Rivers in Iowa
Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28
Below flood stage
26.04ftStage
Observed Sun, Sep 27, 9:46 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 36.00 ft
- Record crest
- 41.31 ft2008
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 40.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 38.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 36.00 ft |
| Action | 34.00 ft |
- 46.20 ftThis is the top of the West Des Moines levee.
- 43.00 ftThis is the top of the Des Moines levee at Iowa 28 and 63rd St.
- 42.00 ftWater is over I-35.
- 41.30 ftWater is at the shoulder of the southbound I-35 exit to Iowa 5.
- 41.00 ftThe levee is closed at Jordan Creek and Iowa 28.
- 40.50 ftWater affects Grand Ave near Raccoon River Regional Park.
- 40.00 ftIowa 28 is closed north of the river. Water affects the berm on the west side of Raccoon River Park...affecting the park and surrounding area.
- 39.60 ftWater affects the rangers residence at Walnut Woods State Park.
- 39.00 ftWater affects businesses...Commerce Dr and Raccoon River Dr from S 88th St to Grand Ave.
- 38.60 ftWater affects several buildings in West Des Moines in Walnut Woods State Park.
- 38.00 ftWater affects primary roads in several locations.
- 36.00 ftWater affects Blue Heron Lake at Raccoon River Park.
- 35.50 ftWater affects Walnut Woods Dr as well as Walnut Woods State Park.
- 30.00 ftThe City of West Des Moines operates the levee system including pumps.
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 September 25, 2026.
Crest history
34 crests on NOAA’s list since 1993.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 13, 2008 | 41.31 ft |
| 2 | July 11, 1993 | 40.77 ft |
| 3 | June 26, 2015 | 40.37 ft |
| 4 | June 16, 1998 | 39.46 ft |
| 5 | May 24, 2004 | 38.22 ft |
| 6 | April 26, 2007 | 37.94 ft |
| 7 | February 19, 1997 | 37.52 ft |
| 8 | December 15, 2015 | 37.43 ft |
| 9 | March 15, 2019 | 37.43 ft |
| 10 | June 28, 2010 | 36.97 ft |
| 11 | June 1, 2013 | 36.25 ft |
| 12 | May 22, 1999 | 35.87 ft |
| 13 | April 28, 2009 | 35.78 ft |
| 14 | May 13, 2005 | 35.35 ft |
| 15 | May 9, 2003 | 35.19 ft |
| 16 | September 1, 2014 | 34.51 ft |
| 17 | June 25, 2018 | 34.04 ft |
| 18 | May 7, 2001 | 33.23 ft |
| 19 | June 22, 1996 | 33.12 ft |
| 20 | June 21, 2011 | 33.01 ft |
| 21 | February 19, 1994 | 32.82 ft |
| 22 | May 21, 2017 | 32.09 ft |
| 23 | May 22, 2024 | 31.92 ft |
| 24 | June 7, 2022 | 31.02 ft |
| 25 | May 29, 1995 | 31.00 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 31, 2025: 29.99 ft
- May 22, 2024: 31.92 ft
- February 28, 2023: 28.39 ft
- June 7, 2022: 31.02 ft
- March 26, 2021: 22.44 ft
- October 12, 2019: 29.95 ft
- March 15, 2019: 37.43 ft
- June 25, 2018: 34.04 ft
- May 21, 2017: 32.09 ft
- December 15, 2015: 37.43 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamRaccoon River at West Des Moines
- DownstreamRaccoon River at Des Moines Fleur Dr
- Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St
- North Walnut Creek at IFC--Windsor Heights College Dr
- North Walnut Creek at IFC--Urbandale Hickman Rd
- Walnut Creek at IFC--Clive NW 100th St
- Walnut Creek at Clive I-80/35
- Des Moines River at Des Moines SE 6th St
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.