Around here
Around Des Moines River
Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Des Moines River is a 49.4 mile river near Extreme Watersports in Iowa. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Des Moines River at Estherville, IA (site 05476500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 6. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1952 to 1995
Des Moines River typically runs highest in April, at a median 704 cfs, and lowest in January, at 27 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 15,800 cfs, in 1969.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 27 | 6.2 to 95 |
| February | 27 | 10 to 92 |
| March | 253 | 49 to 628 |
| April | 704 | 243 to 1,845 |
| May | 480 | 130 to 960 |
| June | 398 | 148 to 910 |
| July | 247 | 57 to 711 |
| August | 82 | 31 to 232 |
| September | 51 | 18 to 154 |
| October | 57 | 15 to 197 |
| November | 80 | 27 to 269 |
| December | 48 | 16 to 191 |
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 44 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Des Moines River at Estherville, IA (site 05476500). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
8 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Des Moines River. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Mulroney Recreation AreaDes Moines RiverPublic
- Silver Lake - Palo AltoSilver LakePublic
- Little Sioux Wildlife AreaLittle Sioux RiverPublic
- Elk Lake Wetland ComplexElk LakePublic
- Kearney ParkFive Island LakeRestricted
- Five Island LakeFive Island LakePublic
- Basswood Recreation AreaDes Moines RiverPublic
- Five Island LakeFive Island LakePublic
Made to print
Put Des Moines River on your wall
This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Des Moines River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
