Cedar River Flow Today
As of October 2, 2026 at 3:00 AM, the Cedar River is flowing at 23,800 cfs near Conesville, IA and up 37% in 24 hours. 15 of 15 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 14 to 23,800 cfs. ❤ Favorite
Cedar River map
See the Cedar River on a live map
Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
- Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
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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 23,800 cfs, up 37% since yesterday. Along the river, 5 of 12 reporting gauges are above normal (the typical gauge is at 103% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is rising at Janesville (+121%) and Cedar Falls (+102%); dropping at Cedar Falls (-14%) and Austin (-14%).
Highest against normal: Waverly at 902%. Lowest: Cedar Falls at 56%.
Flood watch: Waterloo is at action stage (10.03 ft); Conesville is at minor flood stage (13.29 ft). Check NWS before heading out.
High water on the Cedar River
Cedar River At Waterloo is at 10.03 ft — action stage (flood stage 13.0 ft).
Cedar River Near Conesville is at 13.29 ft — minor flood stage (flood stage 13.0 ft).
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
- Cedar Falls1,911 ft 14 cfs56%
- Cedar Falls1,573 ft 31 cfs75%
- Austin1,163 ft 699 cfs700%
- Charles City977 ft 1,820 cfs519%
- Cedar Falls955 ft 39 cfs96%
- Cedar Falls905 ft 151 cfs107%
- Waverly895 ft 5,430 cfs902%
- Janesville859 ft 7,030 cfs
- Cedar Falls853 ft 14,000 cfs836%
- Waterloo823 ft 16,400 cfs
- Cedar Rapids712 ft 13,700 cfs797%
- Conesville593 ft 23,800 cfs
- Landsburg590 ft 332 cfs99%
- Landsburg493 ft 222 cfs96%
- Renton27 ft 258 cfs88%
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 (103%).
Cedar River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cedar River Below Bear Creek Near Cedar Falls WA
Oct 2, 12:15 AM · USGS 12114500 |
14 cfs | 56% | -14% | 0.94 ft | · | 1,911 ft |
|
Cedar River Near Cedar Falls WA
Oct 2, 12:15 AM · USGS 12115000 |
31 cfs | 75% | -9% | 2.37 ft | · | 1,573 ft |
|
Cedar River Near Austin MN
Oct 2, 3:00 AM · USGS 05457000 |
699 cfs | 700% | -14% | 4.43 ft | · | 1,163 ft |
|
Cedar River At Charles City IA
Oct 2, 2:45 AM · USGS 05457700 |
1,820 cfs | 519% | -6% | 4.57 ft | 7.4 ft below | 977 ft |
|
Cedar River At Powerplant At Cedar Falls WA
Oct 2, 12:45 AM · USGS 12116400 |
39 cfs | 96% | 0% | 31.44 ft | · | 955 ft |
|
Cedar River At Cedar Falls WA
Oct 2, 1:00 AM · USGS 12116500 |
151 cfs | 107% | -6% | 5.95 ft | · | 905 ft |
|
Cedar River At Waverly IA
Oct 2, 2:15 AM · USGS 05458300 |
5,430 cfs | 902% | +57% | 4.43 ft | 7.6 ft below | 895 ft |
|
Cedar River At Janesville IA
Oct 2, 2:45 AM · USGS 05458500 |
7,030 cfs | · | +121% | 6.27 ft | 6.7 ft below | 859 ft |
|
Cedar River At Cedar Falls IA
Oct 2, 2:45 AM · USGS 05463050 |
14,000 cfs | 836% | +102% | 78.70 ft | 10.3 ft below | 853 ft |
|
Cedar River At Waterloo IA
Oct 2, 3:00 AM · USGS 05464000 |
16,400 cfs | · | +87% | 10.03 ft | Action | 823 ft |
|
Cedar River At Cedar Rapids IA
Oct 2, 3:00 AM · USGS 05464500 |
13,700 cfs | 797% | +4% | 7.49 ft | · | 712 ft |
|
Cedar River Near Conesville IA
Oct 2, 3:00 AM · USGS 05465000 |
23,800 cfs | · | +37% | 13.29 ft | Flooding | 593 ft |
|
Cedar River Near Landsburg WA
Oct 2, 1:00 AM · USGS 12117500 |
332 cfs | 99% | -6% | 1.26 ft | 4.4 ft below | 590 ft |
|
Cedar River Below Diversion Near Landsburg WA
Oct 2, 1:00 AM · USGS 12117600 |
222 cfs | 96% | -3% | 2.92 ft | · | 493 ft |
|
Cedar River At Renton WA
Oct 2, 12:15 AM · USGS 12119000 |
258 cfs | 88% | -3% | 8.40 ft | 4.6 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.
Dams & reservoirs on the Cedar River
Releases from these dams shape the flow downstream. Tap one for its daily level and history.
Cedar River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
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.
Fishing near the Cedar River
About the Cedar River
How is the Cedar River flowing right now?
As of October 2, 2026, the Cedar River is flowing at 23,800 cfs near Conesville, IA. Across its 15 USGS gauges, current flows range from 14 to 23,800 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 103% 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.