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South Fork Chariton River in Iowa

River30.7 mi
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Around here

Around South Fork Chariton River

Bridgeview (Rathbun Lake)3.9 mi5 mi

Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US

About this river

South Fork Chariton River is a 30.7 mile river. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA (site 06903700). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 5. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.

Typical flow by month

1968 to 2026

South Fork Chariton River typically runs highest in April, at a median 45 cfs, and lowest in September, at 2.1 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 34,700 cfs, in 1992.

Show the numbers
Typical flow by month at South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA, in cfs
MonthTypical (cfs)Usual range (cfs)
January8.22.1 to 27
February165.3 to 49
March4319 to 116
April4520 to 126
May3715 to 112
June184.8 to 90
July5.81.6 to 33
August2.81.2 to 11
September2.10.9 to 13
October3.40.8 to 24
November8.92.2 to 30
December112.1 to 29

Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 59 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA (site 06903700). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.

Boat access nearby

3 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of South Fork Chariton River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.

  • Rathbun Wildlife Management AreaSouth Fork Chariton RiverPublic
  • Rathbun Wildlife Management AreaSouth Fork Chariton RiverPublic
  • Rathbun Wildlife Management AreaSouth Fork Chariton RiverPublic

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