Des Moines River at Ottumwa water level

Name: Des Moines River at Ottumwa 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

8.14ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:50 PM CDT (26 min ago)

Flow: 22,600 cfs
Water temperature: 62 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Des Moines River at Ottumwa reads 8.14 ft, a normal level.

It is 4.86 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 8.11 ft and 8.40 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 62 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 22.15 ftJuly 12, 1993

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 13.00 ft, still 4.86 ft away.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: The City of Ottumwa is protected by a 25 foot levee.
23.00 ft: The levee opening at the south end of the Market St bridge may need to be planked and sandbagged.
22.00 ft: Sandbagging and planking operations may be needed for openings along Vine St.
19.50 ft: Water affects the Market St parking lot. The entrance to the Market St bridge is sandbagged.
18.50 ft: Sewer backup will reach the road surface at Market St and Commercial St.
18.00 ft: Water affects the Fairport area along the railroad tracks. Sandbagging may be needed at the Vine St diversion chamber. Evacuations may begin at the trailer court.
17.50 ft: Sewer backup in basements occurs at businesses along Main St.
17.00 ft: Water affects Paris St. The Market St bridge is closed.
15.00 ft: Flooding occurs in rural areas both upstream and downstream of Ottumwa.
13.00 ft: Water affects Eldon. Water also affects some secondary roads.
11.00 ft: Bear Creek reaches bankfull.
10.00 ft: Some agricultural flooding begins along most of the reach between Ottumwa and Eldon.
8.14 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	22.15 ft	July 12, 1993
2	20.97 ft	June 7, 1947
3	20.60 ft	June 17, 2008
4	20.23 ft	May 31, 1903
5	20.04 ft	August 11, 2010
6	18.33 ft	April 11, 1965
7	18.27 ft	May 24, 1944
8	18.26 ft	April 1, 1960
9	17.66 ft	June 28, 1954
10	17.63 ft	June 10, 1917

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.04 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 62° 34° – Wind 10 mph

18 Sun 65° 38° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 68° 39° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 70° 49° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 73° 51° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 75° 58° 0.02 in Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 76° 55° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 63%

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	4.56 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	150 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	139 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.39 ft	119 mi
Des Moines River near SaylorvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5,990 cfs	High	−1,140.0 cfs	80 mi
Des Moines River at 2nd Avenue at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.43 ft	75 mi
Des Moines River below Raccoon River at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.77 ft	73 mi
Des Moines River near SwanRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17,600 cfs	High	−700.0 cfs	56 mi
Des Moines River near PellaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	18,600 cfs	Very high	−3,400.0 cfs	38 mi
Des Moines River near TracyRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.66 ft	30 mi
Des Moines River at EddyvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	57.51 ft	Very high	−0.11 ft	16 mi
Des Moines River at KeosauquaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16.47 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	31 mi
Des Moines River at St. FrancisvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	14.73 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	58 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Skunk River near SigourneyRiver gauge, North Skunk River	7.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.24 ft	23 mi
South Skunk River near OskaloosaRiver gauge, South Skunk River	15.41 ft	Below flood stage	−1.17 ft	27 mi
Chariton River near RathbunRiver gauge, Chariton River	403 cfs	Normal	−422.0 cfs	28 mi
Rathbun Lake near RathbunLake, Rathbun Lake	906.59 ft	Very high	−0.20 ft	28 mi
Chariton River near MoultonRiver gauge, Chariton River	22.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	29 mi
Cooper Creek at CentervilleRiver gauge, Cooper Creek	7.64 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	29 mi
Cedar Creek near BusseyRiver gauge, Cedar Creek	5.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	30 mi

Questions and answers

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

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 4.86 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 Ottumwa today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:50 PM CDT, the water level was 8.14 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Des Moines River at Ottumwa rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Des Moines River at Ottumwa 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 Ottumwa?

The highest level on record is 22.15 ft on July 12, 1993.

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:05489500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.01085, -92.41129 (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	8.14 ft	2026-10-19 23:50	Provisional
Flow	22,600 cfs	2026-10-19 23:50	Provisional
Water temperature	62 °F	2026-10-19 23:50	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Des Moines River at Ottumwa (usgs:05489500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/des-moines-river-at-ottumwa

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