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Flow report

Iowa River Levels & Streamflow

As of Oct 13, 2026, Iowa rivers are running at 430% of normal across 116 USGS gauges — the highest is 34,700 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
430%
0%normal200%
Paddle runs
0
Updated
Oct 13
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Flow briefing · Oct 13, 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 34,700 cfs and a gauge stage of 9.87 ft.

Meanwhile, the Floyd River At James is seeing a spike today — up 67% 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 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 Oct 2023. The dotted line is normal.

430% of normal today
+391pts vs this day last year (39%)
258of 366 days below normal, past year
1110% 3-year peak · Oct 2026 · above the axis
50% 100% normal 150% 200% 250%
Oct 2023 202420252026 Oct 12, 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%: 58 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
1 day ago · USGS 05420500
28,600 cfs 9.83 ft 65°F 63°F 593 ft Copperas-Duck
Des Moines River At Keosauqua, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05490500
25,700 cfs 17.20 ft 66°F 67°F 579 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River At Ottumwa, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05489500
25,200 cfs 8.89 ft 67°F 69°F 635 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River Near Tracy, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05488500
24,800 cfs 9.86 ft · 69°F 676 ft Lower Des Moines
Iowa River At Wapello, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05465500
24,500 cfs 18.63 ft 49°F 67°F 554 ft Lower Iowa
Des Moines River Near Pella, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05488110
24,300 cfs 93.73 ft 66°F 68°F 689 ft Lower Des Moines
Des Moines River Blw Raccoon Riv At Des Moines, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05485500
14,400 cfs 17.64 ft · 69°F 779 ft Lake Red Rock
Skunk River At Augusta, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05474000
12,800 cfs 10.88 ft · 65°F 553 ft Skunk
Cedar River Near Conesville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05465000
12,600 cfs 10.40 ft · 65°F 593 ft Lower Cedar
Iowa River Near Lone Tree, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05455700
9,810 cfs 12.28 ft · 66°F 601 ft Lower Iowa
Cedar River At Cedar Rapids, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05464500
9,350 cfs 6.16 ft 62°F 67°F 712 ft Middle Cedar
Iowa River At Iowa City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05454500
8,420 cfs 17.42 ft · 66°F 643 ft Lower Iowa
Iowa River Below Coralville Dam Nr Coralville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05453520
8,250 cfs 54.81 ft · 66°F 669 ft Middle Iowa
Des Moines River At 2nd Avenue, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05482000
8,040 cfs 17.59 ft 32°F 69°F 808 ft Middle Des Moines
Raccoon River At 63rd Street At Des Moines, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05484650
7,240 cfs 26.19 ft · 70°F 797 ft North Raccoon
Raccoon River At Fleur Drive, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05484900
7,190 cfs 7.66 ft · 70°F 797 ft North Raccoon
Des Moines River Near Saylorville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05481650
7,010 cfs 7.94 ft · 69°F 819 ft Middle Des Moines
Wapsipinicon River Near De Witt, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05422000
6,880 cfs 11.56 ft · 64°F 646 ft Lower Wapsipinicon
Raccoon River At Van Meter, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05484500
6,770 cfs 8.28 ft 32°F 70°F 862 ft North Raccoon
South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05471500
6,700 cfs 18.15 ft · 68°F 692 ft South Skunk
Iowa River At Marengo, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05453100
6,030 cfs 13.55 ft · 67°F 729 ft Middle Iowa
Cedar River At Waterloo, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05464000
5,470 cfs 7.10 ft · 66°F 823 ft Middle Cedar
Iowa River Near Belle Plaine, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05452500
4,750 cfs 12.90 ft · 68°F 748 ft Middle Iowa
Cedar River At Cedar Falls, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05463050
