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River report

Cedar River Flow Today

As of November 11, 2026 at 2:00 AM, the Cedar River is flowing at 14,800 cfs near Conesville, IA — 548% of normal for the date and down 5% in 24 hours. 15 of 15 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 44 to 14,800 cfs. ❤ Favorite

USGS gauges
15 15 reporting · upstream → down
Cedar River Below Bear Creek Near Cedar Falls: 11% of normalCedar River Near Cedar Falls: 16% of normalCedar River Near Austin: 554% of normalCedar River At Charles City: 422% of normalCedar River At Powerplant At Cedar Falls: 65% of normalCedar River At Cedar Falls: 51% of normalCedar River At Waverly: 488% of normalCedar River At Janesville: 458% of normalCedar River At Cedar Falls: 428% of normalCedar River At Waterloo: 432% of normalCedar River At Cedar Rapids: 553% of normalCedar River Near Conesville: 548% of normalCedar River Near Landsburg: 70% of normalCedar River Below Diversion Near Landsburg: 78% of normalCedar River At Renton: 64% of normal
Typical gauge
422% of normal for the date
0%normal200%
Biggest flow now
14,800cfs Conesville
Updated
Nov 11, 2:00 AM
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River briefing · Nov 11, 2026

Cedar River conditions today

Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.

At Conesville, the Cedar River is running 14,800 cfs — 548% of normal, down 5% since yesterday. Along the river, 8 of 15 reporting gauges are above normal (the typical gauge is at 422% of normal).

In the last 24 hours the river is rising at Landsburg (+23%); dropping at Austin (-15%) and Waverly (-13%).

Highest against normal: Austin at 554%. Lowest: Cedar Falls at 11%.

Headwaters to mouth

How the Cedar River compares to normal

Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.

Flow along the river, upstream to downstream

  1. Cedar Falls1,911 ft 89 cfs11%
  2. Cedar Falls1,573 ft 152 cfs16%
  3. Austin1,163 ft 582 cfs554%
  4. Charles City977 ft 1,470 cfs422%
  5. Cedar Falls955 ft 44 cfs65%
  6. Cedar Falls905 ft 169 cfs51%
  7. Waverly895 ft 2,380 cfs488%
  8. Janesville859 ft 2,660 cfs458%
  9. Cedar Falls853 ft 7,120 cfs428%
  10. Waterloo823 ft 8,210 cfs432%
  11. Cedar Rapids712 ft 12,500 cfs553%
  12. Conesville593 ft 14,800 cfs548%
  13. Landsburg590 ft 444 cfs70%
  14. Landsburg493 ft 377 cfs78%
  15. Renton27 ft 460 cfs64%

Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.

Where every gauge sits

One dot per Cedar River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (422%).

Typical gauge 422%
0%50%100% · normal150%200%+
Much below normal2Below normal5Near normal0Above normal0Much above normal8

Cedar River flow report

15 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow % of normal 24h Gage height To flood stage Elevation
Cedar River Below Bear Creek Near Cedar Falls WA
Nov 10, 11:15 PM · USGS 12114500
89 cfs 11% -3% 1.73 ft · 1,911 ft
Cedar River Near Cedar Falls WA
Nov 10, 11:15 PM · USGS 12115000
152 cfs 16% -7% 3.23 ft · 1,573 ft
Cedar River Near Austin MN
Nov 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 05457000
582 cfs 554% -15% 4.22 ft · 1,163 ft
Cedar River At Charles City IA
Nov 11, 1:45 AM · USGS 05457700
1,470 cfs 422% -13% 4.11 ft 7.9 ft below 977 ft
Cedar River At Powerplant At Cedar Falls WA
Nov 10, 11:45 PM · USGS 12116400
44 cfs 65% -2% 31.50 ft · 955 ft
Cedar River At Cedar Falls WA
Nov 11, 12:00 AM · USGS 12116500
169 cfs 51% -10% 6.07 ft · 905 ft
Cedar River At Waverly IA
Nov 11, 1:15 AM · USGS 05458300
2,380 cfs 488% -13% 5.08 ft 6.9 ft below 895 ft
Cedar River At Janesville IA
Nov 11, 1:45 AM · USGS 05458500
2,660 cfs 458% -12% 3.33 ft 9.7 ft below 859 ft
Cedar River At Cedar Falls IA
Nov 11, 1:45 AM · USGS 05463050
7,120 cfs 428% -11% 78.70 ft 10.3 ft below 853 ft
Cedar River At Waterloo IA
Nov 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 05464000
8,210 cfs 432% -11% 7.81 ft 5.2 ft below 823 ft
Cedar River At Cedar Rapids IA
Nov 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 05464500
12,500 cfs 553% -9% 7.14 ft · 712 ft
Cedar River Near Conesville IA
Nov 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 05465000
14,800 cfs 548% -5% 11.11 ft 1.9 ft below 593 ft
Cedar River Near Landsburg WA
Nov 10, 11:45 PM · USGS 12117500
444 cfs 70% -1% 1.49 ft 4.2 ft below 590 ft
Cedar River Below Diversion Near Landsburg WA
Nov 11, 12:15 AM · USGS 12117600
377 cfs 78% +23% 3.35 ft · 493 ft
Cedar River At Renton WA
Nov 10, 11:15 PM · USGS 12119000
460 cfs 64% +1% 8.90 ft 4.1 ft below 27 ft

USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.

History

Cedar River streamflow over time

Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.

Maximum streamflow by year

About this river

Cedar River

The Cedar River is a 338-mile long river located in the north-central part of the United States, primarily in the state of Iowa. It flows from its headwaters in Dodge County, Minnesota, through southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, before emptying into the Iowa River near Columbus Junction. The Cedar River is a principal tributary of the Iowa River and a significant source of water for the region. It has been used for agricultural irrigation and drinking water for many years. The river is also home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Cedar River Reservoir, which was created by the construction of the Cedar River Dam in the early 20th century. The Cedar River is popular for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping.

Around the river

Fishing near the Cedar River

FAQ

About the Cedar River

How is the Cedar River flowing right now?

As of November 11, 2026, the Cedar River is flowing at 14,800 cfs near Conesville, IA, about 548% of normal for the date. Across its 15 USGS gauges, current flows range from 44 to 14,800 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.

Is the Cedar River running high or low?

The typical gauge on the Cedar River is at 422% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.

What is flood stage on the Cedar River?

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Charles City (12.0 ft), Waverly (12.0 ft), Janesville (13.0 ft), Cedar Falls (89.0 ft), Waterloo (13.0 ft), Conesville (13.0 ft), Landsburg (5.7 ft), Renton (13.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.

Where does the data come from?

Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.

Can I get alerts for a gauge?

Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.

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Rivers in Washington & Minnesota & Iowa

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