Rivers in Iowa
Des Moines River at Ottumwa
Below flood stage
8.13ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 1:50 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 13.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 8.30 ftTue, Sep 22, 1:00 PM CDT
- Record crest
- 22.15 ft1993
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 19.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 15.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 13.00 ft |
| Action | 9.00 ft |
- 25.00 ftThe City of Ottumwa is protected by a 25 foot levee.
- 23.00 ftThe levee opening at the south end of the Market St bridge may need to be planked and sandbagged.
- 22.00 ftSandbagging and planking operations may be needed for openings along Vine St.
- 19.50 ftWater affects the Market St parking lot. The entrance to the Market St bridge is sandbagged.
- 18.50 ftSewer backup will reach the road surface at Market St and Commercial St.
- 18.00 ftWater affects the Fairport area along the railroad tracks. Sandbagging may be needed at the Vine St diversion chamber. Evacuations may begin at the trailer court.
- 17.50 ftSewer backup in basements occurs at businesses along Main St.
- 17.00 ftWater affects Paris St. The Market St bridge is closed.
- 15.00 ftFlooding occurs in rural areas both upstream and downstream of Ottumwa.
- 13.00 ftWater affects Eldon. Water also affects some secondary roads.
- 11.00 ftBear Creek reaches bankfull.
- 10.00 ftSome agricultural flooding begins along most of the reach between Ottumwa and Eldon.
- 9.00 ftSome agricultural flooding begins primarily downstream of Ottumwa.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 6% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
115 crests on NOAA’s list since 1903.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 12, 1993 | 22.15 ft |
| 2 | June 7, 1947 | 20.97 ft |
| 3 | June 17, 2008 | 20.60 ft |
| 4 | May 31, 1903 | 20.23 ft |
| 5 | August 11, 2010 | 20.04 ft |
| 6 | April 11, 1965 | 18.33 ft |
| 7 | May 24, 1944 | 18.27 ft |
| 8 | April 1, 1960 | 18.26 ft |
| 9 | June 28, 1954 | 17.66 ft |
| 10 | June 10, 1917 | 17.63 ft |
| 11 | May 29, 2019 | 16.28 ft |
| 12 | June 28, 1935 | 16.22 ft |
| 13 | April 18, 2013 | 15.99 ft |
| 14 | April 4, 1951 | 15.92 ft |
| 15 | March 6, 1937 | 15.54 ft |
| 16 | March 23, 1948 | 15.51 ft |
| 17 | March 17, 1929 | 15.33 ft |
| 18 | April 6, 1962 | 15.24 ft |
| 19 | May 7, 1919 | 15.23 ft |
| 20 | January 8, 1946 | 15.11 ft |
| 21 | November 26, 1931 | 14.99 ft |
| 22 | June 15, 2011 | 14.90 ft |
| 23 | June 17, 1967 | 14.87 ft |
| 24 | June 10, 1918 | 14.83 ft |
| 25 | April 8, 1933 | 14.68 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 8, 2025: 9.81 ft
- July 31, 2024: 12.32 ft
- March 2, 2023: 10.00 ft
- June 9, 2022: 8.86 ft
- February 28, 2021: 9.04 ft
- March 28, 2020: 11.30 ft
- May 29, 2019: 16.28 ft
- September 6, 2018: 8.96 ft
- April 5, 2017: 12.03 ft
- December 14, 2015: 12.61 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.