Des Moines River near Pella water level

Name: Des Moines River near Pella 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

Very high for mid-October

Water level

92.01ft Down 1.00 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 18,600 cfs
Water temperature: 60 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

High water at Des Moines River near Pella: the latest reading is 92.01 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

It is still going down, by 1.00 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 91.99 ft – 93.06 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The water temperature at the gauge is 60 °F.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Staying safe in high water

Flood stage is only the first threshold. Above it the National Weather Service sets moderate and major flood stages, and the forecast crest tells you which of those the river is expected to reach.

Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:30 AM Sunset 06:25 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 68%

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	4.45 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	113 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	101 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.30 ft	81 mi
Des Moines River near SaylorvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5,930 cfs	High	−1,080.0 cfs	42 mi
Des Moines River at 2nd Avenue at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.40 ft	37 mi
Des Moines River below Raccoon River at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.05 ft	Below flood stage	−1.06 ft	36 mi
Des Moines River near SwanRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16,900 cfs	High	−1,100.0 cfs	18 mi
Des Moines River near TracyRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.90 ft	8 mi
Des Moines River at EddyvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	56.54 ft	Very high	−1.09 ft	23 mi
Des Moines River at OttumwaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	7.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.78 ft	38 mi
Des Moines River at KeosauquaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	69 mi
Des Moines River at St. FrancisvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	14.75 ft	Below flood stage	±0	96 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
English Creek near KnoxvilleRiver gauge, English Creek	8.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	5.7 mi
Cedar Creek near BusseyRiver gauge, Cedar Creek	5.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	11 mi
South Skunk River near OskaloosaRiver gauge, South Skunk River	14.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.97 ft	17 mi
White Breast Creek near DallasRiver gauge, White Breast Creek	6.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	18 mi
South Skunk River at ColfaxRiver gauge, South Skunk River	11.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.58 ft	26 mi
South River near AckworthRiver gauge, South River	5.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	27 mi
Middle River near IndianolaRiver gauge, Middle River	8.80 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	32 mi

Questions and answers

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 near Pella today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:15 AM CDT, the water level was 92.01 ft. Down 1.00 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Des Moines River near Pella rising or falling?

Down 1.00 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Des Moines River near Pella normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05488110 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.36417, -92.97547 (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	92.01 ft	2026-10-20 12:15	Provisional
Flow	18,600 cfs	2026-10-20 12:15	Provisional
Water temperature	60 °F	2026-10-20 12:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Des Moines River near Pella (usgs:05488110). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/des-moines-river-near-pella

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