TornadoLiveMap

Iowa River at Iowa City — water level right now

Johnson County, Iowa · NWS gauge IOWI4
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
23.5
minor flood stage
 
31.53
record crest
set 2008-06-15
–
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:

action · 21
minor · 23.5
moderate · 24.5
major · 26
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage26extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage24.5some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage23.5low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage21water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
131.532008-06-15+8.03 above
228.521993-08-10+5.02 above
325.152014-07-12+1.65 above
424.92013-06-05+1.4 above
524.11851-06-01+0.6 above
623.351991-06-130.15 below
723.232018-10-060.27 below
822.441974-06-091.06 below
922.041973-05-011.46 below
1021.641979-03-291.86 below
1121.51975-04-092 below
1221.51985-03-042 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

South Branch Ralston Creek at Iowa City 2 mi away · loading… Clear Creek (IA) near Coralville 3 mi away · loading… Rapid Creek (IA) near Iowa City 4 mi away · loading… Iowa River above Coralville Dam 5 mi away · loading… Old Mans Creek near Iowa City 5 mi away · loading… Clear Creek (IA) near Oxford 11 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDIOWI4
USGS site05454500
CountyJohnson
StateIowa
NWS forecast officeDavenport
River forecast centerNorth Central River Forecast Center
Coordinates41.657, -91.541
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 Iowa River at Iowa City

Is Iowa River at Iowa City 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 23.5 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Iowa River at Iowa City?

major flood stage 26 ft, moderate flood stage 24.5 ft, minor flood stage 23.5 ft, action stage 21 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Iowa River at Iowa City?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 31.53 ft, reached on 2008-06-15 — that is 8.03 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 Davenport and local emergency management.