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Cedar River at Cedar Falls

Highest listed crest 102.10 ftFlood stage 89.0 ft21 crests since 1961

The Cedar River at Cedar Falls crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 21 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1961 to 2025. The highest, 102.10 ft on June 10, 2008, was major flooding, 13.10 feet above flood stage. 11 other gauges on the Cedar River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 8 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
102.10 ft
June 10, 2008
Flood stage
89.0 ft
Major flooding from 94.0 ft
Crests at major
7
35th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
August 1, 2025
90.89 ft, minor flooding
Location
Black Hawk County
Near Cedar Falls (1.4 mi), Waterloo (5.6 mi), Waverly (12.8 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Cedar River at Cedar Falls
Action stage85.02Apr 15, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)89.08Aug 1, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage92.03Jun 26, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage94.07Mar 17, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

21 crests from 1961 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cedar River at Cedar Falls, 1961 to 2025 80859095100105ft Flood stage 89.0 ftMajor 94.0 ft Mar 21, 1961: 96.10 ft, major flooding; 76,700 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1999: 96.20 ft, major flooding; 69,300 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2005: 90.07 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 2008: 102.10 ft, major floodingMay 30, 2009: 88.01 ft, action stageMar 15, 2010: 93.65 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 2011: 91.84 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 2012: 84.39 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 2013: 93.85 ft, moderate flooding; 45,800 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2014: 94.55 ft, major flooding; 51,200 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2015: 89.43 ft, minor flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2016: 98.90 ft, major flooding; 83,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2017: 89.90 ft, minor flooding; 22,100 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2018: 95.36 ft, major flooding; 53,500 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2019: 95.05 ft, major flooding; 51,200 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2020: 91.78 ft, minor flooding; 30,900 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 2021: 91.43 ft, minor flooding; 29,100 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2022: 85.96 ft, action stage; 13,100 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2023: 90.13 ft, minor flooding; 23,100 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2024: 93.73 ft, moderate flooding; 42,200 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 2025: 90.89 ft, minor flooding; 26,500 cubic feet per second Highest, 102.10 ft, Jun 10, 2008 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cedar River at Cedar Falls 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 2 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 5 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Cedar River at Cedar Falls
1Jun 10, 2008102.10+13.10Major—
2Sep 24, 201698.90+9.90Major83,900
3Jul 23, 199996.20+7.20Major69,300
4Mar 21, 196196.10+7.10Major76,700
5Sep 23, 201895.36+6.36Major53,500
6Mar 17, 201995.05+6.05Major51,200
7Jun 22, 201494.55+5.55Major51,200
8May 31, 201393.85+4.85Moderate45,800
9Jun 26, 202493.73+4.73Moderate42,200
10Mar 15, 201093.65+4.65Moderate—
11Mar 25, 201191.84+2.84Minor—
12Jun 24, 202091.78+2.78Minor30,900
13Aug 31, 202191.43+2.43Minor29,100
14Aug 1, 202590.89+1.89Minor26,500
15Mar 2, 202390.13+1.13Minor23,100
16Jun 30, 200590.07+1.07Minor—
17Feb 24, 201789.90+0.90Minor22,100
18Jun 26, 201589.43+0.43Minor20,300
19May 30, 200988.01−0.99Action—
20Apr 15, 202285.96−3.04Action13,100
21May 8, 201284.39−4.61Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Cedar River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Cedar River that crested above flood stage within a week.

June 10, 2008: 102.10 ft here, major flooding

  • Cedar RapidsIA · Jun 13, 2008 · 31.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • WaterlooIA · Jun 11, 2008 · 27.01 ft · Major · its highest
  • Charles CityIA · Jun 9, 2008 · 25.33 ft · Major · its highest
  • VintonIA · Jun 12, 2008 · 24.70 ft · Major · its highest
  • ConesvilleIA · Jun 15, 2008 · 23.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • PaloIA · Jun 13, 2008 · 23.22 ft · Major · its highest
  • AustinMN · Jun 12, 2008 · 22.40 ft · Major
  • JanesvilleIA · Jun 10, 2008 · 19.45 ft · Major · its highest
  • WaverlyIA · Jun 10, 2008 · 19.33 ft · Major · its highest
  • LansingMN · Jun 12, 2008 · 20.55 ft · Moderate

September 24, 2016: 98.90 ft here, major flooding

  • WaterlooIA · Sep 24, 2016 · 22.95 ft · Major
  • Cedar RapidsIA · Sep 27, 2016 · 21.97 ft · Major
  • VintonIA · Sep 26, 2016 · 21.80 ft · Major
  • Charles CityIA · Sep 24, 2016 · 21.00 ft · Major
  • PaloIA · Sep 27, 2016 · 18.07 ft · Major
  • ConesvilleIA · Sep 29, 2016 · 18.06 ft · Major
  • Cedar BluffIA · Sep 28, 2016 · 24.70 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • LansingMN · Sep 22, 2016 · 20.33 ft · Moderate
  • AustinMN · Sep 23, 2016 · 19.80 ft · Moderate
  • JanesvilleIA · Sep 24, 2016 · 16.27 ft · Moderate

July 23, 1999: 96.20 ft here, major flooding

  • Charles CityIA · Jul 21, 1999 · 22.81 ft · Major
  • Cedar RapidsIA · Jul 25, 1999 · 18.31 ft · Major
  • ConesvilleIA · Jul 28, 1999 · 16.80 ft · Major
  • WaterlooIA · Jul 23, 1999 · 20.78 ft · Moderate
  • VintonIA · Jul 24, 1999 · 18.00 ft · Moderate
  • JanesvilleIA · Jul 22, 1999 · 17.15 ft · Moderate
  • AustinMN · Jul 19, 1999 · 14.54 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Cedar River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Cedar River
AustinMN15.025.00 ft, Sep 16, 20047
Cedar BluffIA16.024.70 ft, Sep 28, 20160
Cedar Falls this gaugeIA89.0102.10 ft, Jun 10, 20087
Cedar RapidsIA12.031.12 ft, Jun 13, 200827
Charles CityIA12.025.33 ft, Jun 9, 200816
JanesvilleIA13.019.45 ft, Jun 10, 20081
PaloIA12.523.22 ft, Jun 13, 20082
VintonIA15.024.70 ft, Jun 12, 20084
WaterlooIA13.027.01 ft, Jun 11, 20084
WaverlyIA12.019.33 ft, Jun 10, 20081
AustinMN10.023.26 ft, Sep 16, 20040
ConesvilleIA13.023.40 ft, Jun 15, 200812
LansingMN18.022.98 ft, Sep 15, 20041
Otranto (IFC)IA1,141.01,148.60 ft, Sep 23, 20160
St. Ansgar (IFC)IA1,104.01,109.48 ft, Jun 23, 20240

Other gauges in Black Hawk County

Flood gauges in Black Hawk County
Hudson15.019.03 ft, Apr 25, 20081
Waterloo13.027.01 ft, Jun 11, 20084
Finchford17.020.82 ft, Jun 10, 20081

Black Hawk County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Iowa

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CEDI4, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.