ft Copperas-Duck
Iowa River At Wapello, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05465500
24,300 cfs 18.59 ft 49°F 43°F 554 ft Lower Iowa
Des Moines River At Keosauqua, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05490500
23,400 cfs 16.68 ft 56°F 45°F 579 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River At Ottumwa, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05489500
22,900 cfs 8.24 ft 56°F 43°F 635 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River Near Pella, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05488110
21,000 cfs 92.92 ft 54°F 42°F 689 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River Near Tracy, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05488500
20,600 cfs 9.09 ft · 42°F 676 ft Lower Des Moines
Cedar River Near Conesville, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05465000
14,800 cfs 11.11 ft · 42°F 593 ft Lower Cedar
Des Moines River Blw Raccoon Riv At Des Moines, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05485500
12,700 cfs 16.94 ft · 42°F 779 ft Lake Red Rock
Cedar River At Cedar Rapids, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05464500
12,500 cfs 7.14 ft 62°F 41°F 712 ft Middle Cedar
Skunk River At Augusta, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05474000
11,400 cfs 10.11 ft · 45°F 553 ft Skunk
Iowa River Near Lone Tree, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05455700
8,390 cfs 11.40 ft · 42°F 601 ft Lower Iowa
Cedar River At Waterloo, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05464000
8,210 cfs 7.81 ft · 42°F 823 ft Middle Cedar
Iowa River At Iowa City, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05454500
7,890 cfs 16.96 ft · 41°F 643 ft Lower Iowa
Iowa River Below Coralville Dam Nr Coralville, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05453520
7,800 cfs 54.55 ft · 41°F 669 ft Middle Iowa
Cedar River At Cedar Falls, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05463050
7,120 cfs 78.70 ft · 38°F 853 ft Middle Cedar
Des Moines River At 2nd Avenue, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05482000
6,340 cfs 15.83 ft 32°F 42°F 808 ft Middle Des Moines
Iowa River At Marengo, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05453100
6,240 cfs 13.65 ft · 42°F 729 ft Middle Iowa
Des Moines River Near Saylorville, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05481650
5,390 cfs 7.29 ft · 42°F 819 ft Middle Des Moines
Raccoon River At Fleur Drive, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05484900
5,310 cfs 6.81 ft · 42°F 797 ft North Raccoon
Raccoon River At 63rd Street At Des Moines, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05484650
5,300 cfs 25.47 ft · 42°F 797 ft North Raccoon
Des Moines River Near Stratford, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05481300
5,120 cfs 9.08 ft · 39°F 902 ft Middle Des Moines
Raccoon River At Van Meter, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05484500
4,900 cfs 7.25 ft 32°F 42°F 862 ft North Raccoon
Iowa River Near Belle Plaine, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05452500
4,700 cfs 12.79 ft · 42°F 748 ft Middle Iowa
Wapsipinicon River Near De Witt, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05422000
4,200 cfs 9.76 ft · 41°F 646 ft Lower Wapsipinicon
South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05471500
4,060 cfs 15.12 ft · 42°F 692 ft South Skunk
Wapsipinicon River Near Anamosa, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05421740
3,070 cfs 8.93 ft · 41°F 779 ft Lower Wapsipinicon
Des Moines River At Fort Dodge, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05480500
3,040 cfs 5.45 ft · 39°F 974 ft Middle Des Moines
Nishnabotna River Above Hamburg, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06810000
2,850 cfs 12.30 ft · 45°F 904 ft Nishnabotna
Cedar River At Janesville, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05458500
2,660 cfs 3.33 ft · 42°F 859 ft Upper Cedar
Big Sioux River At Akron, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06485500
2,440 cfs 8.92 ft · 42°F 1,151 ft Lower Big Sioux
Cedar River At Waverly, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05458300
2,380 cfs 5.08 ft 50°F 41°F 895 ft Upper Cedar
Iowa River At Marshalltown, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05451500
2,330 cfs 13.14 ft · 39°F 853 ft Middle Iowa
Shell Rock River At Shell Rock, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05462000
2,320 cfs 9.43 ft · 41°F 882 ft Shell Rock
Little Sioux River Near Turin, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06607500
2,170 cfs 9.47 ft · 41°F 1,029 ft Little Sioux
Turkey River At Garber, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05412500
2,100 cfs 8.59 ft 49°F 42°F 646 ft Turkey
Maquoketa River Near Maquoketa, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05418500
1,940 cfs 12.69 ft · 41°F 646 ft Maquoketa
Wapsipinicon River At Independence, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05421000
1,910 cfs 6.47 ft · 41°F 889 ft Upper Wapsipinicon
North Raccoon River Near Jefferson, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05482500
1,800 cfs 7.21 ft 37°F 39°F 978 ft North Raccoon
