Around here
Around Des Moines River
Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Des Moines River is a 62.1 mile river near Seven Oaks Recreation in Iowa. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Des Moines River at Fort Dodge, IA (site 05480500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 7. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1914 to 2026
Des Moines River typically runs highest in April, at a median 2,920 cfs, and lowest in January, at 238 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 35,100 cfs, in 1965.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 238 | 116 to 604 |
| February | 325 | 117 to 777 |
| March | 1,510 | 775 to 2,960 |
| April | 2,920 | 1,015 to 6,030 |
| May | 2,680 | 1,230 to 5,190 |
| June | 2,785 | 1,245 to 5,385 |
| July | 1,610 | 564 to 3,620 |
| August | 516 | 279 to 1,180 |
| September | 359 | 177 to 1,040 |
| October | 391 | 154 to 1,380 |
| November | 434 | 200 to 1,325 |
| December | 340 | 134 to 957 |
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 94 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Des Moines River at Fort Dodge, IA (site 05480500). 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, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Beaver Lake Wildlife AreaBeaver LakePublic
- Yellow Banks AccessDes Moines RiverPublic
- Puckerbrush AccessNorth Raccoon RiverPublic
- Pleasant Hill Boat RampDes Moines RiverPublic
- Des Moines Water Works ParkNorth Raccoon RiverPublic
- Nations Bridge ParkSouth Raccoon RiverPublic
- Redfield DamMiddle Raccoon RiverPublic
- Middle Raccoon River AccessMiddle Raccoon RiverPublic
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.
