South Skunk River near Ames water level

Name: South Skunk River near Ames 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 Skunk River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.26ft Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT (32 min ago)

Flow: 595 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The South Skunk River near Ames is at 5.26 ft, in the normal range.

It is 7.24 ft below the flood stage of 12.50 ft.

It has dropped 0.36 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.26 ft and 8.06 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: 20.89 ftJune 17, 1996

Floating and fishing near South Skunk River near Ames

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

Flood stage here is 12.50 ft, 7.24 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

16.80 ft: Water affects E 13th St with closure likely.
14.60 ft: Water affects Sargent Metal located at 650 Arrasmith Trl.
14.10 ft: Water affects residences along Freel Dr south of Lincoln Way.
14.00 ft: Water affects E 13th St between Meadow Lane and the bridge over the South Skunk River.
13.90 ft: Water affects Westech Engineering located at 600 Arrasmith Trl.
10.60 ft: Water is out of its banks at River Valley Park.
9.90 ft: Water affects low-lying fields.
5.26 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	20.89 ft	June 17, 1996
2	19.23 ft	August 16, 1993
3	19.04 ft	August 11, 2010
4	18.90 ft	May 20, 1944
5	18.66 ft	June 10, 1954
6	16.95 ft	June 13, 1947
7	16.93 ft	August 29, 2015
8	16.93 ft	June 9, 2008
9	16.84 ft	June 17, 1990
10	16.64 ft	July 1, 2014

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 40° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 69° 42° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 71° 47° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 73° 55° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 75° 55° – Wind 16 mph

24 Sat 77° 58° 0.00 in Wind 19 mph

25 Sun 66° 55° 0.01 in Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:26 PM Daylight 10 hr, 53 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the South Skunk River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Skunk River below Ioway Creek near AmesRiver gauge, South Skunk River	13.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.53 ft	4.2 mi
South Skunk River at ColfaxRiver gauge, South Skunk River	11.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.61 ft	33 mi
South Skunk River near OskaloosaRiver gauge, South Skunk River	15.01 ft	Below flood stage	−1.00 ft	70 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ioway Creek at AmesRiver gauge, Ioway Creek	3.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.19 ft	3.1 mi
Des Moines River near StratfordRiver gauge, Des Moines River	8.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.31 ft	23 mi
Indian Creek near MingoRiver gauge, Indian Creek	484 cfs	Very high	−86.0 cfs	24 mi
Fourmile Creek near Ankeny, IA DS1River gauge, Fourmile Creek	2.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	24 mi
Beaver Creek near GrimesRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	6.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.52 ft	27 mi
Des Moines River near SaylorvilleRiver gauge, Des Moines River	5,930 cfs	High	−1,090.0 cfs	27 mi
Boone River near Webster CityRiver gauge, Boone River	3.49 ft	Below flood stage	−0.19 ft	27 mi
South Fork Iowa River NE of New ProvidenceRiver gauge	466 cfs	Very high	−95.0 cfs	29 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Skunk River near Ames?

The official flood stage is 12.50 ft. The level is currently 7.24 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 South Skunk River near Ames today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT, the water level was 5.26 ft. Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South Skunk River near Ames rising or falling?

Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Skunk River near Ames normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Skunk River near Ames?

The highest level on record is 20.89 ft on June 17, 1996.

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:05470000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.06658, -93.62025 (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	5.26 ft	2026-10-20 11:00	Provisional
Flow	595 cfs	2026-10-20 11:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Skunk River near Ames (usgs:05470000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/south-skunk-river-near-ames

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