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Des Moines River at Eddyville water level

River gauge, Des Moines River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

57.44ft Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours

50 60 70 Highest onrecord 72.00 ft Minor floodstage 63.00 ft Lowest on record 46.43 ft

History

505560ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20Minor flood stage505560ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20Minor flood stage
505560ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 20Minor flood stage505560ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20Minor flood stage
505560ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage505560ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
505560ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026505560ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Des Moines River at Eddyville shows 57.44 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 9.77 ft above the median of 47.67 ft for mid-October, based on 6 years of readings. It is 5.56 ft below the flood stage of 63.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 48.92 ft (+8.52 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.18 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 56.32 ft and 58.96 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 6 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
47.67 ft9.77 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
46.81 ft – 49.01 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (6 years of records)
Same day last year
48.92 ft+8.52 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
56.32 ft – 58.96 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
47.91 ft – 59.04 ft
Highest on record
72.00 ftJuly 12, 1993
Lowest on record
46.43 ftFebruary 17, 2021

High water at Des Moines River at Eddyville

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

What happens at each level

70.00 ft
Sandbagging of the levee at Eddyville occurs.
67.00 ft
Water affects Hwy G71 north of Eddyville preventing access to residences and properties.
63.80 ft
Extensive lowland flooding occurs along US 63 south of Eddyville. Water affects some gravel roads.
63.00 ft
Water from storm drains begins flooding the lower streets in town. Pumping of water over the levee also begins.
57.44 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 %.

RankLevelDate
172.00 ftJuly 12, 1993
271.87 ftJune 16, 2008
368.92 ftFebruary 23, 2015
468.68 ftAugust 11, 2010
566.64 ftJune 26, 1984
665.94 ftMay 2, 1999
765.49 ftMay 30, 2019
864.90 ftApril 19, 1991
964.24 ftApril 19, 2013
1063.93 ftApril 4, 1998

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.07 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 64° 37° – Wind 15 mph
19 Mon 69° 41° – Wind 8 mph
20 Tue 70° 49° – Wind 9 mph
21 Wed 73° 51° – Wind 10 mph
22 Thu 75° 58° 0.03 in Wind 8 mph
23 Fri 76° 56° – Wind 15 mph
24 Sat 77° 56° – Wind 17 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 64%

Map

Other gauges on the Des Moines River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Des Moines River at HumboldtRiver gauge, Des Moines River 4.55 ft Below flood stage −0.15 ft 135 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River 5.06 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 123 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River 8.44 ft Below flood stage −0.37 ft 103 mi
Des Moines River near SaylorvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River 5,960 cfs High −1,140.0 cfs 64 mi
Des Moines River at 2nd Avenue at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River 17.24 ft Below flood stage −0.42 ft 60 mi
Des Moines River below Raccoon River at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River 17.36 ft Below flood stage −0.85 ft 58 mi
Des Moines River near SwanRiver gauge, Des Moines River 17,500 cfs High −800.0 cfs 40 mi
Des Moines River near PellaRiver gauge, Des Moines River 18,700 cfs Very high −3,200.0 cfs 23 mi
Des Moines River near TracyRiver gauge, Des Moines River 8.34 ft Below flood stage −0.75 ft 14 mi
Des Moines River at OttumwaRiver gauge, Des Moines River 8.13 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 16 mi
Des Moines River at KeosauquaRiver gauge, Des Moines River 16.47 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 46 mi
Des Moines River at St. FrancisvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River 14.74 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 74 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
South Skunk River near OskaloosaRiver gauge, South Skunk River 15.36 ft Below flood stage −1.16 ft 14 mi
Cedar Creek near BusseyRiver gauge, Cedar Creek 5.20 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 15 mi
English Creek near KnoxvilleRiver gauge, English Creek 8.62 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 23 mi
North Skunk River near SigourneyRiver gauge, North Skunk River 7.62 ft Below flood stage −0.23 ft 25 mi
Rathbun Lake near RathbunLake, Rathbun Lake 906.59 ft Very high −0.20 ft 27 mi
Chariton River near RathbunRiver gauge, Chariton River 403 cfs Normal −422.0 cfs 27 mi
Cooper Creek at CentervilleRiver gauge, Cooper Creek 7.63 ft Normal −0.01 ft 30 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Des Moines River at Eddyville compare with last year?

It is 8.52 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 48.92 ft.

What is flood stage for the Des Moines River at Eddyville?

The official flood stage is 63.00 ft. The level is currently 5.56 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Des Moines River at Eddyville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 47.67 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 46.81 ft and 49.01 ft, based on 6 years of records.

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 Des Moines River at Eddyville today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:15 PM CDT, the water level was 57.44 ft. Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Des Moines River at Eddyville rising or falling?

Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.18 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Des Moines River at Eddyville normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 6 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05489200 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.15584, -92.63880 (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 57.44 ft 2026-10-20 00:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Des Moines River at Eddyville (usgs:05489200). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/des-moines-river-at-eddyville

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