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Flow report

Iowa River Levels & Streamflow

As of Nov 7, 2026, Iowa rivers are running at 496% of normal across 116 USGS gauges — the highest is 45,700 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
496%
0%normal200%
Paddle runs
0
Updated
Nov 7
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Flow briefing · Nov 7, 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 496% of normal, with the Mississippi River At Clinton reporting the highest discharge in the state at 45,700 cfs and a gauge stage of 9.96 ft.

Meanwhile, the Chariton River Near Rathbun is seeing a spike today — up 2028% 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.

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 496%
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.

496% of normal today
+438pts vs this day last year (58%)
232of 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 7, 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%: 74 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
18 hours ago · USGS 05420500
49,400 cfs 10.31 ft 56°F 28°F 593 ft Copperas-Duck
Des Moines River At Ottumwa, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05489500
23,400 cfs 8.36 ft 58°F 33°F 635 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River At Keosauqua, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05490500
22,800 cfs 16.55 ft 57°F 28°F 579 ft Lower Des Moines
Iowa River At Wapello, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05465500
22,600 cfs 18.19 ft 49°F 29°F 554 ft Lower Iowa
Des Moines River Blw Raccoon Riv At Des Moines, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05485500
21,700 cfs 21.03 ft · 32°F 779 ft Lake Red Rock
Des Moines River Near Pella, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05488110
21,400 cfs 93.05 ft 58°F 34°F 689 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River Near Tracy, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05488500
21,200 cfs 9.27 ft · 34°F 676 ft Lower Des Moines
Cedar River Near Conesville, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05465000
13,400 cfs 10.67 ft · 29°F 593 ft Lower Cedar
Cedar River At Cedar Rapids, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05464500
13,300 cfs 7.38 ft 62°F 28°F 712 ft Middle Cedar
Cedar River At Waterloo, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05464000
12,200 cfs 8.89 ft · 32°F 823 ft Middle Cedar
Des Moines River At 2nd Avenue, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05482000
11,900 cfs 18.09 ft 32°F 32°F 808 ft Middle Des Moines
Skunk River At Augusta, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05474000
11,000 cfs 9.89 ft · 29°F 553 ft Skunk
Cedar River At Cedar Falls, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05463050
10,700 cfs 78.70 ft · 32°F 853 ft Middle Cedar
Des Moines River Near Saylorville, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05481650
10,500 cfs 10.45 ft · 31°F 819 ft Middle Des Moines
Raccoon River At Fleur Drive, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05484900
10,200 cfs 10.16 ft · 32°F 797 ft North Raccoon
Raccoon River At 63rd Street At Des Moines, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05484650
10,000 cfs 28.59 ft · 34°F 797 ft North Raccoon
Raccoon River At Van Meter, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05484500
9,170 cfs 10.16 ft 32°F 33°F 862 ft North Raccoon
Iowa River Near Lone Tree, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05455700
8,370 cfs 11.39 ft · 28°F 601 ft Lower Iowa
South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05471500
8,280 cfs 19.72 ft · 33°F 692 ft South Skunk
Des Moines River Near Stratford, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05481300
7,960 cfs 10.74 ft · 30°F 902 ft Middle Des Moines
Iowa River Near Belle Plaine, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05452500
7,860 cfs 15.81 ft · 26°F 748 ft Middle Iowa
Iowa River At Marengo, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05453100
7,750 cfs 15.33 ft · 26°F 729 ft Middle Iowa
Iowa River At Iowa City, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05454500
7,260 cfs 16.41 ft · 28°F 643 ft Lower Iowa
Iowa River Below Coralville Dam Nr Coralville, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05453520
