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Cedar River at Charles City

Highest listed crest 25.33 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft78 crests since 1933

The Cedar River at Charles City crested at major flood stage 16 times among the 78 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1933 to 2026. The highest, 25.33 ft on June 9, 2008, was major flooding, 13.33 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
25.33 ft
June 9, 2008; 34,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
16
15th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
July 10, 2026
17.54 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Floyd County
Iowa

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 Charles City
Action stage9.015Feb 28, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.021Aug 20, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.013Jul 10, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.016Jun 24, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

78 crests from 1933 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cedar River at Charles City, 1933 to 2026 0102030ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Mar 17, 1933: 21.20 ft, major floodingSep 7, 1946: 16.05 ft, moderate flooding; 15,100 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1947: 10.44 ft, action stage; 7,470 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1948: 17.00 ft, moderate flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1949: 13.00 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1950: 18.30 ft, major flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1951: 18.90 ft, major flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1952: 14.60 ft, minor flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1953: 14.35 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1954: 16.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 27, 1961: 21.60 ft, major flooding; 29,200 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1962: 18.00 ft, major flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1962: 14.80 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1965: 21.64 ft, major floodingApr 7, 1965: 19.14 ft, major flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1966: 10.15 ft, action stage; 7,180 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1967: 8.49 ft, below flood stage; 5,310 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1968: 9.24 ft, action stage; 6,080 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1969: 17.96 ft, moderate flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1970: 4.85 ft, below flood stage; 2,070 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1971: 12.11 ft, minor flooding; 9,090 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 1972: 8.99 ft, below flood stage; 5,750 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1973: 14.96 ft, minor flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1974: 11.34 ft, action stage; 8,220 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1975: 12.04 ft, minor flooding; 9,260 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1976: 10.62 ft, action stage; 7,640 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1978: 13.15 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1979: 14.93 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1980: 13.86 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 1981: 10.86 ft, action stage; 7,930 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1982: 9.44 ft, action stage; 5,740 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1983: 12.11 ft, minor flooding; 9,440 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1984: 11.42 ft, action stage; 8,600 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1985: 5.88 ft, below flood stage; 2,860 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1986: 13.67 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1988: 5.71 ft, below flood stage; 1,440 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1990: 14.24 ft, minor flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1991: 14.29 ft, minor flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1992: 9.88 ft, action stage; 6,810 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 18.75 ft, major flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1993: 21.44 ft, major flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1994: 8.29 ft, below flood stage; 5,110 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1995: 6.97 ft, below flood stage; 3,830 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1996: 6.91 ft, below flood stage; 3,770 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1997: 12.54 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1998: 9.89 ft, action stage; 6,820 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1999: 22.81 ft, major flooding; 31,200 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2000: 13.74 ft, minor floodingJul 12, 2000: 17.58 ft, moderate flooding; 17,800 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2001: 17.79 ft, moderate flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2002: 5.28 ft, below flood stage; 2,370 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2003: 8.08 ft, below flood stage; 5,000 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2004: 16.50 ft, moderate flooding; 15,966 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2004: 