Wapsipinicon River at Independence water level

Name: Wapsipinicon River at Independence 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, Wapsipinicon River, Iowa, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

6.50ft Down 0.20 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 AM CDT (24 min ago)

Flow: 1,950 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Wapsipinicon River at Independence reads 6.50 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.50 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.20 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 6.24 ft and 7.02 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: 22.35 ftMay 18, 1999

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 12.00 ft, still 5.50 ft away.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: Water affects Iowa Highway 150 from the cemetery to Three Elms Park Road in Independence. Water also floods most residences and businesses from the river to 2nd Avenue NE.
21.80 ft: Water affects 1st Street from 2nd Avenue E to 3rd Avenue W including the river bridge surface.
21.50 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the 2nd Street S bridge deck and reaches the alleyway on the east bank between 1st Street and 2nd Street S.
21.30 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the railroad bridge on the north end of Independence.
21.10 ft: Water affects the fronts of businesses on 1st Street in Independence.
21.00 ft: Water affects residences on the south side of 2nd Street S and also reaches the bottom 1st Street bridge deck. Water reaches the guardrails of the Iowa Highway 150 bridge and floods much of the cemetery.
20.00 ft: Water affects most residences, businesses, and parks in Independence. Flooding also occurs in Fairbank, Littleton, and Central City. Water also floods farmland and a few residences in Quasqueton.
19.00 ft: Water affects the backs of businesses on 1st Street in Independence.
18.00 ft: Water affects 1st Street and reaches the bottom of the Iowa Highway 150 bridge deck.
16.00 ft: Water affects many residences, businesses, and parks in Independence and Littleton.
15.00 ft: Water affects the cemetery on the south side of Independence. In Littleton, water affects residences along Water, State, and Benton Streets, and cabins west of the river.
14.00 ft: Water affects residences and streets in low-lying areas of Independence and Littleton.
6.50 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	22.35 ft	May 18, 1999
2	21.11 ft	July 18, 1968
3	20.30 ft	August 26, 1990
4	19.29 ft	September 25, 2016
5	18.86 ft	June 11, 2008
6	18.80 ft	July 24, 1999
7	18.77 ft	July 24, 2010
8	18.74 ft	June 14, 1947
9	18.20 ft	April 30, 1951
10	18.00 ft	May 23, 2004

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.44 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 56° 31° – Wind 12 mph

18 Sun 60° 38° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 63° 39° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 65° 46° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 67° 48° 0.01 in Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 66° 55° 0.04 in Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 70° 52° – Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:19 PM Daylight 10 hr, 52 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Wapsipinicon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wapsipinicon River near TripoliRiver gauge, Wapsipinicon River	9.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.18 ft	32 mi
Wapsipinicon River near AnamosaRiver gauge, Wapsipinicon River	8.96 ft	Below flood stage	−0.23 ft	41 mi
Wapsipinicon River near De WittRiver gauge, Wapsipinicon River	9.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.48 ft	85 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Wapsipinicon River near OranRiver gauge, Little Wapsipinicon River	83.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.30 ft	19 mi
Cedar River at VintonRiver gauge, Cedar River	6.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	21 mi
Cedar River at WaterlooRiver gauge, Cedar River	7.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	22 mi
Maquoketa River at ManchesterRiver gauge, Maquoketa River	5.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.28 ft	23 mi
Wolf Creek near DysartRiver gauge, Wolf Creek	3.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	25 mi
Cedar River at Blairs Ferry Road at PaloRiver gauge, Cedar River	6.97 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	28 mi
Cedar River at Cedar FallsRiver gauge, Cedar River	82.05 ft	Normal	−0.84 ft	28 mi
Black Hawk Creek at HudsonRiver gauge, Black Hawk Creek	8.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.37 ft	29 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Wapsipinicon River at Independence?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 5.50 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 Wapsipinicon River at Independence today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 AM CDT, the water level was 6.50 ft. Down 0.20 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Wapsipinicon River at Independence rising or falling?

Down 0.20 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Wapsipinicon River at Independence normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Wapsipinicon River at Independence?

The highest level on record is 22.35 ft on May 18, 1999.

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:05421000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.46360, -91.89517 (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	6.50 ft	2026-10-20 15:30	Provisional
Flow	1,950 cfs	2026-10-20 15:30	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/10395?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Wapsipinicon River at Independence water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Wapsipinicon River at Independence (usgs:05421000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/wapsipinicon-river-at-independence

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