West Fork Des Moines River at Jackson
Observed Sat, Sep 26, 9:00 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 12.00 ft
- Record crest
- 16.04 ft2024
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 14.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 12.50 ft |
| Minor flood | 12.00 ft |
| Action | 10.00 ft |
- 19.00 ftThe bridge on Hwy 71 in Jackson is overtopped.
- 17.50 ftThe highest levees in Jackson are overtopped causing major flooding of roads, homes, and businesses in Jackson.
- 15.00 ftThe low portions of River St begin to flood.
- 14.00 ftHighway 71 will begin flooding, and flooding begins to affect homes and businesses along the non-leveed portions of the river in Jackson. Most of Ashley Park is flooded and the baseball fields are under 3-4 feet of water.
- 13.50 ftThe lower levees in Jackson are overtopped. Water begins to approach the edge of Highway 71 in Jackson and may approach some structures. Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on W Ashley St.
- 12.50 ftThe parks and softball fields in Jackson begin to flood.
- 12.00 ftSome township roads may begin flooding and flooding of crop and pasture lands becomes more widespread. Portions of the bike trail in Jackson along the river begin to flood.
- 10.00 ftFlooding of lowland agricultural areas and low-water crossings begins.
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
9 crests on NOAA’s list since 2017.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 26, 2024 | 16.04 ft |
| 2 | March 24, 2019 | 14.08 ft |
| 3 | July 8, 2018 | 13.92 ft |
| 4 | April 18, 2023 | 10.77 ft |
| 5 | April 4, 2020 | 10.64 ft |
| 6 | May 26, 2017 | 10.50 ft |
| 7 | June 14, 2022 | 10.36 ft |
| 8 | July 5, 2025 | 9.54 ft |
| 9 | April 12, 2021 | 9.02 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 5, 2025: 9.54 ft
- June 26, 2024: 16.04 ft
- April 18, 2023: 10.77 ft
- June 14, 2022: 10.36 ft
- April 12, 2021: 9.02 ft
- April 4, 2020: 10.64 ft
- March 24, 2019: 14.08 ft
- July 8, 2018: 13.92 ft
- May 26, 2017: 10.50 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. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Gauge reading may be affected by ice.
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.