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Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe water level

River gauge, Pilot Creek, Iowa, United States

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Right now

Very high for late October

Water level

3.55ft Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours

5 10 Highest onrecord 10.56 ft

History

History
24ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 2124ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
246ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 13Oct 21246ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
358ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026358ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
358ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026358ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe is well above normal at 3.55 ft.

That puts it 1.43 ft above the median of 2.12 ft for late October, based on 17 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 2.35 ft (+1.20 ft). The record high is 10.56 ft, set on July 8, 1998.

It has dropped 0.19 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.06 ft and 5.41 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
2.12 ft1.43 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.56 ft – 3.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year
2.35 ft+1.20 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3.06 ft – 5.41 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.66 ft – 5.89 ft
Highest on record
10.56 ftJuly 8, 1998

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
110.56 ftJuly 8, 1998
29.71 ftAugust 22, 2007
39.28 ftMay 29, 1995
48.50 ftMarch 22, 2001
57.43 ftAugust 6, 1996
65.66 ftJuly 11, 2000

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.91 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 61° 31° – Wind 18 mph
18 Sun 65° 40° – Wind 18 mph
19 Mon 65° 40° – Wind 11 mph
20 Tue 67° 47° – Wind 13 mph
21 Wed 72° 52° 0.10 in Wind 14 mph
22 Thu 74° 55° – Wind 10 mph
23 Fri 75° 58° – Wind 20 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:27 PM Daylight 10 hr, 49 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Des Moines River at HumboldtRiver gauge, Des Moines River 4.38 ft Below flood stage −0.12 ft 14 mi
East Fork Des Moines River at Dakota CityRiver gauge, East Fork Des Moines River 9.54 ft Below flood stage −0.08 ft 15 mi
Lizard Creek near Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Lizard Creek 5.97 ft Very high −0.15 ft 22 mi
East Fork Des Moines River near AlgonaRiver gauge, East Fork Des Moines River 7.94 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 22 mi
Des Moines River at Fort DodgeRiver gauge, Des Moines River 4.92 ft Below flood stage −0.12 ft 24 mi
Des Moines River at EmmetsburgRiver gauge, Des Moines River 1.19 ft Below flood stage −0.07 ft 25 mi
Boone River near GoldfieldRiver gauge, Boone River 130 cfs Normal −13.0 cfs 27 mi
Willow Creek near CornellRiver gauge, Willow Creek 82.08 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 37 mi

Questions and answers

How does Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe compare with last year?

It is 1.20 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.35 ft.

What is a normal level for Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe in late October?

The median for late October is 2.12 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.56 ft and 3.41 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 Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 01:15 AM CDT, the water level was 3.55 ft. Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe rising or falling?

Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.49 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe normal?

Very 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 Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe?

The highest level on record is 10.56 ft on July 8, 1998.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05476735 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.80575, -94.46264 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.55 ft 2026-10-21 06:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pilot Creek at County Hwy P15 near Rolfe (usgs:05476735). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/pilot-creek-at-county-hwy-p15-near-rolfe

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.