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SwedenWest Fork Cedar River at Finchford water level
River gauge, West Fork Cedar River, Iowa, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 982 cfs
History
What this means
The West Fork Cedar River at Finchford is at 8.64 ft, in the normal range.
It is 8.36 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.
It has dropped 0.16 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 8.50 ft and 9.03 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
- 20.82 ftJune 10, 2008
Floating and fishing near West Fork Cedar River at Finchford
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 17.00 ft, 8.36 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 18.50 ft
- Water affects the intersection of Hwy T71 and Hwy C55 at the convenience store. Basement flooding occurs in many residences with some flooding on the main floors. Water is also at the floor level of the convenience store. Water wells may collapse.
- 17.50 ft
- Water affects several roads as well as nearby residences and small businesses.
- 17.00 ft
- Water affects Hwy T71 north of the river and threatens the town of Finchford.
- 16.00 ft
- Water affects nearly 20000 acres.
- 15.00 ft
- Water threatens the road fill area along Hwy T71 just north of the river. Water also threatens the bridge 1000 feet north which spans the overflow area.
- 14.00 ft
- Water backs up in nearby basements.
- 13.50 ft
- Water affects lowland areas.
- 12.00 ft
- Some lowland flooding occurs.
- 10.50 ft
- Water affects low-lying areas.
- 8.64 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 | 20.82 ft | June 10, 2008 |
| 2 | 18.45 ft | July 29, 1990 |
| 3 | 17.28 ft | June 27, 1951 |
| 4 | 16.73 ft | April 1, 1993 |
| 5 | 16.58 ft | September 26, 2016 |
| 6 | 16.50 ft | July 10, 1969 |
| 7 | 16.14 ft | March 17, 2019 |
| 8 | 16.09 ft | May 17, 1999 |
| 9 | 15.91 ft | April 7, 1965 |
| 10 | 15.81 ft | September 23, 2018 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.78 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar River at JanesvilleRiver gauge, Cedar River | 2.91 ft | Below flood stage | −0.11 ft | 4.2 mi |
| Beaver Creek at New HartfordRiver gauge, Beaver Creek | 4.83 ft | Below flood stage | −0.35 ft | 5.5 mi |
| Shell Rock River at Shell RockRiver gauge, Shell Rock River | 8.82 ft | Below flood stage | −0.07 ft | 6.0 mi |
| Cedar River at Cedar FallsRiver gauge, Cedar River | 81.89 ft | Normal | −0.27 ft | 8 mi |
| Cedar River at WaverlyRiver gauge, Cedar River | 5.10 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 8 mi |
| Cedar River at WaterlooRiver gauge, Cedar River | 7.38 ft | Below flood stage | −0.15 ft | 14 mi |
| Black Hawk Creek at HudsonRiver gauge, Black Hawk Creek | 8.80 ft | Below flood stage | −0.31 ft | 16 mi |
| Wapsipinicon River near TripoliRiver gauge, Wapsipinicon River | 9.11 ft | Below flood stage | −0.20 ft | 20 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the West Fork Cedar River at Finchford?
The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 8.36 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 West Fork Cedar River at Finchford today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 PM CDT, the water level was 8.64 ft. Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is West Fork Cedar River at Finchford rising or falling?
Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of West Fork Cedar River at Finchford normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at West Fork Cedar River at Finchford?
The highest level on record is 20.82 ft on June 10, 2008.
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:05458900(Agency page)- Coordinates
42.62943, -92.54352(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 | 8.64 ft | 2026-10-21 00:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 982 cfs | 2026-10-21 00:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: West Fork Cedar River at Finchford (usgs:05458900). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/west-fork-cedar-river-at-finchford
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