South Skunk River At Colfax, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05471050
1,580 cfs 10.70 ft · 41°F 793 ft South Skunk
Little Sioux River At Correctionville, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06606600
1,530 cfs 7.05 ft · 41°F 1,106 ft Little Sioux
Cedar River At Charles City, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05457700
1,470 cfs 4.11 ft · 42°F 977 ft Upper Cedar
North Skunk River Near Sigourney, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05472500
1,290 cfs 9.33 ft · 43°F 664 ft North Skunk
East Nishnabotna River At Red Oak, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06809500
1,280 cfs 8.19 ft · 41°F 1,013 ft East Nishnabotna
West Nishnabotna River At Randolph, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06808500
1,250 cfs 9.81 ft 51°F 43°F 956 ft West Nishnabotna
West Fork Cedar River At Finchford, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05458900
1,150 cfs 9.03 ft · 42°F 859 ft West Fork Cedar
Turkey River Above French Hollow Cr At Elkader, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05412020
1,110 cfs 6.73 ft · 41°F 726 ft Turkey
East Fork Des Moines River At Dakota City, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05479000
1,100 cfs 9.90 ft · 39°F 1,043 ft East Fork Des Moines
Rock River Near Rock Valley, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06483500
1,090 cfs 6.68 ft · 41°F 1,238 ft Rock
Des Moines River At Humboldt, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05476750
1,030 cfs 4.93 ft · 39°F 1,066 ft Upper Des Moines
Boone River Near Webster City, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05481000
1,010 cfs 3.94 ft 35°F 39°F 1,028 ft Boone
South Raccoon River At Redfield, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05484000
999 cfs 4.25 ft 32°F 42°F 917 ft South Raccoon
Little Sioux River At Linn Grove, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06605850
969 cfs 8.06 ft · 39°F 1,249 ft Little Sioux
Upper Iowa River Near Dorchester, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05388250
929 cfs 7.93 ft · 42°F 668 ft Upper Iowa
Nodaway River At Clarinda, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 06817000
859 cfs 11.60 ft · 41°F 966 ft West Nodaway
South Skunk River Below Squaw Creek Near Ames, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05471000
726 cfs 12.58 ft · 38°F 872 ft South Skunk
Turkey River Near Eldorado, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05411850
711 cfs 6.48 ft · 41°F 897 ft Turkey
Beaver Creek Near Grimes, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05481950
700 cfs 6.04 ft · 42°F 829 ft Middle Des Moines
Upper Iowa River At Decorah, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05387500
673 cfs 2.46 ft · 42°F 854 ft Upper Iowa
Middle River Near Indianola, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05486490
666 cfs 9.23 ft · 43°F 794 ft Lake Red Rock
Thompson River At Davis City, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06898000
645 cfs 2.43 ft · 44°F 910 ft Thompson
Beaver Creek At New Hartford, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05463000
589 cfs 4.61 ft · 41°F 890 ft Middle Cedar
English River At Kalona, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05455500
580 cfs 6.10 ft · 42°F 655 ft Lower Iowa
Black Hawk Creek At Hudson, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05463500
565 cfs 8.36 ft · 42°F 897 ft Middle Cedar
East Nishnabotna River Near Atlantic, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06809210
553 cfs 4.32 ft · 39°F 1,109 ft East Nishnabotna
Winnebago River At Mason City, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05459500
543 cfs 6.10 ft · 41°F 1,101 ft Winnebago
West Nishnabotna River At Hancock, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06807410
526 cfs 3.50 ft · 41°F 1,089 ft West Nishnabotna
Upper Iowa River At Bluffton, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05387440
514 cfs 4.08 ft · 42°F 970 ft Upper Iowa
Wolf Creek Near Dysart, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05464220
509 cfs 3.85 ft · 42°F 835 ft Middle Cedar
Chariton River Near Rathbun, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06903900
505 cfs 4.81 ft · 44°F 855 ft Upper Chariton
Chariton River Near Moulton, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06904010
493 cfs 21.62 ft · 44°F 847 ft Upper Chariton
Wapsipinicon River Near Tripoli, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05420680
489 cfs 9.76 ft · 42°F 1,019 ft Upper Wapsipinicon
Indian Creek Near Mingo, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05471200
484 cfs 5.40 ft · 41°F 827 ft South Skunk
North Fork Maquoketa River Near Fulton, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05418400
482 cfs 3.77 ft 39°F 41°F 689 ft Maquoketa
North River Near Norwalk, Ia
12 hours ago · USGS 05486000
480 cfs 9.39 ft · 42°F 811 ft Lake Red Rock
Squaw Creek At Ames, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05470500
472 cfs 2.73 ft · 39°F 907 ft South Skunk
Boyer River At Logan, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06609500
472 cfs 4.63 ft · 42°F 1,014 ft Boyer
Volga River At Littleport, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05412400
