Iowa River at Columbus Junction water level

Name: Iowa River at Columbus Junction 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, Iowa River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

14.47ft Up 0.29 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT (42 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Iowa River at Columbus Junction shows 14.47 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 8.94 ft, based on 6 years of readings, so the river stage is 5.53 ft above typical. It is 8.53 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 10.10 ft, a difference of +4.37 ft.

The water is rising: up 0.29 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 13.99 ft and 21.46 ft.

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

Compared with 6 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 8.94 ft5.53 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 8.70 ft – 10.33 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (6 years of records)
Same day last year: 10.10 ft+4.37 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 13.99 ft – 21.46 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 9.40 ft – 21.46 ft
Highest on record: 32.30 ftJune 15, 2008

High water at Iowa River at Columbus Junction

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

What happens at each level

36.00 ft: Water goes over the Iowa State Highway 92 bridge roadway.
31.80 ft: Water reaches the lowest portion of the midspan of the Iowa State Highway 92 bridge.
31.30 ft: Water reaches the lowest portion of the west abutment of the Iowa State Highway 92 bridge.
31.00 ft: Water is over the west approach to the Iowa State Highway 92 bridge. Water also reaches the lowest portion of the east abutment of the Iowa State Highway 92 bridge.
27.20 ft: Water goes over Iowa State Highway 92.
26.80 ft: Water begins rising onto Iowa State Highway 92.
26.50 ft: Water goes over U.S. Highway 61 downstream of Columbus Junction.
25.10 ft: Water reaches the old railroad bridge on the south side of the Fairgrounds.
25.00 ft: Intersection of Highway G36 and 165th St is underwater and closed.
23.00 ft: Water affects residential property along the river south of the Iowa Highway 92 Bridge. Locust St is closed at the bridge over Monkey Run.
14.47 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: 8 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	32.30 ft	June 15, 2008
2	28.30 ft	July 7, 1993
3	27.67 ft	July 3, 2014
4	25.82 ft	April 19, 2013
5	25.29 ft	September 30, 2016
6	24.95 ft	May 31, 2019
7	24.80 ft	October 1, 2016
8	24.32 ft	October 9, 2018
9	24.28 ft	May 30, 2004
10	24.21 ft	March 21, 2019

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:18 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the Iowa River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Iowa River near RowanRiver gauge, Iowa River	4.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	155 mi
Iowa River at Steamboat RockRiver gauge, Iowa River	6.24 ft	Very high	−0.16 ft	118 mi
Iowa River at MarshalltownRiver gauge, Iowa River	13.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	97 mi
Iowa River at County Highway E49 near TamaRiver gauge, Iowa River	7.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.59 ft	82 mi
Iowa River near Belle PlaineRiver gauge, Iowa River	12.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.57 ft	63 mi
Iowa River at MarengoRiver gauge, Iowa River	12.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.44 ft	52 mi
Iowa River below Coralville Dam near CoralvilleRiver gauge, Iowa River	5,480 cfs	Very high	+960 cfs	32 mi
Iowa River at Iowa CityRiver gauge, Iowa River	15.00 ft	Below flood stage	+0.86 ft	28 mi
Iowa River near Lone TreeRiver gauge, Iowa River	10.01 ft	Below flood stage	+0.53 ft	12 mi
Iowa River at WapelloRiver gauge, Iowa River	16.77 ft	Below flood stage	+0.25 ft	11 mi
Iowa River at OakvilleRiver gauge, Iowa River	6.46 ft	Below flood stage	+0.19 ft	19 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cedar River near ConesvilleRiver gauge, Cedar River	9.87 ft	Below flood stage	+0.19 ft	10 mi
Edwards River near New BostonRiver gauge, Edwards River	14.15 ft	High	−0.08 ft	21 mi
Big Creek North of Mount PleasantRiver gauge	27.4 cfs	Normal	−1.4 cfs	22 mi
English River at KalonaRiver gauge, English River	6.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	23 mi
Pope Creek near KeithsburgRiver gauge, Pope Creek	19.91 ft	High	−0.08 ft	25 mi
Old Mans Creek near Iowa CityRiver gauge, Old Mans Creek	3.26 ft	Below flood stage	±0	27 mi
South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa CityRiver gauge, South Branch Ralston Creek	1.81 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	27 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Iowa River at Columbus Junction higher than last year?

Yes, it is 4.37 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 10.10 ft.

What is flood stage for the Iowa River at Columbus Junction?

The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 8.53 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Iowa River at Columbus Junction in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 8.94 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 8.70 ft and 10.33 ft, based on 6 years of records.

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 Iowa River at Columbus Junction today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT, the water level was 14.47 ft. Up 0.29 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Iowa River at Columbus Junction rising or falling?

Up 0.29 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.23 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Iowa River at Columbus Junction normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 6 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05465100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.27836, -91.34682 (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	14.47 ft	2026-10-20 11:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Iowa River at Columbus Junction (usgs:05465100). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/iowa-river-at-columbus-junction

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