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Des Moines River near Eddyville

Highest listed crest 72.00 ftFlood stage 63.0 ft40 crests since 1984

The Des Moines River near Eddyville crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 40 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1984 to 2025. The highest, 72.00 ft on July 12, 1993, was major flooding, 9.00 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
72.00 ft
July 12, 1993
Flood stage
63.0 ft
Major flooding from 70.0 ft
Crests at major
2
70th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
May 30, 2019
65.49 ft, minor flooding
Location
Wapello County
Near Oskaloosa (9.4 mi), Ottumwa (14.5 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 near Eddyville
Action stage60.015Jul 31, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)63.010May 30, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage68.02Feb 23, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage70.02Jun 16, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

40 crests from 1984 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Des Moines River near Eddyville, 1984 to 2025 5560657075ft Flood stage 63.0 ftMajor 70.0 ft Jun 26, 1984: 66.64 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 1985: 61.00 ft, action stageMay 18, 1986: 63.23 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1987: 63.00 ft, minor floodingDec 25, 1987: 57.15 ft, below flood stageSep 10, 1989: 56.75 ft, below flood stageMay 25, 1990: 62.65 ft, action stageApr 19, 1991: 64.90 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1992: 62.17 ft, action stageJul 12, 1993: 72.00 ft, major floodingJun 27, 1994: 59.09 ft, below flood stageJun 6, 1995: 60.97 ft, action stageMay 27, 1996: 60.67 ft, action stageMay 8, 1997: 63.41 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 1998: 63.93 ft, minor floodingMay 2, 1999: 65.94 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 2000: 61.88 ft, action stageMar 22, 2001: 61.93 ft, action stageMay 19, 2002: 57.39 ft, below flood stageMay 9, 2003: 58.62 ft, below flood stageMar 6, 2004: 59.97 ft, below flood stageApr 13, 2005: 60.23 ft, action stageMay 4, 2006: 57.62 ft, below flood stageApr 29, 2007: 61.18 ft, action stageJun 16, 2008: 71.87 ft, major floodingDec 29, 2008: 63.21 ft, minor floodingAug 11, 2010: 68.68 ft, moderate floodingJun 14, 2011: 62.09 ft, action stageApr 18, 2012: 59.42 ft, below flood stageApr 19, 2013: 64.24 ft, minor floodingSep 10, 2014: 60.50 ft, action stageFeb 23, 2015: 68.92 ft, moderate floodingDec 14, 2015: 62.67 ft, action stageApr 6, 2017: 61.58 ft, action stageMay 3, 2018: 58.60 ft, below flood stageMay 30, 2019: 65.49 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 2020: 60.07 ft, action stageJul 12, 2021: 56.03 ft, below flood stageJul 31, 2024: 61.71 ft, action stage; 34,400 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 2025: 59.46 ft, below flood stage; 27,200 cubic feet per second Highest, 72.00 ft, Jul 12, 1993 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Des Moines River near Eddyville 1980s: 3 1990s: 5 5 2000s: 2 2010s: 4 2020s: 0 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 near Eddyville
1Jul 12, 199372.00+9.00Major—
2Jun 16, 200871.87+8.87Major—
3Feb 23, 201568.92+5.92Moderate—
4Aug 11, 201068.68+5.68Moderate—
5Jun 26, 198466.64+3.64Minor—
6May 2, 199965.94+2.94Minor—
7May 30, 201965.49+2.49Minor—
8Apr 19, 199164.90+1.90Minor—
9Apr 19, 201364.24+1.24Minor—
10Apr 4, 199863.93+0.93Minor—
11May 8, 199763.41+0.41Minor—
12May 18, 198663.23+0.23Minor—
13Dec 29, 200863.21+0.21Minor—
14Apr 18, 198763.000.00Minor—
15Dec 14, 201562.67−0.33Action—
16May 25, 199062.65−0.35Action—
17Apr 20, 199262.17−0.83Action—
18Jun 14, 201162.09−0.91Action—
19Mar 22, 200161.93−1.07Action—
20Jun 24, 200061.88−1.12Action—
21Jul 31, 202461.71−1.29Action34,400
22Apr 6, 201761.58−1.42Action—
23Apr 29, 200761.18−1.82Action—
24Feb 23, 198561.00−2.00Action—
25Jun 6, 199560.97−2.03Action—
26May 27, 199660.67−2.33Action—
27Sep 10, 201460.50−2.50Action—
28Apr 13, 200560.23−2.77Action—
29Mar 28, 202060.07−2.93Action—
30Mar 6, 200459.97−3.03Below flood stage—
31Aug 8, 202559.46−3.54Below flood stage27,200
32Apr 18, 201259.42−3.58Below flood stage—
33Jun 27, 199459.09−3.91Below flood stage—
34May 9, 200358.62−4.38Below flood stage—
35May 3, 201858.60−4.40Below flood stage—
36May 4, 200657.62−5.38Below flood stage—
37May 19, 200257.39−5.61Below flood stage—
38Dec 25, 198757.15−5.85Below flood stage—
39Sep 10, 198956.75−6.25Below flood stage—
40Jul 12, 202156.03−6.97Below 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 12, 1993: 72.00 ft here, major flooding

June 16, 2008: 71.87 ft here, major flooding

August 11, 2010: 68.68 ft here, moderate flooding

  • KeosauquaIA · Aug 12, 2010 · 28.18 ft · Major
  • OttumwaIA · Aug 11, 2010 · 20.04 ft · Major
  • TracyIA · Aug 10, 2010 · 19.21 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 ReservoirIA884.0892.03 ft, Jul 11, 19930
St. FrancisvilleIA18.032.02 ft, Jul 15, 199313
Eddyville this gaugeIA63.072.00 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
Ottumwa13.022.15 ft, Jul 12, 19935

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EDYI4, 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.