471 cfs 5.74 ft · 42°F 694 ft Turkey
Floyd River At James, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06600500
468 cfs 9.34 ft · 46°F 1,117 ft Floyd
Middle Raccoon River Near Bayard, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05483450
459 cfs 11.21 ft · 40°F 1,054 ft South Raccoon
South Skunk River Near Ames, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05470000
454 cfs 4.87 ft · 39°F 928 ft South Skunk
Middle Raccoon River At Panora, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05483600
454 cfs 5.13 ft 35°F 41°F 997 ft South Raccoon
Cedar Creek Near Oakland Mills, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05473400
438 cfs 5.69 ft · 44°F 590 ft Skunk
North Raccoon River Near Sac City, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05482300
429 cfs 8.27 ft 75°F 40°F 1,179 ft North Raccoon
South Fork Iowa River Ne Of New Providence, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05451210
393 cfs 4.71 ft · 40°F 963 ft Upper Iowa
Maple River At Mapleton, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06607200
388 cfs 5.45 ft · 40°F 1,114 ft Maple
Maquoketa River At Manchester, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05416900
382 cfs 5.17 ft · 41°F 920 ft Maquoketa
Rock River Below Tom Creek At Rock Rapids, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 06483290
368 cfs 8.40 ft · 41°F 1,316 ft Rock
Salt Creek Near Elberon, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05452000
334 cfs 7.95 ft · 39°F 802 ft Middle Iowa
Little Cedar River Near Ionia, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05458000
314 cfs 4.60 ft · 42°F 1,000 ft Upper Cedar
Iowa River Near Rowan, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05449500
286 cfs 5.05 ft · 41°F 1,187 ft Upper Iowa
Turkey River At Spillville, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05411600
276 cfs 3.02 ft · 41°F 1,067 ft Turkey
Ocheyedan River Near Spencer, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06605000
260 cfs 3.43 ft · 37°F 1,317 ft Little Sioux
Big Bear Creek At Ladora, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05453000
227 cfs 12.40 ft · 42°F 771 ft Middle Iowa
Timber Creek Near Marshalltown, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05451700
219 cfs 4.58 ft · 40°F 862 ft Middle Iowa
Floyd River At Alton, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06600100
199 cfs 6.38 ft · 41°F 1,289 ft Floyd
Fourmile Creek At Des Moines, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05485640
182 cfs 4.33 ft · 42°F 813 ft Lake Red Rock
Yellow River At Ion, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05389000
173 cfs 6.09 ft · 41°F 681 ft Coon-Yellow
Old Mans Creek Near Iowa City, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05455100
153 cfs 3.24 ft 46°F 41°F 654 ft Lower Iowa
Soldier River At Pisgah, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06608500
147 cfs 3.25 ft · 40°F 1,047 ft Blackbird-Soldier
Monona-Harrison Ditch Near Turin, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06602400
130 cfs 5.06 ft · 40°F 1,021 ft Monona-Harrison Ditch
White Breast Creek Near Dallas, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05487980
127 cfs 6.85 ft · 43°F 773 ft Lake Red Rock
South River Near Ackworth, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05487470
127 cfs 6.38 ft · 43°F 805 ft Lake Red Rock
Cedar Creek Near Bussey, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05489000
105 cfs 5.28 ft · 43°F 696 ft Lower Des Moines
Fourmile Creek Near Ankeny, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05485605
99 cfs 2.63 ft · 41°F 911 ft Lake Red Rock
Clear Creek Near Coralville, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05454300
96 cfs 1.68 ft · 41°F 660 ft Lower Iowa
Richland Creek Near Haven, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05451900
87 cfs 11.91 ft · 40°F 817 ft Middle Iowa
Walnut Creek Near Hartwick, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05452200
82 cfs 2.55 ft · 39°F 806 ft Middle Iowa
East Fork 102 River At Bedford, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06819185
74 cfs 11.33 ft · 42°F 1,084 ft One Hundred And Two
Clear Creek Near Oxford, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05454220
71 cfs 2.65 ft · 42°F 722 ft Lower Iowa
Chariton River Near Chariton, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06903400
57 cfs 5.33 ft · 44°F 968 ft Upper Chariton
English Creek Near Knoxville, Ia
8 hours ago · USGS 05488200
43 cfs 8.99 ft · 43°F 749 ft Lower Des Moines
Big Creek Near Mt. Pleasant, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05473450
42 cfs 3.93 ft · 44°F 672 ft Skunk
Walnut Creek At Des Moines, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05484800
38 cfs 3.74 ft · 42°F 808 ft North Raccoon
Rapid Creek Near Iowa City, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05454000
37 cfs 4.20 ft · 41°F 688 ft Lower Iowa
South Fork Chariton River Near Promise City, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 06903700
31 cfs 3.36 ft · 44°F 922 ft Upper Chariton
Bloody Run Creek Near Marquette, Ia
7 hours ago · USGS 05389400
26 cfs 4.15 ft · 40°F 634 ft Coon-Yellow
Flow report FAQ

