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Des Moines River at Saylorville Reservoir

Highest listed crest 892.03 ftFlood stage 884.0 ft46 crests since 1978

The Des Moines River at Saylorville Reservoir crested above flood stage 6 times among the 46 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1978 to 2023. The highest, 892.03 ft on July 11, 1993, was minor flooding, 8.03 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
892.03 ft
July 11, 1993
Flood stage
884.0 ft
No major stage set
Crests at major
0
6 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 9, 2018
886.19 ft, minor flooding
Location
Polk County
Near Johnston (2.0 mi), Ankeny (4.9 mi), Grimes (6.1 mi)
Identifiers
NWS SAYI4
No USGS station

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 Saylorville Reservoir
Flood stage (minor)884.06Jul 9, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat

Every listed crest

46 crests from 1978 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Des Moines River at Saylorville Reservoir, 1978 to 2023 820840860880900ft Flood stage 884.0 ft Jul 11, 1978: 837.08 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 1979: 883.59 ft, below flood stageJun 18, 1980: 838.41 ft, below flood stageJul 1, 1981: 841.00 ft, below flood stageJul 28, 1982: 855.54 ft, below flood stageApr 22, 1983: 881.20 ft, below flood stageJun 22, 1984: 889.25 ft, minor floodingSep 9, 1985: 839.40 ft, below flood stageMay 24, 1986: 858.91 ft, below flood stageOct 17, 1986: 860.39 ft, below flood stageDec 3, 1987: 839.04 ft, below flood stageMay 27, 1989: 839.07 ft, below flood stageJun 26, 1990: 871.15 ft, below flood stageJun 11, 1991: 888.99 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 1992: 841.37 ft, below flood stageJul 11, 1993: 892.03 ft, minor floodingJul 11, 1994: 851.70 ft, below flood stageJun 5, 1995: 861.16 ft, below flood stageJun 27, 1996: 865.32 ft, below flood stageMay 13, 1997: 847.04 ft, below flood stageJul 2, 1998: 870.18 ft, below flood stageJun 18, 1999: 869.57 ft, below flood stageJun 8, 2000: 840.21 ft, below flood stageMay 14, 2001: 878.91 ft, below flood stageDec 3, 2001: 840.49 ft, below flood stageJul 14, 2003: 849.81 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 2004: 870.16 ft, below flood stageMay 20, 2005: 849.50 ft, below flood stageMay 11, 2006: 839.93 ft, below flood stageMay 12, 2007: 869.52 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 2008: 891.03 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 2009: 847.53 ft, below flood stageJul 1, 2010: 889.15 ft, minor floodingJul 3, 2011: 871.29 ft, below flood stageApr 16, 2012: 837.25 ft, below flood stageJun 5, 2013: 865.20 ft, below flood stageJul 6, 2014: 877.57 ft, below flood stageJun 29, 2015: 845.47 ft, below flood stageDec 22, 2015: 865.83 ft, below flood stageOct 1, 2016: 850.39 ft, below flood stageJul 9, 2018: 886.19 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 2019: 880.52 ft, below flood stageJun 1, 2020: 844.39 ft, below flood stageDec 24, 2020: 838.59 ft, below flood stageDec 26, 2021: 839.17 ft, below flood stageMar 2, 2023: 837.66 ft, below flood stage Highest, 892.03 ft, Jul 11, 1993 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Des Moines River at Saylorville Reservoir 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2020s: 0 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Des Moines River at Saylorville Reservoir
1Jul 11, 1993892.03+8.03Minor—
2Jun 12, 2008891.03+7.03Minor—
3Jun 22, 1984889.25+5.25Minor—
4Jul 1, 2010889.15+5.15Minor—
5Jun 11, 1991888.99+4.99Minor—
6Jul 9, 2018886.19+2.19Minor—
7Apr 6, 1979883.59−0.41Below flood stage—
8Apr 22, 1983881.20−2.80Below flood stage—
9Mar 30, 2019880.52−3.48Below flood stage—
10May 14, 2001878.91−5.09Below flood stage—
11Jul 6, 2014877.57−6.43Below flood stage—
12Jul 3, 2011871.29−12.71Below flood stage—
13Jun 26, 1990871.15−12.85Below flood stage—
14Jul 2, 1998870.18−13.82Below flood stage—
15May 31, 2004870.16−13.84Below flood stage—
16Jun 18, 1999869.57−14.43Below flood stage—
17May 12, 2007869.52−14.48Below flood stage—
18Dec 22, 2015865.83−18.17Below flood stage—
19Jun 27, 1996865.32−18.68Below flood stage—
20Jun 5, 2013865.20−18.80Below flood stage—
21Jun 5, 1995861.16−22.84Below flood stage—
22Oct 17, 1986860.39−23.61Below flood stage—
23May 24, 1986858.91−25.09Below flood stage—
24Jul 28, 1982855.54−28.46Below flood stage—
25Jul 11, 1994851.70−32.30Below flood stage—
26Oct 1, 2016850.39−33.61Below flood stage—
27Jul 14, 2003849.81−34.19Below flood stage—
28May 20, 2005849.50−34.50Below flood stage—
29May 4, 2009847.53−36.47Below flood stage—
30May 13, 1997847.04−36.96Below flood stage—
31Jun 29, 2015845.47−38.53Below flood stage—
32Jun 1, 2020844.39−39.61Below flood stage—
33Apr 26, 1992841.37−42.63Below flood stage—
34Jul 1, 1981841.00−43.00Below flood stage—
35Dec 3, 2001840.49−43.51Below flood stage—
36Jun 8, 2000840.21−43.79Below flood stage—
37May 11, 2006839.93−44.07Below flood stage—
38Sep 9, 1985839.40−44.60Below flood stage—
39Dec 26, 2021839.17−44.83Below flood stage—
40May 27, 1989839.07−44.93Below flood stage—
41Dec 3, 1987839.04−44.96Below flood stage—
42Dec 24, 2020838.59−45.41Below flood stage—
43Jun 18, 1980838.41−45.59Below flood stage—
44Mar 2, 2023837.66−46.34Below flood stage—
45Apr 16, 2012837.25−46.75Below flood stage—
46Jul 11, 1978837.08−46.92Below flood stage—

