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Wapsipinicon River at Independence — water level right now

Buchanan County, Iowa · NWS gauge IDPI4
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
12
minor flood stage
 
22.35
record crest
set 1999-05-18
–
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 · 10
minor · 12
moderate · 13
major · 15
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage15extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage13some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage12low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage10water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
122.351999-05-18+10.35 above
221.111968-07-18+9.11 above
320.31990-08-26+8.3 above
419.292016-09-25+7.29 above
518.862008-06-11+6.86 above
618.81999-07-24+6.8 above
718.772010-07-24+6.77 above
818.741947-06-14+6.74 above
918.21951-04-30+6.2 above
10182004-05-23+6 above
1117.972008-04-26+5.97 above
1217.311979-08-30+5.31 above

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

Little Wapsipinicon River near Oran 19 mi away · loading… Cedar River at Vinton 21 mi away · loading… Cedar River at Waterloo 22 mi away · loading… Maquoketa River at Manchester Hwy 20 23 mi away · loading… Wolf Creek near Dysart 25 mi away · loading… Volga River near Randalia (IFC) 27 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDIDPI4
USGS site05421000
CountyBuchanan
StateIowa
NWS forecast officeDavenport
River forecast centerNorth Central River Forecast Center
Coordinates42.464, -91.895
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 Wapsipinicon River at Independence

Is Wapsipinicon River at Independence 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 12 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Wapsipinicon River at Independence?

major flood stage 15 ft, moderate flood stage 13 ft, minor flood stage 12 ft, action stage 10 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Wapsipinicon River at Independence?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 22.35 ft, reached on 1999-05-18 — that is 10.35 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.