7,080 cfs 54.13 ft · 29°F 669 ft Middle Iowa
Cedar River At Waverly, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05458300
4,330 cfs 5.34 ft 52°F 31°F 895 ft Upper Cedar
North Skunk River Near Sigourney, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05472500
4,260 cfs 16.16 ft · 27°F 664 ft North Skunk
Cedar River At Janesville, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05458500
4,200 cfs 4.46 ft · 32°F 859 ft Upper Cedar
Iowa River At Marshalltown, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05451500
4,130 cfs 14.94 ft · 32°F 853 ft Middle Iowa
Wapsipinicon River Near De Witt, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05422000
4,040 cfs 9.63 ft · 28°F 646 ft Lower Wapsipinicon
Nishnabotna River Above Hamburg, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06810000
3,850 cfs 13.60 ft · 34°F 904 ft Nishnabotna
Des Moines River At Fort Dodge, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05480500
3,720 cfs 5.85 ft · 30°F 974 ft Middle Des Moines
North Raccoon River Near Jefferson, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05482500
3,710 cfs 9.04 ft 37°F 33°F 978 ft North Raccoon
Shell Rock River At Shell Rock, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05462000
3,540 cfs 9.98 ft · 31°F 882 ft Shell Rock
Wapsipinicon River Near Anamosa, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05421740
3,370 cfs 9.28 ft · 27°F 779 ft Lower Wapsipinicon
Turkey River At Garber, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05412500
3,170 cfs 9.61 ft 50°F 26°F 646 ft Turkey
Maquoketa River Near Maquoketa, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05418500
2,960 cfs 13.97 ft · 27°F 646 ft Maquoketa
South Skunk River At Colfax, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05471050
2,920 cfs 12.93 ft · 31°F 793 ft South Skunk
Cedar River At Charles City, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05457700
2,780 cfs 5.76 ft · 30°F 977 ft Upper Cedar
Wapsipinicon River At Independence, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05421000
2,590 cfs 6.92 ft · 27°F 889 ft Upper Wapsipinicon
Big Sioux River At Akron, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06485500
2,360 cfs 9.02 ft · 33°F 1,151 ft Lower Big Sioux
Little Sioux River Near Turin, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06607500
2,280 cfs 9.60 ft · 33°F 1,029 ft Little Sioux
West Fork Cedar River At Finchford, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05458900
1,950 cfs 10.49 ft · 31°F 859 ft West Fork Cedar
Boone River Near Webster City, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05481000
1,880 cfs 5.25 ft 35°F 30°F 1,028 ft Boone
Little Sioux River At Correctionville, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06606600
1,830 cfs 7.63 ft · 33°F 1,106 ft Little Sioux
Thompson River At Davis City, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06898000
1,830 cfs 3.86 ft · 33°F 910 ft Thompson
East Nishnabotna River At Red Oak, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06809500
1,780 cfs 9.05 ft · 30°F 1,013 ft East Nishnabotna
South Raccoon River At Redfield, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05484000
1,650 cfs 5.15 ft 32°F 31°F 917 ft South Raccoon
Turkey River Above French Hollow Cr At Elkader, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05412020
1,520 cfs 7.23 ft · 25°F 726 ft Turkey
South Skunk River Below Squaw Creek Near Ames, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05471000
1,490 cfs 14.16 ft · 30°F 872 ft South Skunk
Beaver Creek Near Grimes, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05481950
1,400 cfs 8.11 ft · 31°F 829 ft Middle Des Moines
West Nishnabotna River At Randolph, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06808500
1,390 cfs 10.06 ft 49°F 33°F 956 ft West Nishnabotna
Nodaway River At Clarinda, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06817000
1,380 cfs 12.01 ft · 33°F 966 ft West Nodaway
Rock River Near Rock Valley, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06483500
1,270 cfs 7.22 ft · 33°F 1,238 ft Rock
Des Moines River At Humboldt, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05476750
1,250 cfs 5.24 ft · 30°F 1,066 ft Upper Des Moines
Little Sioux River At Linn Grove, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06605850
