Upper Iowa River at Dorchester
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 2:00 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 14.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 9.70 ftTue, Sep 22, 7:00 PM CDT
- Record crest
- 24.30 ft2016
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 19.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 17.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 14.00 ft |
| Action | 11.00 ft |
- 24.00 ftIowa Highway 76 is overtopped just north of the gage site.
- 22.00 ftIowa Highway 76 south of Dorchester may be threatened by flood waters.
- 15.00 ftSignificant agricultural flooding begins.
- 14.00 ftLowland agricultural areas begin to flood.
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
78 crests on NOAA’s list since 1937.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 25, 2016 | 24.30 ft |
| 2 | June 9, 2008 | 22.46 ft |
| 3 | February 28, 1948 | 22.20 ft |
| 4 | May 30, 1941 | 21.80 ft |
| 5 | March 5, 1937 | 20.89 ft |
| 6 | June 23, 2013 | 20.02 ft |
| 7 | August 17, 1993 | 20.00 ft |
| 8 | March 7, 1950 | 19.34 ft |
| 9 | July 26, 1953 | 19.20 ft |
| 10 | September 6, 1946 | 18.95 ft |
| 11 | March 14, 2019 | 18.40 ft |
| 12 | March 15, 2019 | 18.12 ft |
| 13 | March 17, 1945 | 17.98 ft |
| 14 | March 12, 1976 | 17.67 ft |
| 15 | June 2, 2000 | 17.53 ft |
| 16 | June 13, 1947 | 17.50 ft |
| 17 | June 11, 2018 | 17.46 ft |
| 18 | August 6, 1951 | 17.32 ft |
| 19 | June 30, 1942 | 17.20 ft |
| 20 | March 31, 1993 | 17.16 ft |
| 21 | April 2, 1993 | 16.95 ft |
| 22 | August 19, 2025 | 16.89 ft |
| 23 | March 12, 1939 | 16.80 ft |
| 24 | June 22, 1954 | 16.76 ft |
| 25 | June 29, 1998 | 16.65 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 11, 2026: 14.05 ft
- August 19, 2025: 16.89 ft
- June 25, 2024: 14.97 ft
- February 27, 2023: 12.03 ft
- July 24, 2022: 14.67 ft
- August 30, 2021: 14.07 ft
- June 10, 2020: 13.93 ft
- June 28, 2019: 14.60 ft
- March 15, 2019: 18.12 ft
- March 14, 2019: 18.40 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. Stage may be affected by ice. 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. 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.
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.