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Des Moines River at Ottumwa

Highest listed crest 22.15 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft115 crests since 1903

The Des Moines River at Ottumwa crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 115 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1903 to 2025. The highest, 22.15 ft on July 12, 1993, was major flooding, 9.15 feet above flood stage. 7 other gauges on the Des Moines River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.15 ft
July 12, 1993; 112,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
5
49th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
May 29, 2019
16.28 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Wapello County
Near Ottumwa (1.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Des Moines River at Ottumwa
Action stage9.053Aug 8, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.021Jun 26, 2015Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.015May 29, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.05Aug 11, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

115 crests from 1903 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Des Moines River at Ottumwa, 1903 to 2025 510152025ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft May 31, 1903: 20.23 ft, major flooding; 140,000 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1917: 17.63 ft, moderate flooding; 62,200 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1918: 14.83 ft, minor flooding; 43,500 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1919: 15.23 ft, moderate flooding; 45,900 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1920: 13.23 ft, minor flooding; 35,700 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1921: 13.03 ft, minor flooding; 34,800 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1922: 11.33 ft, action stage; 28,000 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1923: 11.13 ft, action stage; 27,300 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1924: 13.63 ft, minor flooding; 37,600 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1925: 7.83 ft, below flood stage; 14,900 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1926: 13.33 ft, minor flooding; 36,200 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1927: 13.83 ft, minor flooding; 38,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1928: 10.43 ft, action stage; 24,500 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1929: 15.33 ft, moderate flooding; 46,700 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1930: 11.43 ft, action stage; 28,400 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1931: 8.09 ft, below flood stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1931: 14.99 ft, minor flooding; 35,100 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1933: 14.68 ft, minor flooding; 35,400 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1934: 5.16 ft, below flood stage; 5,020 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1935: 16.22 ft, moderate flooding; 53,200 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1936: 10.27 ft, action stage; 27,800 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1937: 15.54 ft, moderate flooding; 50,300 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 1938: 9.59 ft, action stage; 25,300 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1939: 13.24 ft, minor flooding; 39,800 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1940: 6.34 ft, below flood stage; 14,000 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1941: 9.10 ft, action stage; 22,800 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 1941: 10.73 ft, action stage; 29,000 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1943: 11.47 ft, action stage; 32,100 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1944: 18.27 ft, moderate flooding; 73,200 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1945: 14.21 ft, minor flooding; 42,500 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 15.11 ft, moderate flooding; 46,600 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1947: 20.97 ft, major flooding; 135,000 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1948: 15.51 ft, moderate flooding; 52,900 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1949: 11.61 ft, action stage; 31,300 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1950: 12.45 ft, action stage; 34,600 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1951: 15.92 ft, moderate flooding; 55,200 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1952: 14.15 ft, minor flooding; 42,500 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1953: 11.28 ft, action stage; 29,400 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1954: 17.66 ft, moderate flooding; 61,400 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1955: 6.56 ft, below flood stage; 13,800 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1956: 5.16 ft, below flood stage; 9,720 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1957: 8.86 ft, below flood stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1958: 11.63 ft, action stage; 33,500 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1959: 12.89 ft, action stage; 38,600 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1960: 18.26 ft, moderate flooding; 70,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1961: 14.47 ft, minor flooding; 41,400 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1962: 15.24 ft, moderate flooding; 51,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1963: 9.39 ft, action stage; 22,700 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1964: 9.91 ft, action stage; 26,200 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1965: 18.33 ft, moderate flooding; 78,600 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1966: 11.65 ft, action stage; 32,000 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1967: 14.87 ft, minor flooding; 48,600 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1968: 8.28 ft, below flood stage; 20,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1969: 11.63 ft, action stage; 32,200 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1970: 8.64 ft, below flood stage; 21,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1971: 13.12 ft, minor flooding; 41,800 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1972: 8.70 ft, below flood stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1973: 11.45 ft, action stage; 33,600 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1974: 10.41 ft, action stageJun 9, 1974: 10.33 ft, action stage; 29,900 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1975: 9.13 ft, action stage; 24,900 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1976: 13.26 ft, minor flooding; 40,600 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 1977: 6.72 ft, below flood stage; 16,400 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1978: 9.62 ft, action stage; 26,600 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1979: 11.34 ft, action stage; 33,400 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1980: 9.98 ft, action stage; 26,500 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1981: 9.53 ft, action stage; 25,200 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1982: 14.46 ft, minor flooding; 45,300 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1983: 12.72 ft, action stage; 37,800 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1984: 14.64 ft, minor flooding; 47,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1985: 9.79 ft, action stage; 22,300 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1986: 12.30 ft, action stage; 33,300 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1987: 10.96 ft, action stage; 30,700 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1987: 5.76 ft, below flood stage; 13,100 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1989: 6.39 ft, below flood stage; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1990: 11.26 ft, action stage; 31,700 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1991: 13.07 ft, minor flooding; 37,400 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1992: 11.75 ft, action stage; 32,100 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1993: 22.15 ft, major flooding; 112,000 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1993: 11.95 ft, action stageMar 9, 1994: 10.03 ft, action stage; 22,900 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1995: 11.45 ft, action stage; 32,000 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1996: 11.84 ft, action stage; 36,100 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1997: 11.02 ft, action stage; 32,100 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1998: 13.40 ft, minor flooding; 46,200 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1999: 11.68 ft, action stage; 37,600 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2000: 12.07 ft, action stage; 38,800 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2001: 11.42 ft, action stage; 35,800 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2001: 11.44 ft, action stageMay 11, 2002: 8.22 ft, below flood stage; 22,900 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2003: 8.05 ft, below flood stage; 22,400 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2004: 8.93 ft, below flood stageJun 14, 2004: 8.81 ft, below flood stage; 25,400 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2005: 8.98 ft, below flood stage; 25,700 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2006: 7.29 ft, below flood stage; 19,000 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 2007: 11.13 ft, action stage; 35,100 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2008: 20.60 ft, major flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2009: 11.07 ft, action stageApr 30, 2009: 10.90 ft, action stage; 34,700 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 2010: 20.04 ft, major flooding; 85,100 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2011: 14.90 ft, minor flooding; 49,400 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2012: 10.94 ft, action stage; 28,400 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2013: 15.99 ft, moderate flooding; 50,200 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2014: 12.17 ft, action stage; 33,600 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2015: 13.74 ft, minor flooding; 42,700 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2015: 12.61 ft, action stage; 38,400 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2017: 12.03 ft, action stage; 36,200 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2018: 8.96 ft, below flood stage; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2019: 16.28 ft, moderate flooding; 57,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2020: 11.30 ft, action stage; 31,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2021: 9.04 ft, action stage; 26,100 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2022: 8.86 ft, below flood stage; 24,300 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2023: 10.00 ft, action stage; 29,400 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2024: 12.32 ft, action stage; 37,800 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 2025: 9.81 ft, action stage; 28,900 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.15 ft, Jul 12, 1993 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Des Moines River at Ottumwa 1900s: 1 1910s: 3 1920s: 6 6 1930s: 5 1940s: 5 1950s: 3 1960s: 5 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 3 2000s: 1 2010s: 5 2020s: 0 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 115 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Des Moines River at Ottumwa
1Jul 12, 199322.15+9.15Major112,000
2Jun 7, 194720.97+7.97Major135,000
3Jun 17, 200820.60+7.60Major102,000
4May 31, 190320.23+7.23Major140,000
5Aug 11, 201020.04+7.04Major85,100
6Apr 11, 196518.33+5.33Moderate78,600
7May 24, 194418.27+5.27Moderate73,200
8Apr 1, 196018.26+5.26Moderate70,500
9Jun 28, 195417.66+4.66Moderate61,400
10Jun 10, 191717.63+4.63Moderate62,200
11May 29, 201916.28+3.28Moderate57,700
12Jun 28, 193516.22+3.22Moderate53,200
13Apr 18, 201315.99+2.99Moderate50,200
14Apr 4, 195115.92+2.92Moderate55,200
15Mar 6, 193715.54+2.54Moderate50,300
16Mar 23, 194815.51+2.51Moderate52,900
17Mar 17, 192915.33+2.33Moderate46,700
18Apr 6, 196215.24+2.24Moderate51,000
19May 7, 191915.23+2.23Moderate45,900
20Jan 8, 194615.11+2.11Moderate46,600
21Nov 26, 193114.99+1.99Minor35,100
22Jun 15, 201114.90+1.90Minor49,400
23Jun 17, 196714.87+1.87Minor48,600
24Jun 10, 191814.83+1.83Minor43,500
25Apr 8, 193314.68+1.68Minor35,400
26Jun 27, 198414.64+1.64Minor47,800
27Feb 19, 196114.47+1.47Minor41,400
28Jul 17, 198214.46+1.46Minor45,300
29Apr 18, 194514.21+1.21Minor42,500
30Jun 23, 195214.15+1.15Minor42,500
31Apr 21, 192713.83+0.83Minor38,600
32Jun 26, 201513.74+0.74Minor42,700
33Jun 28, 192413.63+0.63Minor37,600
34Jul 6, 199813.40+0.40Minor46,200
35Sep 25, 192613.33+0.33Minor36,200
36Apr 24, 197613.26+0.26Minor40,600
37Mar 14, 193913.24+0.24Minor39,800
38Mar 26, 192013.23+0.23Minor35,700
39Feb 25, 197113.12+0.12Minor41,800
40Apr 19, 199113.07+0.07Minor37,400
41Sep 17, 192113.03+0.03Minor34,800
42Jun 1, 195912.89−0.11Action38,600
43Apr 2, 198312.72−0.28Action37,800
44Dec 14, 201512.61−0.39Action38,400
45May 11, 195012.45−0.55Action34,600
46Jul 31, 202412.32−0.68Action37,800
47May 17, 198612.30−0.70Action33,300
48Sep 10, 201412.17−0.83Action33,600
49Jun 24, 200012.07−0.93Action38,800
50Apr 5, 201712.03−0.97Action36,200

