Des Moines River

River in Iowa, read from 14 USGS gauges, draining about 14,038 square miles. Figures refresh every fifteen minutes.

Discharge

25,600

cfs · 1h ago

Normal for today

1,660

cfs median, 57 yrs

Water temp

°F · 1h ago

Gage height

17.17

Above normal for the date1542% of medianUSGS gauge 05490500

Thirty-day mean discharge · 9,180–28,900 cfsdashed line: today’s long-term median

Gauges on this water

Reading by reach

Station	Flow	Temp	Updated
Des Moines River at Keosauqua, IA05490500	25,600 cfs	66°F	1h ago
Des Moines River at Ottumwa, IA05489500	25,200 cfs	67°F	8 min ago
Des Moines River near Tracy, IA05488500	24,800 cfs	—	1h ago

Reading the number

On this date the gauge has averaged 1,660 cfs over 57 years of record, with the middle half of years falling between 572 and 5,720 cfs. Today is above that band, so expect more push and colour than a typical October day here.

Reports

From anglers on Des Moines River

No reports filed here yet. The first one becomes the page’s local knowledge, stamped with the flow at the time. File a report.