Around here
Around Upper Iowa River
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Source: USGS GNIS · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Upper Iowa River is a 62.1 mile river near Bigfoot Canoe Rental in Iowa. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Upper Iowa River at Bluffton, IA (site 05387440). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 7. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
2003 to 2026
Upper Iowa River typically runs highest in April, at a median 509 cfs, and lowest in February, at 109 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 13,800 cfs, in 2008.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 112 | 65 to 214 |
| February | 109 | 68 to 174 |
| March | 348 | 158 to 724 |
| April | 509 | 234 to 795 |
| May | 462 | 307 to 721 |
| June | 454 | 283 to 878 |
| July | 358 | 186 to 677 |
| August | 210 | 135 to 299 |
| September | 183 | 116 to 356 |
| October | 153 | 96 to 388 |
| November | 167 | 93 to 283 |
| December | 130 | 73 to 203 |
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 24 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Upper Iowa River at Bluffton, IA (site 05387440). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
7 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Upper Iowa River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Vernon Springs ImpoundmentTurkey RiverPublic
- Wild LandingUpper Iowa RiverPublic
- Upper Iowa River - Plymouth RockUpper Iowa RiverPublic
- Lidtke ParkUpper Iowa RiverPublic
- Black Hawk PointUpper Iowa RiverPublic
- New Albin Area/Army RoadClear CreekPublic
- New Albin Area/Army RoadClear CreekPublic
Made to print
Put Upper Iowa 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.
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Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Upper Iowa River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
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