The worst floods along the Des Moines River

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

July 12, 1993: 22.15 ft here, major flooding

June 7, 1947: 20.97 ft here, major flooding

  • St. FrancisvilleIA · Jun 9, 1947 · 27.55 ft · Major
  • TracyIA · Jun 14, 1947 · 26.50 ft · Major · its highest

June 17, 2008: 20.60 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Des Moines River

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

Flood gauges on the Des Moines River
Des Moines 2nd AveIA23.031.57 ft, Jun 13, 20082
Des Moines SE 6th StIA24.035.55 ft, Jun 13, 20086
Fort DodgeIA10.520.28 ft, Jun 23, 19474
KeosauquaIA22.032.66 ft, Jul 13, 19938
Ottumwa this gaugeIA13.022.15 ft, Jul 12, 19935
Red Rock ReservoirIA780.0782.67 ft, Jul 13, 19930
Saylorville ReservoirIA884.0892.03 ft, Jul 11, 19930
St. FrancisvilleIA18.032.02 ft, Jul 15, 199313
EddyvilleIA63.072.00 ft, Jul 12, 19932
StratfordIA19.028.42 ft, Jun 28, 20102
TracyIA14.026.50 ft, Jun 14, 19476

Other gauges in Wapello County

Flood gauges in Wapello County
Eddyville63.072.00 ft, Jul 12, 19932

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge OTMI4, 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.