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Cedar River at Waterloo water level

River gauge, Cedar River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

7.50ft Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
6,880 cfs
10 20 Highest onrecord 27.01 ft Minor floodstage 13.00 ft

History

7.27.4ftOct 16Oct 16Oct 17Oct 17Oct 187.27.4ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Cedar River at Waterloo, where the gauge shows 7.50 ft.

It is 5.50 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

It is on the way up, by 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 5.50 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 7.09 ft – 7.55 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
27.01 ftJune 11, 2008

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft
This is the height of the Waterloo levee design protection.
26.00 ft
Sandbagging is necessary at Fairview Cemetery.
25.00 ft
The 18th St bridge is closed. Levee gates are also closed throughout the downtown area of Waterloo.
24.00 ft
The following bridges are closed...Westfield Ave...E 6th St and W 6th St railroad...11th St as well as Park Ave.
18.00 ft
The access road to wastewater treatment plant is closed.
17.00 ft
Many storm sewers are closed along the Cedar River.
16.00 ft
The Riverview Recreation Area is closed.
13.00 ft
Many storm sewers are closed along Black Hawk Creek and the Cedar River. The Fletcher Ave levee gates are closed.
10.00 ft
Storm sewers are closed behind the Cattle Congress.
7.50 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: 7 %.

RankLevelDate
127.01 ftJune 11, 2008
222.95 ftSeptember 24, 2016
321.86 ftMarch 29, 1961
421.67 ftApril 8, 1965
520.78 ftJuly 23, 1999
620.60 ftApril 2, 1993
720.15 ftJune 29, 1969
820.00 ftMarch 16, 1929
919.50 ftApril 2, 1933
1019.32 ftMay 25, 2004

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Cedar River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cedar River near AustinRiver gauge, Cedar River 4.28 ft Below flood stage −0.13 ft 85 mi
Cedar River at Charles CityRiver gauge, Cedar River 4.00 ft Below flood stage +0.18 ft 43 mi
Cedar River at WaverlyRiver gauge, Cedar River 5.14 ft Below flood stage +0.12 ft 18 mi
Cedar River at JanesvilleRiver gauge, Cedar River 2.76 ft Below flood stage +0.04 ft 12 mi
Cedar River at Cedar FallsRiver gauge, Cedar River 82.11 ft Normal +0.22 ft 6 mi
Cedar River at VintonRiver gauge, Cedar River 6.98 ft Below flood stage +0.36 ft 27 mi
Cedar River at Blairs Ferry Road at PaloRiver gauge, Cedar River 6.90 ft Below flood stage +0.39 ft 41 mi
Cedar River at Edgewood Road at Cedar RapidsRiver gauge, Cedar River 5.36 ft No reference yet +0.09 ft 46 mi
Cedar River at Cedar RapidsRiver gauge, Cedar River 6.14 ft Below flood stage +0.31 ft 50 mi
Cedar River below Indian Creek at Cedar RapidsRiver gauge, Cedar River 9,670 cfs Normal +920 cfs 53 mi
Cedar River at Cedar BluffRiver gauge, Cedar River 8.48 ft Below flood stage +0.35 ft 72 mi
Cedar River near ConesvilleRiver gauge, Cedar River 9.43 ft Below flood stage +0.17 ft 92 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Black Hawk Creek at HudsonRiver gauge, Black Hawk Creek 9.94 ft Below flood stage −0.83 ft 9 mi
West Fork Cedar River at FinchfordRiver gauge, West Fork Cedar River 9.02 ft Below flood stage +0.11 ft 14 mi
Beaver Creek at New HartfordRiver gauge, Beaver Creek 5.95 ft Below flood stage −0.76 ft 15 mi
Wolf Creek near DysartRiver gauge, Wolf Creek 4.21 ft Below flood stage −0.25 ft 17 mi
Shell Rock River at Shell RockRiver gauge, Shell Rock River 8.94 ft Below flood stage +0.13 ft 20 mi
Little Wapsipinicon River near OranRiver gauge, Little Wapsipinicon River 83.82 ft Below flood stage −0.65 ft 21 mi
Wapsipinicon River at IndependenceRiver gauge, Wapsipinicon River 6.86 ft Below flood stage −0.14 ft 22 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Cedar River at Waterloo?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 5.50 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 River at Waterloo today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT, the water level was 7.50 ft. Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Cedar River at Waterloo rising or falling?

Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Cedar River at Waterloo normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cedar River at Waterloo?

The highest level on record is 27.01 ft on June 11, 2008.

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:05464000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.49554, -92.33435 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 7.50 ft 2026-10-18 14:00 Provisional
Flow 6,880 cfs 2026-10-18 14:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cedar River at Waterloo (usgs:05464000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/cedar-river-at-waterloo

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