West Fork Des Moines River near Avoca
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 12:30 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 1425.0 ft
- Record crest
- 1430.2 ft2018
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 1428.0 ft |
| Moderate flood | 1426.0 ft |
| Minor flood | 1425.0 ft |
| Action | 1423.0 ft |
- 1431.5 ftThe bridges on 260th Ave and also 290th Ave are overtopped.
- 1429.0 ftThe bridge at the gage location on County Rd 6 is overtopped and the lowest portions of 290th Ave and also 61st St begin to flood.
- 1428.0 ftCounty Road 6 and County Road 44 begin to flood, and there is widespread significant flooding of crop and pasture land.
- 1426.0 ftSignificant amounts of crop and pasture land are flooded.
- 1425.0 ftLower pasture and farm land begin flooding.
- 1423.0 ftThe lowest banks begin to be overtopped.
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 August 28, 2026.
Crest history
9 crests on NOAA’s list since 2017.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 5, 2018 | 1430.2 ft |
| 2 | June 24, 2024 | 1429.6 ft |
| 3 | March 25, 2019 | 1428.6 ft |
| 4 | March 6, 2020 | 1426.7 ft |
| 5 | April 15, 2023 | 1425.7 ft |
| 6 | May 16, 2022 | 1424.6 ft |
| 7 | July 2, 2025 | 1423.8 ft |
| 8 | May 23, 2017 | 1423.8 ft |
| 9 | October 29, 2021 | 1422.0 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 2, 2025: 1423.8 ft
- June 24, 2024: 1429.6 ft
- April 15, 2023: 1425.7 ft
- May 16, 2022: 1424.6 ft
- October 29, 2021: 1422.0 ft
- March 6, 2020: 1426.7 ft
- March 25, 2019: 1428.6 ft
- July 5, 2018: 1430.2 ft
- May 23, 2017: 1423.8 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 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. Gauge reading may be affected by ice.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.