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East Fork Des Moines River near Algona

Highest listed crest 22.65 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft18 crests since 1979

The East Fork Des Moines River near Algona crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 18 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1979 to 2025. The highest, 22.65 ft on April 1, 1993, was major flooding, 5.65 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the East Fork Des Moines River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.65 ft
April 1, 1993
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
2
70th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
June 23, 2024
20.70 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Kossuth County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, East Fork Des Moines River near Algona
Action stage13.07Aug 1, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.01Jun 19, 2014Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.05Jun 23, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.02Apr 1, 1993Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

18 crests from 1979 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the East Fork Des Moines River near Algona, 1979 to 2025 510152025ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Aug 23, 1979: 22.18 ft, major flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 22.65 ft, major floodingMay 8, 2012: 12.27 ft, below flood stage; 1,330 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2013: 16.57 ft, action stage; 4,470 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2014: 17.58 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 2015: 14.01 ft, action stage; 2,170 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2016: 15.68 ft, action stage; 3,710 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2017: 14.93 ft, action stage; 3,160 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2018: 19.31 ft, moderate floodingSep 22, 2018: 19.16 ft, moderate flooding; 7,920 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2019: 18.63 ft, moderate floodingMar 21, 2019: 18.54 ft, moderate flooding; 7,270 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2020: 15.47 ft, action stage; 3,120 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 2021: 9.35 ft, below flood stage; 680 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2022: 12.35 ft, below flood stage; 1,390 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2023: 14.71 ft, action stage; 2,680 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2024: 20.70 ft, moderate flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 2025: 16.88 ft, action stage; 4,350 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.65 ft, Apr 1, 1993 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, East Fork Des Moines River near Algona 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 1 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, East Fork Des Moines River near Algona
1Apr 1, 199322.65+5.65Major—
2Aug 23, 197922.18+5.18Major11,000
3Jun 23, 202420.70+3.70Moderate10,600
4Jun 26, 201819.31+2.31Moderate—
5Sep 22, 201819.16+2.16Moderate7,920
6Mar 17, 201918.63+1.63Moderate—
7Mar 21, 201918.54+1.54Moderate7,270
8Jun 19, 201417.58+0.58Minor—
9Aug 1, 202516.88−0.12Action4,350
10May 29, 201316.57−0.43Action4,470
11Sep 26, 201615.68−1.32Action3,710
12May 20, 202015.47−1.53Action3,120
13May 22, 201714.93−2.07Action3,160
14May 17, 202314.71−2.29Action2,680
15May 20, 201514.01−2.99Action2,170
16May 3, 202212.35−4.65Below flood stage1,390
17May 8, 201212.27−4.73Below flood stage1,330
18Sep 5, 20219.35−7.65Below flood stage680

The worst floods along the East Fork Des Moines River

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

April 1, 1993: 22.65 ft here, major flooding

  • Dakota CityIA · Apr 1, 1993 · 23.35 ft · Minor · its highest

August 23, 1979: 22.18 ft here, major flooding

June 23, 2024: 20.70 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the East Fork Des Moines River

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

Flood gauges on the East Fork Des Moines River
Algona this gaugeIA17.022.65 ft, Apr 1, 19932
Dakota CityIA20.023.35 ft, Apr 1, 19930

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge AGNI4, 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.