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SwedenChariton River near Chariton water level
River gauge, Chariton River, Iowa, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 10.2 cfs
History
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Chariton River near Chariton, where the gauge shows 4.54 ft.
It is 14.96 ft below the flood stage of 19.50 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.54 ft – 4.74 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
- 29.32 ftSeptember 15, 1992
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 19.50 ft.
What happens at each level
- 29.30 ft
- Several US...State and most county highways are closed.
- 28.00 ft
- Water approaches the top guardrail of the Hwy S43 bridge.
- 25.00 ft
- Water approaches the road surface of the Hwy S43 bridge.
- 23.00 ft
- Erosion damage may occur along Hwy S43.
- 22.50 ft
- Water affects the approaches to the Hwy S43 bridge.
- 22.00 ft
- Water approaches the underside of the Hwy S43 bridge.
- 21.00 ft
- Water affects the low portions of Hwy S43.
- 19.80 ft
- Wate affects 450th St.
- 18.00 ft
- Water affects about 18000 acres.
- 16.00 ft
- Water affects about 5000 acres.
- 15.00 ft
- Water affects nearby lowland areas.
- 4.54 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 | 29.32 ft | September 15, 1992 |
| 2 | 23.14 ft | July 4, 1981 |
| 3 | 23.00 ft | March 1, 1960 |
| 4 | 22.60 ft | July 5, 1993 |
| 5 | 21.65 ft | June 5, 1947 |
| 6 | 20.98 ft | April 18, 2013 |
| 7 | 20.84 ft | June 2, 1980 |
| 8 | 20.79 ft | June 25, 2015 |
| 9 | 20.74 ft | October 9, 1982 |
| 10 | 20.35 ft | June 14, 1976 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.19 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Chariton River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chariton River near RathbunRiver gauge, Chariton River | 398 cfs | Normal | −425.0 cfs | 21 mi |
| Chariton River near MoultonRiver gauge, Chariton River | 21.38 ft | Below flood stage | −1.53 ft | 31 mi |
| Chariton River at NovingerRiver gauge, Chariton River | 2.64 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 58 mi |
| Chariton River near Prairie HillRiver gauge, Chariton River | 3.28 ft | Below flood stage | −0.04 ft | 101 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Fork Chariton River near Promise CityRiver gauge, South Fork Chariton River | 3.16 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 11 mi |
| White Breast Creek near DallasRiver gauge, White Breast Creek | 6.44 ft | Below flood stage | −0.04 ft | 20 mi |
| Rathbun Lake near RathbunLake, Rathbun Lake | 906.59 ft | Very high | −0.20 ft | 21 mi |
| Cooper Creek at CentervilleRiver gauge, Cooper Creek | 7.64 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 25 mi |
| Cedar Creek near BusseyRiver gauge, Cedar Creek | 5.17 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 26 mi |
| English Creek near KnoxvilleRiver gauge, English Creek | 8.60 ft | Below flood stage | −0.04 ft | 27 mi |
| South River near AckworthRiver gauge, South River | 5.51 ft | Below flood stage | −0.08 ft | 29 mi |
| Des Moines River near TracyRiver gauge, Des Moines River | 8.17 ft | Below flood stage | −0.90 ft | 31 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Chariton River near Chariton?
The official flood stage is 19.50 ft. The level is currently 14.96 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 Chariton River near Chariton today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 AM CDT, the water level was 4.54 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Chariton River near Chariton rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Chariton River near Chariton normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Chariton River near Chariton?
The highest level on record is 29.32 ft on September 15, 1992.
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:06903400(Agency page)- Coordinates
40.95197, -93.25989(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 | 4.54 ft | 2026-10-20 11:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 10.2 cfs | 2026-10-20 11:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Chariton River near Chariton (usgs:06903400). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/chariton-river-near-chariton
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