River Levels
Iowa river levels
Live streamflow for 51 gauged Iowa reaches, highest first. Where a gauge has a long enough record, the reading is placed against its own history for today's date.
94% of gauged Iowa rivers are running above normal for the date, as of October 8, 2026.
Of 50 gauged reaches with a long enough USGS record, 0 are below normal (0 of them much below), 3 are in the normal range, and 47 are above normal (28 of them much above). Normal means the middle half of that gauge's own history for this calendar date.
To cite: Paddling Hubs analysis of USGS streamflow, paddlinghubs.com/flows/iowa. The daily normals behind it are a free download.
| River | Flow | Usually today | Vs normal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Rivernear River Basin Canoe & Kayak | 39,100 cfs11.12 ft | 3,060 cfs | Above normal90th percentile · 17 yr record |
| Des Moines Rivernear SUP Red Rock | 30,500 cfs56.31 ft | 2,370 cfs | Above normal90th percentile · 17 yr record |
| Des Moines Rivernear Sup Red Rock | 25,600 cfs58.80 ft | 356 cfs | No historical record |
| Skunk Rivernear River Basin Canoe & Kayak | 15,400 cfs12.26 ft | 450 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 112 yr record |
| Cedar Rivernear SOKO Outfitters | 14,600 cfs8.39 ft | 1,990 cfs | Normal70th percentile · 10 yr record |
| Bear Creeknear SOKO Outfitters | 12,700 cfs8.25 ft | 2,030 cfs | Above normal81st percentile · 17 yr record |
| Cedar Rivernear River Dock Canoe Rental | 9,920 cfs7.83 ft | 2,800 cfs | Above normal80th percentile · 17 yr record |
| Wapsipinicon Rivernear Maquoketa River Rental | 9,140 cfs12.42 ft | 547 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 92 yr record |
| Iowa Rivernear SOKO Outfitters | 8,130 cfs54.74 ft | 403 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 34 yr record |
| South Skunk Rivernear Sup Red Rock | 6,880 cfs18.34 ft | 176 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 81 yr record |
| North Raccoon Rivernear Raccoon River Retreats | 6,290 cfs7.95 ft | 365 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 111 yr record |
| Wapsipinicon Rivernear Monticello River Rentals | 6,090 cfs12.17 ft | 280 cfs | Above normal90th percentile · 24 yr record |
| Des Moines Rivernear Raccoon River Boat House operated by CanoeSport Outfitters | 4,590 cfs6.33 ft | 769 cfs | Above normal80th percentile · 49 yr record |
| Des Moines Rivernear Seven Oaks Recreation | 3,760 cfs7.90 ft | 756 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 59 yr record |
| Elk Creeknear Turkey River Rentals | 3,130 cfs9.57 ft | 424 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 113 yr record |
| Wapsipinicon Rivernear River Dock Canoe Rental | 2,780 cfs7.04 ft | 161 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 93 yr record |
| Maquoketa Rivernear Maquoketa River Rental | 2,590 cfs13.52 ft | 558 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 113 yr record |
| South Skunk Rivernear Raccoon River Boat House operated by CanoeSport Outfitters | 2,490 cfs12.20 ft | 110 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 41 yr record |
| North Raccoon Rivernear Seven Oaks Recreation | 1,790 cfs7.20 ft | 153 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 86 yr record |
| South Raccoon Rivernear Raccoon River Retreats | 1,550 cfs4.91 ft | 142 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 86 yr record |
| Turkey Rivernear Turkey River Rentals | 1,390 cfs7.08 ft | 326 cfs | Above normal78th percentile · 25 yr record |
| Beaver Creeknear Raccoon River Boat House operated by CanoeSport Outfitters | 1,120 cfs7.21 ft | 17 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 66 yr record |
| Turkey Rivernear Bigfoot Canoe Rental | 887 cfs6.77 ft | 189 cfs | Above normal77th percentile · 26 yr record |