20.33 ft, major flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2005: 8.67 ft, below flood stage; 5,500 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2006: 11.76 ft, action stage; 9,390 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2007: 10.93 ft, action stage; 8,020 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2008: 25.33 ft, major flooding; 34,600 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2008: 20.12 ft, major flooding; 21,631 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 2009: 8.63 ft, below flood stage; 5,230 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2010: 15.64 ft, moderate flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2011: 15.41 ft, moderate flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2012: 5.99 ft, below flood stage; 3,100 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2013: 19.52 ft, major flooding; 20,628 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2014: 16.82 ft, moderate flooding; 16,478 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2015: 14.27 ft, minor flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2016: 12.96 ft, minor flooding; 11,043 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2016: 21.00 ft, major flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 2016: 12.01 ft, minor flooding; 9,810 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 2018: 13.84 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 15.79 ft, moderate flooding; 14,829 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2020: 11.92 ft, action stage; 9,970 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2021: 16.27 ft, moderate flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2022: 9.24 ft, action stage; 6,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2023: 11.44 ft, action stage; 9,200 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2024: 21.57 ft, major floodingAug 20, 2025: 13.48 ft, minor flooding; 11,622 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2026: 17.54 ft, moderate flooding; 17,361 cubic feet per second Highest, 25.33 ft, Jun 9, 2008 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cedar River at Charles City 1930s: 1 1940s: 3 1950s: 5 1960s: 6 1970s: 5 1980s: 3 1990s: 6 2000s: 7 2010s: 10 10 2020s: 4 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 78 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cedar River at Charles City
1Jun 9, 200825.33+13.33Major34,600
2Jul 21, 199922.81+10.81Major31,200
3Mar 2, 196521.64+9.64Major—
4Mar 27, 196121.60+9.60Major29,200
5Jun 24, 202421.57+9.57Major—
6Aug 16, 199321.44+9.44Major26,400
7Mar 17, 193321.20+9.20Major—
8Sep 24, 201621.00+9.00Major23,400
9Sep 17, 200420.33+8.33Major19,200
10Jun 14, 200820.12+8.12Major21,631
11May 21, 201319.52+7.52Major20,628
12Apr 7, 196519.14+7.14Major21,000
13Apr 8, 195118.90+6.90Major21,400
14Apr 1, 199318.75+6.75Major18,600
15Mar 28, 195018.30+6.30Major20,000
16Mar 30, 196218.00+6.00Major18,500
17Jun 30, 196917.96+5.96Moderate16,700
18Apr 8, 200117.79+5.79Moderate18,200
19Jul 12, 200017.58+5.58Moderate17,800
20Jul 10, 202617.54+5.54Moderate17,361
21Feb 28, 194817.00+5.00Moderate16,500
22Jun 20, 201416.82+4.82Moderate16,478
23May 23, 200416.50+4.50Moderate15,966
24Aug 29, 202116.27+4.27Moderate15,500
25Jun 21, 195416.10+4.10Moderate—
26Sep 7, 194616.05+4.05Moderate15,100
27Mar 16, 201915.79+3.79Moderate14,829
28Sep 26, 201015.64+3.64Moderate14,600
29Mar 24, 201115.41+3.41Moderate14,700
30Apr 17, 197314.96+2.96Minor12,500
31Mar 31, 197914.93+2.93Minor13,400
32Aug 31, 196214.80+2.80Minor—
33Apr 1, 195214.60+2.60Minor12,600
34Aug 4, 195314.35+2.35Minor12,300
35May 19, 199114.29+2.29Minor11,600
36Jun 23, 201514.27+2.27Minor12,700
37Jul 30, 199014.24+2.24Minor11,300
38Aug 10, 198013.86+1.86Minor11,800
39Sep 22, 201813.84+1.84Minor12,300
40Jun 3, 200013.74+1.74Minor—
41Mar 19, 198613.67+1.67Minor11,500
42Aug 20, 202513.48+1.48Minor11,622
43Jul 19, 197813.15+1.15Minor10,800
44Mar 6, 194913.00+1.00Minor10,800
45Aug 25, 201612.96+0.96Minor11,043
46Mar 12, 199712.54+0.54Minor10,000
47Apr 1, 197112.11+0.11Minor9,090
48Mar 7, 198312.11+0.11Minor9,440
49Apr 29, 197512.04+0.04Minor9,260
50Oct 27, 201612.01+0.01Minor9,810

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 9, 2008: 25.33 ft here, major flooding

  • Cedar FallsIA · Jun 10, 2008 · 102.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • Cedar RapidsIA · Jun 13, 2008 · 31.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • WaterlooIA · Jun 11, 2008 · 27.01 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

July 21, 1999: 22.81 ft here, major flooding

  • Cedar FallsIA · Jul 23, 1999 · 96.20 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

March 2, 1965: 21.64 ft here, major flooding

  • JanesvilleIA · Mar 3, 1965 · 16.33 ft · Moderate
  • AustinMN · Mar 1, 1965 · 18.87 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 FallsIA89.0102.10 ft, Jun 10, 20087
Cedar RapidsIA12.031.12 ft, Jun 13, 200827
Charles City this gaugeIA12.025.33 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 Floyd County

Flood gauges in Floyd County
Colwell (IFC)1,089.01,090.18 ft, May 31, 20130
Orchard (IFC)1,034.51,040.79 ft, Jun 23, 20243
Orchard (IFC)1,099.51,103.91 ft, Jun 20, 20141

Floyd County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Iowa

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CCYI4, 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.