East Fork Des Moines River near Algona water level

Name: East Fork Des Moines River near Algona 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, East Fork Des Moines River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

7.96ft Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 239 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at East Fork Des Moines River near Algona, where the gauge shows 7.96 ft.

It is 9.04 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 7.60 ft – 8.22 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: 22.65 ftApril 1, 1993

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 17.00 ft.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: Water affects the shopping center parking lot and approaches the buildings. Water also affects US 169 near and north of Saint Joseph. Water may also threaten many bridges over the Des Moines River in the area with washouts. Many roads across Kossuth County may be closed.
20.50 ft: Water affects US 169 near mile marker 187 in the Livermore area.
20.00 ft: Water affects portions of US 18. Water enters the parking lot of the shopping center north of US 18 and west of the river.
19.00 ft: Water affects US 169 south of Algona. US 169 near Saint Joseph will be cut off. Water also threatens sections of US 18 east of US 169.
18.00 ft: Water threatens US 169 near Saint Joseph and may affect it south of Algona.
16.89 ft: Water threatens US 169 south of Algona and affects some rural roads.
16.80 ft: Water covers 170th St east of the Foster bridge in Humboldt County.
16.50 ft: Water affects the lowest portions of Northpark Dr and Norwood Dr in Algona.
16.40 ft: Water covers the entire north side of Montana Ave and nearby agricultural land east of the road in Humboldt County. Water also covers 100th St east and west of the Devine bridge.
16.00 ft: Widespread agricultural flooding occurs.
15.50 ft: Water affects portions of Montana Ave in Humboldt County. Water also affects portions of 110th St between Oak St and Ohio St east of the Devine bridge.
15.00 ft: Water covers portions of Montana Ave in Humboldt County.
7.96 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	22.65 ft	April 1, 1993
2	22.18 ft	August 23, 1979
3	20.70 ft	June 23, 2024
4	19.31 ft	June 26, 2018
5	19.16 ft	September 22, 2018
6	18.63 ft	March 17, 2019
7	18.54 ft	March 21, 2019
8	17.58 ft	June 19, 2014
9	17.37 ft	June 18, 2014
10	16.88 ft	August 1, 2025

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.51 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 61° 31° – Wind 19 mph

18 Sun 64° 42° – Wind 19 mph

19 Mon 65° 40° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 67° 47° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 71° 51° 0.06 in Wind 15 mph

22 Thu 74° 57° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 75° 58° – Wind 20 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:38 AM Sunset 06:26 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the East Fork Des Moines River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
East Fork Des Moines River at Dakota CityRiver gauge, East Fork Des Moines River	9.57 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	25 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near RolfeRiver gauge, Pilot Creek	3.60 ft	Very high	−0.21 ft	22 mi
Des Moines River at EmmetsburgRiver gauge, Des Moines River	1.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	24 mi
Des Moines River at HumboldtRiver gauge, Des Moines River	4.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	25 mi
Boone River near GoldfieldRiver gauge, Boone River	133 cfs	Normal	−17.0 cfs	29 mi
Des Moines River at EsthervilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	2.29 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	38 mi
Iowa River near RowanRiver gauge, Iowa River	4.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	38 mi
Lizard Creek near Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Lizard Creek	5.99 ft	Very high	−0.17 ft	38 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River	4.96 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	40 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the East Fork Des Moines River near Algona?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 9.04 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 East Fork Des Moines River near Algona today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 PM CDT, the water level was 7.96 ft. Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is East Fork Des Moines River near Algona rising or falling?

Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of East Fork Des Moines River near Algona normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at East Fork Des Moines River near Algona?

The highest level on record is 22.65 ft on April 1, 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:05478265 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.08267, -94.23056 (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	7.96 ft	2026-10-20 23:15	Provisional
Flow	239 cfs	2026-10-20 23:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: East Fork Des Moines River near Algona (usgs:05478265). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/east-fork-des-moines-river-near-algona

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