Rivers in Iowa
South Skunk River near Ames W Riverside Rd
Below flood stage
5.72ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 4:00 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 12.50 ft
- Record crest
- 20.89 ft1996
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 16.50 ft |
| Moderate flood | 16.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 12.50 ft |
| Action | 11.00 ft |
- 16.80 ftWater affects E 13th St with closure likely.
- 14.60 ftWater affects Sargent Metal located at 650 Arrasmith Trl.
- 14.10 ftWater affects residences along Freel Dr south of Lincoln Way.
- 14.00 ftWater affects E 13th St between Meadow Lane and the bridge over the South Skunk River.
- 13.90 ftWater affects Westech Engineering located at 600 Arrasmith Trl.
- 10.60 ftWater is out of its banks at River Valley Park.
- 9.90 ftWater affects low-lying fields.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
106 crests on NOAA’s list since 1921.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 17, 1996 | 20.89 ft |
| 2 | August 16, 1993 | 19.23 ft |
| 3 | August 11, 2010 | 19.04 ft |
| 4 | May 20, 1944 | 18.90 ft |
| 5 | June 10, 1954 | 18.66 ft |
| 6 | June 13, 1947 | 16.95 ft |
| 7 | August 29, 2015 | 16.93 ft |
| 8 | June 9, 2008 | 16.93 ft |
| 9 | June 17, 1990 | 16.84 ft |
| 10 | July 1, 2014 | 16.64 ft |
| 11 | November 24, 1929 | 16.20 ft |
| 12 | March 29, 1951 | 15.90 ft |
| 13 | March 4, 1949 | 15.52 ft |
| 14 | March 14, 1939 | 15.50 ft |
| 15 | March 30, 1960 | 15.33 ft |
| 16 | July 31, 1943 | 15.30 ft |
| 17 | June 28, 1975 | 14.98 ft |
| 18 | April 26, 2007 | 14.82 ft |
| 19 | June 2, 1945 | 14.70 ft |
| 20 | June 23, 1974 | 14.61 ft |
| 21 | August 16, 1977 | 14.46 ft |
| 22 | April 6, 1965 | 14.43 ft |
| 23 | July 3, 1983 | 14.43 ft |
| 24 | September 17, 1921 | 14.20 ft |
| 25 | June 13, 1984 | 14.19 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 10, 2025: 9.36 ft
- May 9, 2024: 8.90 ft
- February 28, 2023: 9.27 ft
- June 15, 2022: 11.26 ft
- March 5, 2021: 4.83 ft
- May 29, 2020: 9.65 ft
- March 14, 2019: 13.97 ft
- September 6, 2018: 11.10 ft
- May 20, 2017: 7.46 ft
- January 19, 2017: 8.02 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the North Central River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.