Des Moines River near Saylorville water level

Name: Des Moines River near Saylorville 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

High for late October

Water level

6.54ft Down 0.72 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 12:00 AM CDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 4,330 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The gauge at Des Moines River near Saylorville shows 6.54 ft, above normal for late October.

The level is falling, down 0.72 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.56 ft and 8.28 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 24.50 ftJune 24, 1954

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.50 ft	June 24, 1954
2	24.22 ft	July 11, 1993
3	24.03 ft	June 13, 2008
4	24.02 ft	April 10, 1965
5	22.90 ft	July 21, 1993
6	21.10 ft	April 3, 1962
7	20.88 ft	July 2, 2010
8	20.72 ft	June 22, 1984
9	20.65 ft	July 1, 2010
10	20.15 ft	April 18, 1969

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:26 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Des Moines River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Des Moines River at EmmetsburgRiver gauge, Des Moines River	1.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	113 mi
Des Moines River at HumboldtRiver gauge, Des Moines River	4.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	77 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River	4.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	63 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.28 ft	43 mi
Des Moines River at 2nd Avenue at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.38 ft	5.3 mi
Des Moines River below Raccoon River at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.99 ft	8 mi
Des Moines River near SwanRiver gauge, Des Moines River	14,800 cfs	High	−2,500.0 cfs	24 mi
Des Moines River near PellaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16,800 cfs	High	−1,900.0 cfs	42 mi
Des Moines River near TracyRiver gauge, Des Moines River	7.67 ft	Below flood stage	−0.52 ft	50 mi
Des Moines River at EddyvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	56.32 ft	Very high	−0.54 ft	64 mi
Des Moines River at OttumwaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	7.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.54 ft	80 mi
Des Moines River at KeosauquaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	15.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.76 ft	111 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Beaver Creek near GrimesRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	6.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.38 ft	3.5 mi
Fourmile Creek near Ankeny, IA DS1River gauge, Fourmile Creek	2.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	5.7 mi
Walnut Creek at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	3.91 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Raccoon River at Fleur Drive at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Raccoon River	7.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.70 ft	7 mi
Fourmile Creek at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Fourmile Creek	4.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	8 mi
Raccoon River at 63rd Street at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Raccoon River	25.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.61 ft	8 mi
Raccoon River near West Des MoinesRiver gauge, Raccoon River	31.54 ft	Very high	−0.57 ft	12 mi
North River near NorwalkRiver gauge, North River	8.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	15 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 Saylorville today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 12:00 AM CDT, the water level was 6.54 ft. Down 0.72 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Des Moines River near Saylorville rising or falling?

Down 0.72 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Des Moines River near Saylorville normal?

High for late October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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

The highest level on record is 24.50 ft on June 24, 1954.

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:05481650 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.68033, -93.66761 (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	6.54 ft	2026-10-21 05:00	Provisional
Flow	4,330 cfs	2026-10-21 05:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Des Moines River near Saylorville (usgs:05481650). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/des-moines-river-near-saylorville

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