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Chariton River near Moulton

Highest listed crest 45.00 ftFlood stage 36.0 ft48 crests since 1947

The Chariton River near Moulton crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 48 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1947 to 2025. The highest, 45.00 ft on June 1, 1947, was major flooding, 9.00 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Chariton River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
45.00 ft
June 1, 1947
Flood stage
36.0 ft
Major flooding from 38.0 ft
Crests at major
1
93rd of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
June 25, 2015
36.22 ft, minor flooding
Location
Appanoose County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Chariton River near Moulton
Action stage33.022Aug 7, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)36.04Jun 25, 2015Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage37.02Jul 21, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage38.01Jun 1, 1947Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

48 crests from 1947 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Chariton River near Moulton, 1947 to 2025 202530354045ft Flood stage 36.0 ftMajor 38.0 ft Jun 1, 1947: 45.00 ft, major floodingJun 4, 1980: 35.17 ft, action stage; 7,660 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1981: 36.17 ft, minor flooding; 9,250 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1982: 36.83 ft, minor flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1983: 34.16 ft, action stage; 6,470 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1984: 32.51 ft, below flood stage; 5,070 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1985: 32.79 ft, below flood stage; 5,280 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1986: 34.16 ft, action stage; 5,900 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1986: 31.45 ft, below flood stage; 4,300 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1987: 27.07 ft, below flood stage; 2,270 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1989: 28.13 ft, below flood stage; 2,690 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1990: 32.33 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1991: 33.01 ft, action stage; 5,450 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1992: 34.34 ft, action stage; 6,670 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1993: 34.18 ft, action stage; 6,500 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1994: 29.93 ft, below flood stage; 3,490 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1995: 34.60 ft, action stage; 6,190 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1996: 35.12 ft, action stage; 6,680 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1997: 31.88 ft, below flood stage; 3,990 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1998: 32.36 ft, below flood stage; 4,330 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1998: 33.85 ft, action stage; 5,520 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2000: 28.49 ft, below flood stage; 2,240 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2001: 34.27 ft, action stage; 6,390 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2002: 33.25 ft, action stage; 5,020 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2003: 27.79 ft, below flood stage; 2,320 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2004: 34.35 ft, action stage; 5,760 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2005: 32.24 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2006: 20.57 ft, below flood stage; 349 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2007: 37.94 ft, moderate flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2008: 35.81 ft, action stage; 10,300 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 2008: 33.71 ft, action stageMay 16, 2009: 33.51 ft, action stage; 5,760 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2010: 37.12 ft, moderate flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2011: 35.64 ft, action stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2012: 23.92 ft, below flood stage; 1,120 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2013: 36.56 ft, minor flooding; 16,900 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2014: 33.63 ft, action stage; 5,950 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2015: 36.22 ft, minor floodingDec 14, 2015: 34.42 ft, action stage; 7,010 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2017: 31.35 ft, below flood stage; 3,380 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2018: 21.69 ft, below flood stage; 597 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2019: 35.55 ft, action stageMay 29, 2020: 32.69 ft, below flood stage; 4,480 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 2021: 34.06 ft, action stage; 6,410 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2021: 29.69 ft, below flood stage; 2,890 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2023: 26.25 ft, below flood stage; 1,750 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2024: 35.10 ft, action stage; 9,120 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 2025: 33.92 ft, action stage; 6,740 cubic feet per second Highest, 45.00 ft, Jun 1, 1947 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Chariton River near Moulton 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 2 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 0 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Chariton River near Moulton
1Jun 1, 194745.00+9.00Major—
2Aug 25, 200737.94+1.94Moderate21,200
3Jul 21, 201037.12+1.12Moderate14,500
4Jul 16, 198236.83+0.83Minor11,200
5Apr 18, 201336.56+0.56Minor16,900
6Jun 25, 201536.22+0.22Minor—
7Jul 5, 198136.17+0.17Minor9,250
8Jul 9, 200835.81−0.19Action10,300
9Jun 27, 201135.64−0.36Action10,400
10May 29, 201935.55−0.45Action—
11Jun 4, 198035.17−0.83Action7,660
12May 27, 199635.12−0.88Action6,680
13May 3, 202435.10−0.90Action9,120
14May 24, 199534.60−1.40Action6,190
15Dec 14, 201534.42−1.58Action7,010
16May 30, 200434.35−1.65Action5,760
17Apr 11, 199234.34−1.66Action6,670
18Mar 15, 200134.27−1.73Action6,390
19Jul 8, 199334.18−1.82Action6,500
20Apr 2, 198334.16−1.84Action6,470
21May 17, 198634.16−1.84Action5,900
22Jul 15, 202134.06−1.94Action6,410
23Aug 7, 202533.92−2.08Action6,740
24Oct 5, 199833.85−2.15Action5,520
25Dec 27, 200833.71−2.29Action—
26Sep 10, 201433.63−2.37Action5,950
27May 16, 200933.51−2.49Action5,760
28May 12, 200233.25−2.75Action5,020
29May 5, 199133.01−2.99Action5,450
30Mar 4, 198532.79−3.21Below flood stage5,280
31May 29, 202032.69−3.31Below flood stage4,480
32Jun 10, 198432.51−3.49Below flood stage5,070
33Jun 19, 199832.36−3.64Below flood stage4,330
34May 25, 199032.33−3.67Below flood stage4,540
35Apr 12, 200532.24−3.76Below flood stage4,540
36Feb 21, 199731.88−4.12Below flood stage3,990
37Oct 3, 198631.45−4.55Below flood stage4,300
38Apr 5, 201731.35−4.65Below flood stage3,380
39Jul 8, 199429.93−6.07Below flood stage3,490
40Nov 11, 202129.69−6.31Below flood stage2,890
41Jun 26, 200028.49−7.51Below flood stage2,240
42Sep 9, 198928.13−7.87Below flood stage2,690
43Jun 26, 200327.79−8.21Below flood stage2,320
44Nov 28, 198727.07−8.93Below flood stage2,270
45Mar 2, 202326.25−9.75Below flood stage1,750
46May 4, 201223.92−12.08Below flood stage1,120
47Sep 8, 201821.69−14.31Below flood stage597
48Mar 13, 200620.57−15.43Below flood stage349

The worst floods along the Chariton River

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

June 1, 1947: 45.00 ft here, major flooding

  • NovingerMO · Jun 7, 1947 · 28.50 ft · Major
  • CharitonIA · Jun 5, 1947 · 21.65 ft · Minor

July 21, 2010: 37.12 ft here, moderate flooding

  • NovingerMO · Jul 21, 2010 · 28.36 ft · Major
  • Prairie HillMO · Jul 23, 2010 · 23.23 ft · Major
  • CharitonIA · Jul 20, 2010 · 20.23 ft · Minor

July 16, 1982: 36.83 ft here, minor flooding

  • Prairie HillMO · Jul 20, 1982 · 19.86 ft · Moderate
  • NovingerMO · Jul 16, 1982 · 21.37 ft · Minor
  • CharitonIA · Jul 16, 1982 · 19.85 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Chariton River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Chariton River
CharitonIA19.529.32 ft, Sep 15, 19921
Rathbun ReservoirIA926.0927.16 ft, Jul 28, 19930
Moulton this gaugeIA36.045.00 ft, Jun 1, 19471
NovingerMO20.028.60 ft, Jun 1, 191712
Prairie HillMO15.024.26 ft, May 31, 201923

Other gauges in Appanoose County

Flood gauges in Appanoose County
Rathbun Reservoir926.0927.16 ft, Jul 28, 19930

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MOLI4, 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.