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 11, 1993: 892.03 ft here, minor flooding

  • EddyvilleIA · Jul 12, 1993 · 72.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • Des Moines SE 6th StIA · Jul 11, 1993 · 34.29 ft · Major
  • KeosauquaIA · Jul 13, 1993 · 32.66 ft · Major · its highest
  • St. FrancisvilleIA · Jul 15, 1993 · 32.02 ft · Major · its highest
  • TracyIA · Jul 12, 1993 · 24.16 ft · Major
  • OttumwaIA · Jul 12, 1993 · 22.15 ft · Major · its highest
  • Red Rock ReservoirIA · Jul 13, 1993 · 782.67 ft · Minor · its highest

June 12, 2008: 891.03 ft here, minor flooding

June 22, 1984: 889.25 ft here, minor flooding

  • Des Moines SE 6th StIA · Jun 19, 1984 · 28.46 ft · Moderate
  • EddyvilleIA · Jun 26, 1984 · 66.64 ft · Minor
  • StratfordIA · Jun 19, 1984 · 24.08 ft · Minor
  • KeosauquaIA · Jun 27, 1984 · 23.13 ft · Minor
  • TracyIA · Jun 27, 1984 · 18.11 ft · Minor
  • Fort DodgeIA · Jun 19, 1984 · 15.60 ft · Minor
  • OttumwaIA · Jun 27, 1984 · 14.64 ft · Minor

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
OttumwaIA13.022.15 ft, Jul 12, 19935
Red Rock ReservoirIA780.0782.67 ft, Jul 13, 19930
Saylorville Reservoir this gaugeIA884.0892.03 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 Polk County

Flood gauges in Polk County
Grimes14.016.58 ft, Jul 10, 19930
Des Moines 2nd Ave23.031.57 ft, Jun 13, 20082
Des Moines SE 6th St24.035.55 ft, Jun 13, 20086
Des Moines Easton Blvd12.517.51 ft, Jul 1, 20183
Ankeny NE 86th Ave11.016.17 ft, Jul 1, 20180
Des Moines Fleur Dr12.026.80 ft, Jul 11, 19931
Des Moines IA 2836.041.31 ft, Jun 13, 20083
Clive I-80/359.013.41 ft, Jun 25, 20150
Des Moines 63rd St14.019.08 ft, Jun 30, 20189

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SAYI4, 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.