Floyd River at James water level
River gauge, Floyd River, Iowa, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 266 cfs
History
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Floyd River at James, where the gauge shows 8.70 ft.
It is 17.30 ft below the flood stage of 26.00 ft.
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 8.61 ft – 8.70 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
- 32.39 ftJune 23, 2024
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 26.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 38.00 ft
- The levees in and around Sioux City downstream of the gage begin to be overtopped. The bridge at the gauge location on CR 70 is overtopped.
- 36.00 ft
- Flooding begins to affect the town of James.
- 35.50 ft
- The railroad tracks in Sioux City should be closed.
- 34.50 ft
- Approximately 3700 acres of farm land are flooded.
- 34.00 ft
- The northbound lane of Highway 75 is flooded, and the railroad company begins to shut down operations.
- 32.00 ft
- Water approaches the railroad tracks and may overtop them in some locations.
- 31.50 ft
- The lowest portions of County Highway C70 begin to flood. Flooding begins to affect the farm levees, and about 3200 acres of farm land are flooded.
- 30.00 ft
- Outbuildings near the gauge location may begin to flood.
- 28.50 ft
- Approximately 2100 acres of farm land are flooded.
- 27.50 ft
- Approximately 1500 acres of farm land are flooded.
- 26.00 ft
- Flooding begins to affect the low lying agricultural lands.
- 24.00 ft
- The lowest banks are overtopped with minor lowland flooding.
- 8.70 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 | 32.39 ft | June 23, 2024 |
| 2 | 31.48 ft | March 15, 2019 |
| 3 | 28.85 ft | June 21, 1983 |
| 4 | 28.19 ft | March 23, 1979 |
| 5 | 27.70 ft | September 22, 2018 |
| 6 | 27.59 ft | May 28, 2013 |
| 7 | 25.35 ft | June 22, 1996 |
| 8 | 23.15 ft | June 17, 2014 |
| 9 | 22.84 ft | April 23, 1985 |
| 10 | 22.34 ft | March 29, 1993 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.16 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Floyd River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd River at AltonRiver gauge, Floyd River | 5.90 ft | Below flood stage | +0.07 ft | 32 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry Creek near HintonRiver gauge, Perry Creek | 15.23 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 4.3 mi |
| Perry Creek at 38th Street at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Perry Creek | 6.58 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 5.8 mi |
| Missouri River at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Missouri River | 10.52 ft | Below flood stage | +0.11 ft | 8 mi |
| Perry Creek near MillnervilleRiver gauge, Perry Creek | 0.98 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 9 mi |
| Big Sioux River at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Big Sioux River | 9.98 ft | Very low | +0.14 ft | 9 mi |
| Elliott Creek at LawtonRiver gauge, Elliott Creek | 72.30 ft | Below flood stage | +0.03 ft | 9 mi |
| Big Sioux River near JeffersonRiver gauge, Big Sioux River | 9.47 ft | Below flood stage | +0.07 ft | 11 mi |
| Omaha Creek at HomerRiver gauge, Omaha Creek | 2.17 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 20 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Floyd River at James?
The official flood stage is 26.00 ft. The level is currently 17.30 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 Floyd River at James today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 07:00 PM CDT, the water level was 8.70 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Floyd River at James rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Floyd River at James normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Floyd River at James?
The highest level on record is 32.39 ft on June 23, 2024.
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:06600500(Agency page)- Coordinates
42.57639, -96.31156(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 | 8.70 ft | 2026-10-19 00:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 266 cfs | 2026-10-19 00:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Floyd River at James (usgs:06600500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/floyd-river-at-james
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