About Iowa streamflow

What are river levels like in Iowa right now?

As of November 11, 2026, Iowa rivers are running at 430% of normal across 116 USGS streamgauges, and the Mississippi River At Clinton is reporting the highest discharge at 48,300 cfs. The full sortable gauge table is below.

Which Iowa river is running highest right now?

As of November 11, 2026, the highest discharge in Iowa is 48,300 cfs on the Mississippi River At Clinton. See the sortable gauge table for the full statewide ranking.

Are Iowa rivers high or low right now?

Compare the statewide percent-of-normal on this page: above 100% means Iowa rivers are running higher than the seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower (a dry spell or drought). Each gauge also shows its own percent of median.

Where does the Iowa streamflow data come from?

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System. USGS streamgauges report continuously (every 15 minutes) and the data is the canonical real-time record for U.S. rivers. Snoflo pulls the latest readings and joins them to a 7-day NOAA weather forecast for each station.

What is cfs?

Cubic feet per second — the standard unit for streamflow. One cfs is about 7.5 gallons per second. Small creeks run at single-digit cfs; the Mississippi at hundreds of thousands.

What does Gauge Height mean?

The water level at the gauge in feet above the reference datum. Used together with discharge to track river state. Flood stage and runnable levels are typically expressed in gauge height (e.g., "flood at 16 ft").

How fresh is the Iowa data?

USGS streamgauges report every 15 minutes; Snoflo re-pulls throughout the day. The AI briefing regenerates daily.

Can I get a flow alert for a Iowa gauge?

Yes. Save any USGS gauge as a favorite in the Snoflo iOS app, set a discharge or stage threshold (e.g. "alert me when discharge crosses 2,000 cfs"), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses.

Is this a substitute for an NWS flood warning?

No. Snoflo is informational. For flood life-safety decisions always follow guidance from your local NWS forecast office and state emergency management. Snoflo data is one input among several.

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