Missouri River at St. Joseph
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 2:35 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 17.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 7.50 ftWed, Sep 23, 7:00 PM CDT
- Record crest
- 32.07 ft2019
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 27.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 21.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 17.00 ft |
| Action | 14.00 ft |
- 31.50 ftThe levee system will likely be overtopped, causing flooding in the town of Elwood and the eastern edge of Wathena.
- 30.00 ftSt. Joseph public works building on 3rd Street floods.
- 24.00 ftA residential area in northwest St. Joseph begins to flood.
- 21.00 ftRiverfront Park in St. Joseph begins to flood.
- 19.00 ftBackwater from the Missouri River floods property along the Nodaway river at Nodaway, Missouri.
- 17.00 ftLowland flooding upstream and downstream from St. Joseph occurs.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 39% |
| Moderate flooding | 17% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.
Crest history
164 crests on NOAA’s list since 1844.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 22, 2019 | 32.07 ft |
| 2 | July 26, 1993 | 32.07 ft |
| 3 | June 28, 2011 | 29.97 ft |
| 4 | April 29, 1881 | 27.20 ft |
| 5 | April 22, 1952 | 26.82 ft |
| 6 | June 25, 2010 | 26.17 ft |
| 7 | March 3, 1979 | 25.78 ft |
| 8 | October 13, 1973 | 25.63 ft |
| 9 | June 16, 1984 | 25.60 ft |
| 10 | May 7, 2007 | 25.26 ft |
| 11 | June 12, 2008 | 25.10 ft |
| 12 | October 3, 2019 | 24.74 ft |
| 13 | May 1, 1844 | 24.50 ft |
| 14 | October 10, 2018 | 23.99 ft |
| 15 | May 14, 1995 | 23.84 ft |
| 16 | January 26, 1987 | 23.80 ft |
| 17 | June 16, 1998 | 23.69 ft |
| 18 | July 4, 2024 | 23.45 ft |
| 19 | May 28, 1996 | 23.39 ft |
| 20 | June 12, 2015 | 22.99 ft |
| 21 | June 26, 1883 | 22.80 ft |
| 22 | May 22, 1999 | 22.61 ft |
| 23 | June 13, 1967 | 22.60 ft |
| 24 | May 31, 2013 | 22.55 ft |
| 25 | September 10, 1989 | 22.54 ft |
Most recent crests
- June 5, 2026: 19.48 ft
- May 19, 2026: 18.52 ft
- July 4, 2024: 23.45 ft
- May 23, 2024: 18.65 ft
- May 7, 2024: 17.26 ft
- June 25, 2021: 20.40 ft
- May 27, 2020: 19.55 ft
- October 3, 2019: 24.74 ft
- March 22, 2019: 32.07 ft
- December 2, 2018: 19.02 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. Stage may be affected by ice. 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.
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.