Rivers in Iowa
Black Hawk Creek at Hudson
Below flood stage
8.86ftStage
Observed Sat, Sep 26, 8:45 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 15.00 ft
- Record crest
- 19.03 ft2008
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 19.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 16.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 15.00 ft |
| Action | 14.00 ft |
- 23.40 ftWater reaches the bottom of the Iowa 58 bridge.
- 19.00 ftWater reaches the top of the levee at Waterloo.
- 18.80 ftWater affects the Falls Ave bridge in Waterloo.
- 18.00 ftWater affects Hudson...including the 800 block of Dale Dr.
- 16.00 ftWater closes Ranchero Rd in Waterloo. Some residential evacuations may occur.
- 15.00 ftWater affects Iowa 58 as well as Fletcher Ave and Ridgeway Ave at US 63 in Waterloo. Water also affects Watters Rd. Some residential evacuations may be needed.
- 14.50 ftWater affects portions of Ranchero Rd west of US 63.
- 12.00 ftStorm sewers in Waterloo back up.
- 10.00 ftA few thousand acres of agricultural land west of Hudson are under water.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 15% |
| 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
75 crests on NOAA’s list since 1952.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 25, 2008 | 19.03 ft |
| 2 | May 30, 2013 | 18.96 ft |
| 3 | July 1, 2014 | 18.50 ft |
| 4 | July 9, 1969 | 18.23 ft |
| 5 | June 23, 2020 | 18.12 ft |
| 6 | March 15, 2019 | 17.43 ft |
| 7 | June 17, 1990 | 17.32 ft |
| 8 | July 9, 1993 | 16.94 ft |
| 9 | March 31, 1960 | 16.93 ft |
| 10 | June 22, 1974 | 16.84 ft |
| 11 | December 15, 2015 | 16.82 ft |
| 12 | September 5, 2018 | 16.82 ft |
| 13 | February 20, 1971 | 16.70 ft |
| 14 | March 19, 1979 | 16.59 ft |
| 15 | April 29, 1991 | 16.55 ft |
| 16 | March 27, 1959 | 16.48 ft |
| 17 | May 23, 2004 | 16.42 ft |
| 18 | April 6, 1965 | 16.35 ft |
| 19 | March 14, 1971 | 16.35 ft |
| 20 | February 2, 1973 | 16.33 ft |
| 21 | March 12, 2010 | 16.19 ft |
| 22 | February 11, 2009 | 15.90 ft |
| 23 | March 9, 2009 | 15.86 ft |
| 24 | August 22, 2007 | 15.82 ft |
| 25 | March 28, 1962 | 15.70 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 27, 2025: 13.31 ft
- February 28, 2023: 12.77 ft
- February 16, 2023: 13.47 ft
- July 10, 2022: 11.81 ft
- March 8, 2021: 10.54 ft
- June 23, 2020: 18.12 ft
- March 15, 2019: 17.43 ft
- September 5, 2018: 16.82 ft
- January 21, 2017: 14.63 ft
- December 15, 2015: 16.82 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.