4,680 cfs 78.70 ft · 67°F 853 ft Middle Cedar
Des Moines River Near Stratford, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05481300
4,190 cfs 8.24 ft · 66°F 902 ft Middle Des Moines
Nishnabotna River Above Hamburg, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06810000
3,310 cfs 13.05 ft · 75°F 904 ft Nishnabotna
North Raccoon River Near Jefferson, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05482500
3,270 cfs 8.64 ft 37°F 68°F 978 ft North Raccoon
South Skunk River At Colfax, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05471050
2,930 cfs 12.95 ft · 68°F 793 ft South Skunk
Wapsipinicon River Near Anamosa, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05421740
2,620 cfs 8.37 ft · 66°F 779 ft Lower Wapsipinicon
Turkey River At Garber, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05412500
2,450 cfs 8.78 ft 63°F 69°F 646 ft Turkey
Iowa River At Marshalltown, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05451500
2,340 cfs 13.15 ft · 67°F 853 ft Middle Iowa
Maquoketa River Near Maquoketa, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05418500
2,040 cfs 12.83 ft · 64°F 646 ft Maquoketa
West Nishnabotna River At Randolph, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06808500
1,970 cfs 10.51 ft 65°F 72°F 956 ft West Nishnabotna
North Skunk River Near Sigourney, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05472500
1,820 cfs 10.44 ft · 67°F 664 ft North Skunk
Des Moines River At Fort Dodge, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05480500
1,750 cfs 4.82 ft · 67°F 974 ft Middle Des Moines
South Skunk River Below Squaw Creek Near Ames, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05471000
1,740 cfs 14.60 ft · 67°F 872 ft South Skunk
Cedar River At Janesville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05458500
1,730 cfs 2.56 ft · 66°F 859 ft Upper Cedar
Cedar River At Waverly, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05458300
1,460 cfs 4.52 ft 64°F 65°F 895 ft Upper Cedar
Wapsipinicon River At Independence, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05421000
1,340 cfs 6.05 ft · 66°F 889 ft Upper Wapsipinicon
Shell Rock River At Shell Rock, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05462000
1,270 cfs 8.61 ft · 66°F 882 ft Shell Rock
Beaver Creek Near Grimes, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05481950
1,150 cfs 7.30 ft · 69°F 829 ft Middle Des Moines
English River At Kalona, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05455500
1,120 cfs 7.74 ft · 67°F 655 ft Lower Iowa
Turkey River Above French Hollow Cr At Elkader, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05412020
1,110 cfs 6.73 ft · 66°F 726 ft Turkey
South Raccoon River At Redfield, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05484000
1,090 cfs 4.26 ft 32°F 70°F 917 ft South Raccoon
Little Sioux River Near Turin, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06607500
1,080 cfs 8.14 ft · 74°F 1,029 ft Little Sioux
West Fork Cedar River At Finchford, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05458900
935 cfs 8.53 ft · 66°F 859 ft West Fork Cedar
Big Sioux River At Akron, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06485500
902 cfs 5.80 ft · 60°F 1,151 ft Lower Big Sioux
South Skunk River Near Ames, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05470000
853 cfs 5.88 ft · 67°F 928 ft South Skunk
Squaw Creek At Ames, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05470500
824 cfs 3.48 ft · 67°F 907 ft South Skunk
West Nishnabotna River At Hancock, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06807410
781 cfs 4.09 ft · 74°F 1,089 ft West Nishnabotna
Indian Creek Near Mingo, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05471200
752 cfs 6.15 ft · 67°F 827 ft South Skunk
Upper Iowa River Near Dorchester, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05388250
738 cfs 7.66 ft · 70°F 668 ft Upper Iowa
Little Sioux River At Correctionville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06606600
705 cfs 5.59 ft · 67°F 1,106 ft Little Sioux
Cedar River At Charles City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05457700
667 cfs 2.99 ft · 66°F 977 ft Upper Cedar
Black Hawk Creek At Hudson, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05463500