1,230 cfs 8.93 ft · 31°F 1,249 ft Little Sioux
Upper Iowa River Near Dorchester, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05388250
1,220 cfs 8.29 ft · 29°F 668 ft Upper Iowa
East Fork Des Moines River At Dakota City, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05479000
1,190 cfs 10.04 ft · 30°F 1,043 ft East Fork Des Moines
Turkey River Near Eldorado, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05411850
1,140 cfs 7.14 ft · 29°F 897 ft Turkey
Middle River Near Indianola, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05486490
1,090 cfs 10.54 ft · 34°F 794 ft Lake Red Rock
Beaver Creek At New Hartford, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05463000
1,070 cfs 6.28 ft · 31°F 890 ft Middle Cedar
South Skunk River Near Ames, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05470000
1,050 cfs 6.30 ft · 31°F 928 ft South Skunk
Upper Iowa River At Decorah, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05387500
961 cfs 2.78 ft · 30°F 854 ft Upper Iowa
Indian Creek Near Mingo, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05471200
960 cfs 6.68 ft · 33°F 827 ft South Skunk
Black Hawk Creek At Hudson, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05463500
954 cfs 10.24 ft · 32°F 897 ft Middle Cedar
English River At Kalona, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05455500
943 cfs 7.26 ft · 28°F 655 ft Lower Iowa
Wapsipinicon River Near Tripoli, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05420680
928 cfs 11.46 ft · 31°F 1,019 ft Upper Wapsipinicon
North River Near Norwalk, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05486000
884 cfs 11.62 ft · 34°F 811 ft Lake Red Rock
Winnebago River At Mason City, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05459500
823 cfs 6.74 ft · 31°F 1,101 ft Winnebago
East Nishnabotna River Near Atlantic, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06809210
815 cfs 4.89 ft · 30°F 1,109 ft East Nishnabotna
Wolf Creek Near Dysart, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05464220
800 cfs 4.60 ft · 27°F 835 ft Middle Cedar
Upper Iowa River At Bluffton, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05387440
775 cfs 4.54 ft · 30°F 970 ft Upper Iowa
South Fork Iowa River Ne Of New Providence, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05451210
774 cfs 6.20 ft · 33°F 963 ft Upper Iowa
Middle Raccoon River Near Bayard, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05483450
740 cfs 12.26 ft · 31°F 1,054 ft South Raccoon
Squaw Creek At Ames, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05470500
721 cfs 3.28 ft · 30°F 907 ft South Skunk
Middle Raccoon River At Panora, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05483600
706 cfs 5.52 ft 35°F 31°F 997 ft South Raccoon
Volga River At Littleport, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05412400
705 cfs 6.38 ft · 29°F 694 ft Turkey
Maquoketa River At Manchester, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05416900
616 cfs 6.04 ft · 26°F 920 ft Maquoketa
Rock River Below Tom Creek At Rock Rapids, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06483290
612 cfs 8.85 ft · 32°F 1,316 ft Rock
West Nishnabotna River At Hancock, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06807410
594 cfs 3.70 ft · 33°F 1,089 ft West Nishnabotna
North Fork Maquoketa River Near Fulton, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05418400
586 cfs 4.09 ft 39°F 27°F 689 ft Maquoketa
North Raccoon River Near Sac City, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05482300
584 cfs 8.82 ft 75°F 31°F 1,179 ft North Raccoon
Floyd River At James, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06600500
552 cfs 9.56 ft · 33°F 1,117 ft Floyd
Boyer River At Logan, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06609500
526 cfs 4.80 ft · 31°F 1,014 ft Boyer
Chariton River Near Rathbun, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06903900
512 cfs 4.84 ft · 33°F 855 ft Upper Chariton
Little Cedar River Near Ionia, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05458000
506 cfs 5.18 ft · 30°F 1,000 ft Upper Cedar
Salt Creek Near Elberon, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05452000
495 cfs 8.90 ft · 33°F 802 ft Middle Iowa
Cedar Creek Near Oakland Mills, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05473400
