Des Moines River at Emmetsburg water level

Name: Des Moines River at Emmetsburg 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, Des Moines River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.29ft Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 09:15 PM CDT (58 min ago)

Flow: 330 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Des Moines River at Emmetsburg is at 1.29 ft, in the normal range.

It is 9.71 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.29 ft and 1.60 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: 15.47 ftJune 24, 2024

Floating and fishing near Des Moines River at Emmetsburg

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 9.71 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

15.20 ft: Water affects Iowa 15 approximately 4 miles south of West Bend.
14.50 ft: US 18 is closed. Works Road floods near the cooperative.
14.00 ft: Sandbagging operations occur for businesses along US 18 on the west side of town in and near the flood plain.
13.50 ft: Water threatens US 18 west of Emmetsburg as well as the Northern Natural Gas distribution plant. Sandbagging operations may occur for the sewer plant and wells.
13.00 ft: Closure of Iowa 4 is likely. Water threatens some of the airport runways. Water flows into Boggess gravel pits.
12.50 ft: Water affects Osgood Rd.
12.00 ft: Water reaches sections of Iowa 4 south of Emmetsburg. The road to the rendering plant is closed.
11.50 ft: Water affects southern portions of the airport field including approaches to the primary runway. Water also affects grass airstrips near hangars along the east side of the airfield.
11.00 ft: Water threatens Iowa 4 in areas near the river overpass as well as the road to the rendering plant. The road to the sanitary landfill area is closed.
10.00 ft: Water affects the flood plain and threatens the access road to the sanitary landfill area.
1.29 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	15.47 ft	June 24, 2024
2	14.75 ft	April 12, 1969
3	13.80 ft	June 30, 1993
4	13.44 ft	March 25, 2019
5	13.26 ft	July 10, 2018
6	12.80 ft	July 1, 1969
7	12.60 ft	June 24, 1984
8	12.44 ft	April 9, 2006
9	12.38 ft	April 14, 2001
10	12.33 ft	September 28, 2010

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min First quarter 64%

Map

Other gauges on the Des Moines River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Des Moines River above WindomRiver gauge, Des Moines River	9.59 ft	Below flood stage	+0.24 ft	57 mi
Des Moines River at JacksonRiver gauge, Des Moines River	6.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	37 mi
Des Moines River at EsthervilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	2.32 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	20 mi
Des Moines River at HumboldtRiver gauge, Des Moines River	4.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	37 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	50 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.38 ft	70 mi
Des Moines River near SaylorvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5,960 cfs	High	−1,130.0 cfs	113 mi
Des Moines River at 2nd Avenue at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.42 ft	118 mi
Des Moines River below Raccoon River at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.87 ft	121 mi
Des Moines River near SwanRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17,400 cfs	High	−900.0 cfs	135 mi
Des Moines River near PellaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	18,600 cfs	Very high	−3,100.0 cfs	151 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
East Fork Des Moines River near AlgonaRiver gauge, East Fork Des Moines River	8.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	24 mi
Willow Creek near CornellRiver gauge, Willow Creek	82.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	25 mi
Ocheyedan River near SpencerRiver gauge, Ocheyedan River	2.85 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	25 mi
Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near RolfeRiver gauge, Pilot Creek	3.78 ft	Very high	−0.32 ft	25 mi
West Okoboji Lake at Lakeside Lab near MilfordLake, West Okoboji Lake	4.15 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	30 mi
Little Sioux River at Linn GroveRiver gauge, Little Sioux River	6.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	31 mi
Spirit Lake near OrleansLake, Spirit Lake	14.20 ft	Very high	±0	32 mi

Questions and answers

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

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 9.71 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 Des Moines River at Emmetsburg today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 09:15 PM CDT, the water level was 1.29 ft. Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Des Moines River at Emmetsburg rising or falling?

Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Des Moines River at Emmetsburg normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Des Moines River at Emmetsburg?

The highest level on record is 15.47 ft on June 24, 2024.

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:05476590 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.12647, -94.70722 (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	1.29 ft	2026-10-20 02:15	Provisional
Flow	330 cfs	2026-10-20 02:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Des Moines River at Emmetsburg (usgs:05476590). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/des-moines-river-at-emmetsburg

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