662 cfs 9.00 ft · 67°F 897 ft Middle Cedar
Turkey River Near Eldorado, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05411850
661 cfs 6.39 ft · 69°F 897 ft Turkey
Chariton River Near Moulton, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06904010
624 cfs 22.06 ft · 68°F 847 ft Upper Chariton
Chariton River Near Rathbun, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06903900
616 cfs 5.27 ft · 68°F 855 ft Upper Chariton
Beaver Creek At New Hartford, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05463000
614 cfs 4.71 ft · 67°F 890 ft Middle Cedar
East Nishnabotna River At Red Oak, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06809500
612 cfs 8.29 ft · 70°F 1,013 ft East Nishnabotna
Cedar Creek Near Oakland Mills, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05473400
604 cfs 6.55 ft · 66°F 590 ft Skunk
Boone River Near Webster City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05481000
594 cfs 3.32 ft 35°F 65°F 1,028 ft Boone
North Raccoon River Near Sac City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05482300
587 cfs 9.15 ft 75°F 69°F 1,179 ft North Raccoon
Wolf Creek Near Dysart, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05464220
574 cfs 4.02 ft · 67°F 835 ft Middle Cedar
Middle River Near Indianola, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05486490
572 cfs 9.24 ft · 70°F 794 ft Lake Red Rock
Rock River Near Rock Valley, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06483500
565 cfs 5.37 ft · 60°F 1,238 ft Rock
Des Moines River At Humboldt, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05476750
555 cfs 4.07 ft · 66°F 1,066 ft Upper Des Moines
North Fork Maquoketa River Near Fulton, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05418400
551 cfs 3.98 ft 39°F 65°F 689 ft Maquoketa
East Nishnabotna River Near Atlantic, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06809210
520 cfs 4.28 ft · 69°F 1,109 ft East Nishnabotna
South Fork Iowa River Ne Of New Providence, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05451210
516 cfs 5.24 ft · 66°F 963 ft Upper Iowa
Boyer River At Logan, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06609500
504 cfs 4.62 ft · 75°F 1,014 ft Boyer
Upper Iowa River At Decorah, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05387500
501 cfs 2.23 ft · 66°F 854 ft Upper Iowa
Volga River At Littleport, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05412400
496 cfs 5.81 ft · 69°F 694 ft Turkey
Middle Raccoon River Near Bayard, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05483450
472 cfs 11.48 ft · 70°F 1,054 ft South Raccoon
North River Near Norwalk, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05486000
445 cfs 9.14 ft · 70°F 811 ft Lake Red Rock
Thompson River At Davis City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06898000
430 cfs 2.07 ft · 68°F 910 ft Thompson
Middle Raccoon River At Panora, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05483600
426 cfs 5.16 ft 35°F 70°F 997 ft South Raccoon
East Fork Des Moines River At Dakota City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05479000
413 cfs 8.66 ft · 66°F 1,043 ft East Fork Des Moines
Maquoketa River At Manchester, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05416900
394 cfs 5.16 ft · 66°F 920 ft Maquoketa
Salt Creek Near Elberon, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05452000
364 cfs 8.08 ft · 66°F 802 ft Middle Iowa
Upper Iowa River At Bluffton, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05387440
344 cfs 3.74 ft · 69°F 970 ft Upper Iowa
Little Sioux River At Linn Grove, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06605850
318 cfs 5.93 ft · 64°F 1,249 ft Little Sioux
Floyd River At James, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06600500
314 cfs 8.87 ft · 62°F 1,117 ft Floyd
Big Bear Creek At Ladora, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05453000
303 cfs 12.52 ft · 68°F 771 ft Middle Iowa
Maple River At Mapleton, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06607200
294 cfs 5.14 ft · 74°F 1,114 ft Maple
Wapsipinicon River Near Tripoli, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05420680
283 cfs 8.71 ft · 64°F 1,019 ft Upper Wapsipinicon
Yellow River At Ion, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05389000
