Des Moines River near Tracy water level

Name: Des Moines River near Tracy 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

8.34ft Down 0.75 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 07:15 PM CDT (19 min ago)

Flow: 19,800 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Des Moines River near Tracy, where the gauge shows 8.34 ft.

It is 5.66 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.75 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 8.34 ft – 9.14 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: 26.50 ftJune 14, 1947

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 14.00 ft.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft: Water affects the town of Harvey.
23.00 ft: Portions of Iowa 92 east of Harvey are likely underwater.
22.00 ft: Water approaches parts of Iowa 92.
20.00 ft: Water threatens several residences in the vicinity of Bellefontaine and affects rural roads east and southeast of the intersection of Ashland Ave and Water St.
19.00 ft: Water affects rural gravel roads in the flood plain.
17.00 ft: Widespread agricultural flooding occurs primarily downstream of Tracy on the north bank.
14.00 ft: Minimal flooding impacts occur at this level. The town of Tracy is situated on high ground and is generally not affected by flooding.
8.34 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	26.50 ft	June 14, 1947
2	25.00 ft	May 31, 1903
3	24.16 ft	July 12, 1993
4	23.70 ft	June 14, 2008
5	23.17 ft	April 11, 1965
6	23.00 ft	April 4, 1960
7	22.14 ft	June 27, 1954
8	21.60 ft	May 23, 1944
9	20.69 ft	April 5, 1962
10	20.38 ft	June 17, 1967

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 41° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 71° 44° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 72° 51° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 74° 54° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 76° 55° – Wind 15 mph

24 Sat 75° 59° – Wind 16 mph

25 Sun 69° 53° 0.14 in Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:29 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 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	4.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	121 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	109 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.46 ft	Below flood stage	−0.38 ft	89 mi
Des Moines River near SaylorvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5,970 cfs	High	−1,150.0 cfs	50 mi
Des Moines River at 2nd Avenue at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.24 ft	Below flood stage	−0.42 ft	45 mi
Des Moines River below Raccoon River at Des MoinesRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.85 ft	44 mi
Des Moines River near SwanRiver gauge, Des Moines River	17,600 cfs	High	−700.0 cfs	26 mi
Des Moines River near PellaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	18,700 cfs	Very high	−3,200.0 cfs	8 mi
Des Moines River at EddyvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	57.51 ft	Very high	−0.11 ft	14 mi
Des Moines River at OttumwaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.18 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	30 mi
Des Moines River at KeosauquaRiver gauge, Des Moines River	16.47 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	61 mi
Des Moines River at St. FrancisvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	14.74 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	88 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cedar Creek near BusseyRiver gauge, Cedar Creek	5.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.0 mi
English Creek near KnoxvilleRiver gauge, English Creek	8.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	10 mi
South Skunk River near OskaloosaRiver gauge, South Skunk River	15.41 ft	Below flood stage	−1.17 ft	12 mi
White Breast Creek near DallasRiver gauge, White Breast Creek	6.46 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	22 mi
Chariton River near CharitonRiver gauge, Chariton River	4.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	31 mi
Rathbun Lake near RathbunLake, Rathbun Lake	906.59 ft	Very high	−0.20 ft	32 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Des Moines River near Tracy?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 5.66 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 near Tracy today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:15 PM CDT, the water level was 8.34 ft. Down 0.75 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Des Moines River near Tracy rising or falling?

Down 0.75 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Des Moines River near Tracy 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 near Tracy?

The highest level on record is 26.50 ft on June 14, 1947.

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:05488500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.28136, -92.86082 (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	8.34 ft	2026-10-20 00:15	Provisional
Flow	19,800 cfs	2026-10-20 00:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Des Moines River near Tracy (usgs:05488500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/des-moines-river-near-tracy

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