485 cfs 5.91 ft · 27°F 590 ft Skunk
Chariton River Near Moulton, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06904010
483 cfs 21.57 ft · 32°F 847 ft Upper Chariton
Maple River At Mapleton, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06607200
475 cfs 5.72 ft · 33°F 1,114 ft Maple
Iowa River Near Rowan, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05449500
443 cfs 6.13 ft · 32°F 1,187 ft Upper Iowa
Turkey River At Spillville, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05411600
400 cfs 3.48 ft · 30°F 1,067 ft Turkey
Big Bear Creek At Ladora, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05453000
396 cfs 13.27 ft · 26°F 771 ft Middle Iowa
South River Near Ackworth, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05487470
390 cfs 7.70 ft · 34°F 805 ft Lake Red Rock
Timber Creek Near Marshalltown, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05451700
366 cfs 5.83 ft · 32°F 862 ft Middle Iowa
Ocheyedan River Near Spencer, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06605000
330 cfs 3.86 ft · 31°F 1,317 ft Little Sioux
White Breast Creek Near Dallas, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05487980
302 cfs 7.67 ft · 34°F 773 ft Lake Red Rock
Floyd River At Alton, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06600100
273 cfs 6.67 ft · 33°F 1,289 ft Floyd
Fourmile Creek At Des Moines, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05485640
263 cfs 4.65 ft · 34°F 813 ft Lake Red Rock
Old Mans Creek Near Iowa City, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05455100
238 cfs 3.80 ft 46°F 28°F 654 ft Lower Iowa
Monona-Harrison Ditch Near Turin, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06602400
215 cfs 5.29 ft · 33°F 1,021 ft Monona-Harrison Ditch
Yellow River At Ion, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05389000
186 cfs 6.15 ft · 26°F 681 ft Coon-Yellow
Cedar Creek Near Bussey, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05489000
186 cfs 5.67 ft · 34°F 696 ft Lower Des Moines
Fourmile Creek Near Ankeny, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05485605
164 cfs 3.12 ft · 31°F 911 ft Lake Red Rock
Soldier River At Pisgah, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 06608500
154 cfs 3.28 ft · 33°F 1,047 ft Blackbird-Soldier
East Fork 102 River At Bedford, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06819185
153 cfs 11.79 ft · 34°F 1,084 ft One Hundred And Two
Chariton River Near Chariton, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06903400
148 cfs 6.93 ft · 33°F 968 ft Upper Chariton
Walnut Creek Near Hartwick, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05452200
147 cfs 3.30 ft · 32°F 806 ft Middle Iowa
Richland Creek Near Haven, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05451900
138 cfs 12.55 ft · 32°F 817 ft Middle Iowa
Clear Creek Near Coralville, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05454300
138 cfs 2.08 ft · 28°F 660 ft Lower Iowa
English Creek Near Knoxville, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05488200
122 cfs 10.11 ft · 34°F 749 ft Lower Des Moines
Clear Creek Near Oxford, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05454220
92 cfs 3.00 ft · 28°F 722 ft Lower Iowa
Big Creek Near Mt. Pleasant, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05473450
83 cfs 4.37 ft · 27°F 672 ft Skunk
Walnut Creek At Des Moines, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 05484800
74 cfs 3.99 ft · 34°F 808 ft North Raccoon
South Fork Chariton River Near Promise City, Ia
18 hours ago · USGS 06903700
68 cfs 3.72 ft · 30°F 922 ft Upper Chariton
Rapid Creek Near Iowa City, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05454000
46 cfs 4.34 ft · 28°F 688 ft Lower Iowa
Bloody Run Creek Near Marquette, Ia
19 hours ago · USGS 05389400
32 cfs 4.22 ft · 30°F 634 ft Coon-Yellow
Flow report FAQ

About Iowa streamflow

What are river levels like in Iowa right now?

As of November 7, 2026, Iowa rivers are running at 496% of normal across 116 USGS streamgauges, and the Mississippi River At Clinton is reporting the highest discharge at 45,700 cfs. The full sortable gauge table is below.

Which Iowa river is running highest right now?

As of November 7, 2026, the highest discharge in Iowa is 45,700 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.