250 cfs 6.34 ft · 65°F 681 ft Coon-Yellow
Old Mans Creek Near Iowa City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05455100
250 cfs 3.90 ft 46°F 66°F 654 ft Lower Iowa
Turkey River At Spillville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05411600
222 cfs 2.81 ft · 69°F 1,067 ft Turkey
Winnebago River At Mason City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05459500
214 cfs 5.06 ft · 68°F 1,101 ft Winnebago
Fourmile Creek At Des Moines, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05485640
214 cfs 4.46 ft · 69°F 813 ft Lake Red Rock
Timber Creek Near Marshalltown, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05451700
188 cfs 4.28 ft · 67°F 862 ft Middle Iowa
Cedar Creek Near Bussey, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05489000
182 cfs 5.52 ft · 69°F 696 ft Lower Des Moines
Little Cedar River Near Ionia, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05458000
179 cfs 4.08 ft · 66°F 1,000 ft Upper Cedar
South River Near Ackworth, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05487470
163 cfs 5.94 ft · 70°F 805 ft Lake Red Rock
Monona-Harrison Ditch Near Turin, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06602400
158 cfs 4.80 ft · 74°F 1,021 ft Monona-Harrison Ditch
Clear Creek Near Coralville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05454300
155 cfs 2.23 ft · 66°F 660 ft Lower Iowa
Soldier River At Pisgah, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06608500
131 cfs 3.07 ft · 74°F 1,047 ft Blackbird-Soldier
Fourmile Creek Near Ankeny, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05485605
123 cfs 2.82 ft · 68°F 911 ft Lake Red Rock
Ocheyedan River Near Spencer, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06605000
119 cfs 2.67 ft · 63°F 1,317 ft Little Sioux
Walnut Creek At Des Moines, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05484800
117 cfs 4.00 ft · 70°F 808 ft North Raccoon
Clear Creek Near Oxford, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05454220
113 cfs 3.31 ft · 67°F 722 ft Lower Iowa
Richland Creek Near Haven, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05451900
106 cfs 11.89 ft · 67°F 817 ft Middle Iowa
Walnut Creek Near Hartwick, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05452200
99 cfs 2.69 ft · 67°F 806 ft Middle Iowa
English Creek Near Knoxville, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05488200
97 cfs 9.91 ft · 70°F 749 ft Lower Des Moines
Rock River Below Tom Creek At Rock Rapids, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06483290
93 cfs 7.24 ft · 59°F 1,316 ft Rock
White Breast Creek Near Dallas, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05487980
87 cfs 6.62 ft · 70°F 773 ft Lake Red Rock
Iowa River Near Rowan, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05449500
82 cfs 3.89 ft · 66°F 1,187 ft Upper Iowa
Big Creek Near Mt. Pleasant, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05473450
74 cfs 4.28 ft · 66°F 672 ft Skunk
Floyd River At Alton, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06600100
65 cfs 5.79 ft · 63°F 1,289 ft Floyd
Rapid Creek Near Iowa City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05454000
53 cfs 4.45 ft · 67°F 688 ft Lower Iowa
Bloody Run Creek Near Marquette, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 05389400
26 cfs 4.15 ft · 65°F 634 ft Coon-Yellow
East Fork 102 River At Bedford, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06819185
25 cfs 11.03 ft · 69°F 1,084 ft One Hundred And Two
South Fork Chariton River Near Promise City, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06903700
23 cfs 3.27 ft · 69°F 922 ft Upper Chariton
Chariton River Near Chariton, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06903400
17 cfs 4.85 ft · 69°F 968 ft Upper Chariton
Nodaway River At Clarinda, Ia
1 day ago · USGS 06817000
14 cfs 11.34 ft · 71°F 966 ft West Nodaway
Flow report FAQ

About Iowa streamflow

What are river levels like in Iowa right now?

As of October 13, 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 34,700 cfs. The full sortable gauge table is below.

Which Iowa river is running highest right now?

As of October 13, 2026, the highest discharge in Iowa is 34,700 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.