Des Moines River at Des Moines SE 6th St
Observed Fri, Sep 25, 9:45 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 24.00 ft
- Record crest
- 35.55 ft2008
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 30.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 26.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 24.00 ft |
| Action | 20.00 ft |
- 37.30 ftThis is the top of the levee on the downstream side of SE 6th St.
- 35.00 ftWater affects the grass bowl of the Simon Estes Amphitheater.
- 34.00 ftWater surrounds Principal Park and approaches its entrances.
- 30.00 ftWater from the Des Moines River causes backwater impacts along portions of Fourmile Creek in the Vandalia Rd and S Pleasant Hill Blvd areas.
- 28.70 ftSimon Estes Amphitheater is inundated up to intersection of the arcing sidewalks.
- 28.50 ftHartford Ave is closed from SE 22nd St to SE 30th Ct.
- 26.30 ftWater affects Arthur St east of Carlisle.
- 25.70 ftWater surrounds the base of Simon Estes Amphitheater.
- 24.00 ftThe bike trail is closed east of Water St. Water affects portions of other bike trails.
Flood outlook
Significant river flooding is possible here through October 1.
Weather conditions indicate that significant flooding could occur; it is neither certain nor imminent.
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 10% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The five-day outlook is from the Weather Prediction Center with the River Forecast Centers. The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 25, 2026.
Crest history
88 crests on NOAA’s list since 1903.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 13, 2008 | 35.55 ft |
| 2 | July 11, 1993 | 34.29 ft |
| 3 | May 31, 1903 | 32.06 ft |
| 4 | June 26, 1947 | 31.96 ft |
| 5 | June 24, 1954 | 31.24 ft |
| 6 | June 26, 2015 | 30.14 ft |
| 7 | July 2, 2010 | 29.83 ft |
| 8 | April 11, 1965 | 29.78 ft |
| 9 | March 16, 2019 | 29.16 ft |
| 10 | March 31, 1951 | 28.91 ft |
| 11 | July 1, 2018 | 28.87 ft |
| 12 | April 2, 1960 | 28.86 ft |
| 13 | May 24, 1944 | 28.76 ft |
| 14 | June 16, 1998 | 28.65 ft |
| 15 | June 19, 1984 | 28.46 ft |
| 16 | May 25, 2004 | 27.71 ft |
| 17 | April 27, 2007 | 27.37 ft |
| 18 | April 3, 1962 | 27.35 ft |
| 19 | July 2, 1986 | 27.31 ft |
| 20 | May 20, 1974 | 27.15 ft |
| 21 | June 10, 1991 | 27.05 ft |
| 22 | June 19, 1990 | 26.95 ft |
| 23 | July 5, 1973 | 26.93 ft |
| 24 | December 15, 2015 | 26.93 ft |
| 25 | March 20, 1948 | 26.85 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 31, 2025: 23.54 ft
- May 22, 2024: 25.22 ft
- March 1, 2023: 21.70 ft
- June 7, 2022: 22.42 ft
- March 27, 2021: 13.54 ft
- October 12, 2019: 23.58 ft
- March 16, 2019: 29.16 ft
- July 1, 2018: 28.87 ft
- May 24, 2017: 24.15 ft
- December 15, 2015: 26.93 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamDes Moines River at Des Moines 2nd Ave
- DownstreamDes Moines River at Swan
- Raccoon River at Des Moines Fleur Dr
- Fourmile Creek at Des Moines Easton Blvd
- Fourmile Creek at IFC--Pleasant Hill Vandalia Rd
- Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St
- Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28
- Fourmile Creek at Altoona I-80
- Fourmile Creek at IFC--Altoona NE 54th Ave
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.