Rock River near Rock Valley water level

Name: Rock River near Rock Valley 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, Rock River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.23ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT (24 min ago)

Flow: 512 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Rock River near Rock Valley, where the gauge shows 5.23 ft.

It is 10.77 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.23 ft – 5.30 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: 27.70 ftJune 22, 2024

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.

What happens at each level

26.00 ft: Significant flooding will be ongoing in Rock Valley with most houses and businesses north of downtown flooded. Portions of the bridge on 340th St are overtopped.
23.00 ft: Elmwood Ave is flooded near the gauge and numerous houses on the north side of Rock Valley near the river are flooded.
21.00 ft: Water begins to enter the northern portions of Rock Valley on the south side of the river.
20.00 ft: Hwy 18 west of Rock Valley is flooded. The lower portions of 300th Ave in Rock Valley north of the river and west of Elmwood Ave may flood. Major agricultural flooding is ongoing throughout the floodplain.
19.00 ft: Rock Valley begins to experience increasing flood problems and at least a couple of houses nearest the river begin to flood. Sandbagging of storm sewers in the city begins. Portions of 360th will be flooded.
18.00 ft: Water reaches the backyards of some houses north of the river and west of Elmwood Ave in Rock Valley and some outbuildings are flooded. The Rivers Bend Campground on the northwest side of Rock Valley begins to flood.
16.00 ft: Significant amounts of agricultural lands are flooded, and some rural roads are also threatened by high water.
13.00 ft: The lowest lying pasture and farm land will experience some minor flooding
5.23 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	27.70 ft	June 22, 2024
2	22.72 ft	June 17, 2014
3	21.20 ft	June 22, 2018
4	20.61 ft	March 15, 2019
5	20.24 ft	September 26, 2010
6	19.97 ft	May 9, 1993
7	19.89 ft	September 25, 2010
8	18.91 ft	March 23, 1979
9	18.85 ft	June 20, 1983
10	18.27 ft	June 14, 1994

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:46 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Rock River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rock River below Tom Creek at Rock RapidsRiver gauge, Rock River	7.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	16 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Burr Oak Creek near PerkinsRiver gauge, Burr Oak Creek	10.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	6 mi
Big Sioux River near HawardenRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	12.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	15 mi
Floyd River at AltonRiver gauge, Floyd River	5.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	22 mi
Little Floyd River near SanbornRiver gauge, Little Floyd River	83.11 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	29 mi
Big Sioux River at AkronRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	29 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	1.48 ft	Below flood stage	±0	30 mi
Split Rock Creek at CorsonRiver gauge, Split Rock Creek	1.82 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	31 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.05 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	32 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Rock River near Rock Valley?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 10.77 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 Rock River near Rock Valley today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT, the water level was 5.23 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rock River near Rock Valley rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Rock River near Rock Valley normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Rock River near Rock Valley?

The highest level on record is 27.70 ft on June 22, 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:06483500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.21508, -96.29503 (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	5.23 ft	2026-10-20 14:00	Provisional
Flow	512 cfs	2026-10-20 14:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rock River near Rock Valley (usgs:06483500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/rock-river-near-rock-valley

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