Cedar Creek near Bussey water level

Name: Cedar Creek near Bussey water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Cedar Creek, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.15ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:15 PM CDT (29 min ago)

Flow: 81.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Cedar Creek near Bussey reads 5.15 ft, a normal level.

It is 19.85 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.10 ft and 5.77 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 34.61 ftJuly 3, 1982

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 25.00 ft, still 19.85 ft away.

What happens at each level

29.00 ft: Water approaches the underside of the Iowa 156 bridge.
27.50 ft: Water affects Iowa 156 east of bridge.
26.00 ft: Water affects Iowa 156 in areas west and east of bridge.
25.00 ft: Flooding approaches Iowa 156 in low areas and affects rural gravel roads near the creek.
23.00 ft: Widespread agricultural flooding occurs.
18.00 ft: Water affects primarily agricultural land. The town of Bussey is situated on locally high ground and is generally not affected by flooding.
5.15 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	34.61 ft	July 3, 1982
2	31.07 ft	June 25, 2015
3	30.19 ft	April 18, 2013
4	28.91 ft	July 8, 2008
5	28.83 ft	July 4, 1981
6	28.53 ft	July 5, 1993
7	28.28 ft	September 16, 1992
8	28.06 ft	July 3, 1958
9	28.05 ft	June 1, 1946
10	27.54 ft	September 13, 1961

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 10 hr, 53 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on Cedar Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cedar Creek near Oakland MillsRiver gauge, Cedar Creek	131 cfs	Normal	+8.0 cfs	67 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Des Moines River near TracyRiver gauge, Des Moines River	7.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.43 ft	5.0 mi
English Creek near KnoxvilleRiver gauge, English Creek	8.59 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	9 mi
Des Moines River near PellaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16,800 cfs	High	−1,800.0 cfs	11 mi
Des Moines River at EddyvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	56.42 ft	Very high	−0.67 ft	15 mi
South Skunk River near OskaloosaRiver gauge, South Skunk River	14.46 ft	Below flood stage	−0.79 ft	16 mi
White Breast Creek near DallasRiver gauge, White Breast Creek	6.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	20 mi
Chariton River near CharitonRiver gauge, Chariton River	4.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	26 mi
Des Moines River near SwanRiver gauge, Des Moines River	14,800 cfs	High	−2,600.0 cfs	27 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Cedar Creek near Bussey?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 19.85 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Cedar Creek near Bussey today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:15 PM CDT, the water level was 5.15 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Cedar Creek near Bussey rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.45 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Cedar Creek near Bussey normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cedar Creek near Bussey?

The highest level on record is 34.61 ft on July 3, 1982.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05489000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.21911, -92.90883 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	5.15 ft	2026-10-21 03:15	Provisional
Flow	81.5 cfs	2026-10-21 03:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cedar Creek near Bussey (usgs:05489000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/cedar-creek-near-bussey

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer