North Raccoon River near Lanesboro water level

Name: North Raccoon River near Lanesboro 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, North Raccoon River, Iowa, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

10.76ft Down 0.27 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at North Raccoon River near Lanesboro shows 10.76 ft, above normal for late October.

The median for late October is 8.15 ft, based on 17 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.61 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 8.06 ft, a difference of +2.70 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.27 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 8.97 ft and 13.39 ft.

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

Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 8.15 ft2.61 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 7.11 ft – 10.82 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year: 8.06 ft+2.70 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 8.97 ft – 13.39 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 7.17 ft – 13.61 ft
Highest on record: 21.15 ftMarch 15, 2019

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	21.15 ft	March 15, 2019
2	20.70 ft	March 17, 2010
3	18.98 ft	May 29, 2013
4	18.46 ft	June 23, 2018
5	18.19 ft	May 2, 2016
6	18.15 ft	July 2, 2014
7	17.61 ft	June 25, 2015
8	17.35 ft	May 22, 2017
9	16.92 ft	June 29, 2011
10	16.57 ft	May 8, 2024

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.33 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 62° 31° – Wind 17 mph

18 Sun 66° 38° – Wind 18 mph

19 Mon 65° 39° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 68° 47° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 72° 52° – Wind 14 mph

22 Thu 75° 55° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 75° 58° – Wind 19 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the North Raccoon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Raccoon River near Sac CityRiver gauge, North Raccoon River	461 cfs	High	−64.0 cfs	19 mi
North Raccoon River near JeffersonRiver gauge, North Raccoon River	7.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	22 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black Hawk Lake at Lake ViewLake, Black Hawk Lake	8.06 ft	Very high	±0	19 mi
Middle Raccoon River near BayardRiver gauge, Middle Raccoon River	415 cfs	High	−54.0 cfs	29 mi
Lizard Creek near Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Lizard Creek	5.97 ft	Very high	−0.13 ft	35 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River	4.91 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	36 mi
Lake Panorama at PanoraLake, Lake Panorama	45.55 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	37 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.29 ft	38 mi
Middle Raccoon River at PanoraRiver gauge, Middle Raccoon River	5.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	38 mi
Des Moines River at HumboldtRiver gauge, Des Moines River	4.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	46 mi

Questions and answers

Is the North Raccoon River near Lanesboro higher than last year?

Yes, it is 2.70 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.06 ft.

What is a normal level for the North Raccoon River near Lanesboro in late October?

The median for late October is 8.15 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 7.11 ft and 10.82 ft, based on 17 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 North Raccoon River near Lanesboro today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT, the water level was 10.76 ft. Down 0.27 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is North Raccoon River near Lanesboro rising or falling?

Down 0.27 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.30 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Raccoon River near Lanesboro normal?

High for late October. Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at North Raccoon River near Lanesboro?

The highest level on record is 21.15 ft on March 15, 2019.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05482430 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.16906, -94.72603 (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	10.76 ft	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Raccoon River near Lanesboro (usgs:05482430). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/north-raccoon-river-near-lanesboro

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