South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City water level

Name: South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City 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, South Branch Ralston Creek, Iowa, United States

Directions

Normal for late October

Water level

1.81ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 12:45 AM CDT (43 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City is at 1.81 ft, in the normal range for late October.

That puts it 0.15 ft above the median of 1.66 ft for late October, based on 27 years of readings. It is 5.19 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.57 ft (+0.24 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.80 ft and 2.84 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.66 ft0.15 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.15 ft – 2.02 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.57 ft+0.24 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.80 ft – 2.84 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.31 ft – 4.06 ft
Highest on record: 10.50 ftJuly 14, 1962

Floating and fishing near South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 7.00 ft, 5.19 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

8.00 ft: Water is at the bottom of the Muscatine Avenue bridge.
7.50 ft: Water affects the northwest approach to the Muscatine Avenue bridge.
6.00 ft: Water is at the bottom of the 1st Avenue bridge.
4.50 ft: Water is at the bottom of the F Street bridge.
4.00 ft: Water is at the bottom of the Sixth Street bridge.
3.50 ft: Water affects the north approach to the Sixth Street bridge.
1.81 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.50 ft	July 14, 1962
2	9.64 ft	October 6, 2018
3	9.48 ft	May 3, 2012
4	9.47 ft	July 17, 1972
5	9.43 ft	August 10, 1993
6	9.40 ft	June 30, 2014
7	8.89 ft	July 5, 1993
8	8.78 ft	June 7, 1967
9	8.52 ft	July 8, 1969
10	8.40 ft	August 16, 1993

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.14 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 59° 33° – Wind 11 mph

18 Sun 64° 39° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 65° 39° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 67° 47° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 70° 49° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 69° 54° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 74° 53° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 10 hr, 52 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Iowa River at Iowa CityRiver gauge, Iowa River	14.54 ft	Below flood stage	−0.47 ft	1.8 mi
Rapid Creek near Iowa CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	4.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	3.5 mi
Muddy Creek at CoralvilleRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	8.7 cfs	Normal	±0	4.4 mi
Iowa River below Coralville Dam near CoralvilleRiver gauge, Iowa River	4,970 cfs	High	−500.0 cfs	4.6 mi
Clear Creek near CoralvilleRiver gauge, Clear Creek	1.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	5.0 mi
Old Mans Creek near Iowa CityRiver gauge, Old Mans Creek	3.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	6 mi
WB Wapsinonoc Cr at College St at West BranchRiver gauge, WB Wapsinonoc Cr	2.7 cfs	Normal	−0.2 cfs	9 mi
Clear Creek near OxfordRiver gauge, Clear Creek	2.70 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	13 mi

Questions and answers

How does South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City compare with last year?

It is 0.24 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.57 ft.

What is flood stage for South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 5.19 ft below it.

What is a normal level for South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City in late October?

The median for late October is 1.66 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.15 ft and 2.02 ft, based on 27 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 South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 12:45 AM CDT, the water level was 1.81 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City normal?

Normal for late October. Compared with 27 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:05455010 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.65141, -91.50766 (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	1.81 ft	2026-10-21 05:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City (usgs:05455010). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/south-branch-ralston-creek-at-iowa-city

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