| Upper Iowa Rivernear Bigfoot Canoe Rental | 848 cfs7.82 ft | 346 cfs | Above normal81st percentile · 88 yr record |
| Middle Rivernear CanoeSport Outfitters | 768 cfs9.88 ft | 26 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 86 yr record |
| South Skunk Rivernear Seven Oaks Recreation | 732 cfs5.60 ft | 30 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 106 yr record |
| Volga Rivernear Turkey River Rentals | 683 cfs6.32 ft | 115 cfs | Above normal86th percentile · 27 yr record |
| Wolf Creeknear River Dock Canoe Rental | 662 cfs4.25 ft | 38 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 30 yr record |
| North Fork Maquoketa Rivernear Maquoketa River Rental | 622 cfs4.20 ft | 252 cfs | Above normal90th percentile · 28 yr record |
| Boone Rivernear Seven Oaks Recreation | 599 cfs3.33 ft | 79 cfs | Above normal81st percentile · 86 yr record |
| North Rivernear Raccoon River Boat House operated by CanoeSport Outfitters | 591 cfs10.04 ft | 15 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 86 yr record |
| Ioway Creeknear Seven Oaks Recreation | 583 cfs2.99 ft | 17 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 107 yr record |
| Henderson Creeknear River Basin Canoe & Kayak | 496 cfs15.88 ft | 39 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 92 yr record |
| Maquoketa Rivernear Monticello River Rentals | 495 cfs5.55 ft | 101 cfs | Above normal78th percentile · 26 yr record |
| South Raccoon Rivernear Linden Canoes & Kayaks Rentals & Shuttle Service | 465 cfs5.24 ft | 71 cfs | Above normal84th percentile · 56 yr record |
| Yellow Rivernear Bigfoot Canoe Rental | 314 cfs6.55 ft | 68 cfs | Above normal87th percentile · 92 yr record |
| Old Mans Creeknear SOKO Outfitters | 277 cfs4.11 ft | 12 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 76 yr record |
| South Rivernear CanoeSport Outfitters | 272 cfs6.53 ft | 8.3 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 86 yr record |
| Fourmile Creeknear Raccoon River Boat House operated by CanoeSport Outfitters | 204 cfs4.42 ft | 10 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 55 yr record |
| Cedar Creeknear Sup Red Rock | 193 cfs5.57 ft | 7.9 cfs | Much above normal92nd percentile · 79 yr record |
| Pope Creeknear River Basin Canoe & Kayak | 182 cfs20.63 ft | 15 cfs | Much above normal92nd percentile · 92 yr record |
| Walnut Creeknear Raccoon River Boat House operated by CanoeSport Outfitters | 143 cfs4.12 ft | 8.4 cfs | Much above normal94th percentile · 55 yr record |
| Ocheyedan Rivernear Extreme Watersports | 142 cfs2.82 ft | 42 cfs | Normal64th percentile · 49 yr record |
| White Breast Creeknear CanoeSport Outfitters | 129 cfs6.84 ft | 8.1 cfs | Above normal80th percentile · 64 yr record |
| Apple Rivernear Maquoketa River Rental | 121 cfs4.29 ft | 64 cfs | Normal71st percentile · 92 yr record |
| Clear Creeknear SOKO Outfitters | 114 cfs3.51 ft | 3.7 cfs | Much above normal91st percentile · 32 yr record |
| Indian Creeknear SOKO Outfitters | 70 cfs3.33 ft | 5.8 cfs | Above normal90th percentile · 14 yr record |
| Rapid Creeknear SOKO Outfitters | 60 cfs4.55 ft | 1.2 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 89 yr record |
| Big Creeknear River Basin Canoe & Kayak | 55 cfs4.08 ft | 0.5 cfs | Much above normal90th percentile · 29 yr record |
| English Creeknear SUP Red Rock | 52 cfs9.25 ft | 1.1 cfs | Much above normal92nd percentile · 41 yr record |
| Bloody Runnear Bigfoot Canoe Rental | 30 cfs4.19 ft | 19 cfs | Above normal87th percentile · 35 yr record |
Streamflow from the U.S. Geological Survey, updated hourly. "Usually today" is the median for this calendar date over the gauge's full record. A gauge tells you how much water is moving, not whether a run is safe: check the class, the hazards, and a current local report before you put on.
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