TornadoLiveMap

Chariton River at Rathbun Reservoir — water level right now

Appanoose County, Iowa · NWS gauge RADI4
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
926
minor flood stage
 
927.16
record crest
set 1993-07-28
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

minor · 926
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Minor flood stage926low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
1927.161993-07-28+1.16 above
2910.392002-05-1715.61 below

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Chariton River near Moulton 11 mi away · loading… South Fork Chariton River near Promise City 16 mi away · loading… Chariton River near Chariton 21 mi away · loading… Des Moines River near Eddyville 26 mi away · loading… Cedar Creek near Bussey 27 mi away · loading… Des Moines River at Ottumwa 28 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDRADI4
USGS site06903880
CountyAppanoose
StateIowa
NWS forecast officeDes Moines
River forecast centerMissouri Basin River Forecast Center
Coordinates40.824, -92.894
Time zoneCST6CDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Chariton River at Rathbun Reservoir

Is Chariton River at Rathbun Reservoir flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 926 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Chariton River at Rathbun Reservoir?

minor flood stage 926 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Chariton River at Rathbun Reservoir?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 927.16 ft, reached on 1993-07-28 — that is 1.16 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Des Moines and local emergency management.