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Fourmile Creek near Ankeny NE 86th Ave

Highest listed crest 16.17 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft23 crests since 2004

The Fourmile Creek near Ankeny NE 86th Ave crested above flood stage 3 times among the 23 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2004 to 2025. The highest, 16.17 ft on July 1, 2018, was minor flooding, 5.17 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Fourmile Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.17 ft
July 1, 2018; 10,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
No major stage set
Crests at major
0
3 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 1, 2018
16.17 ft, minor flooding
Location
Polk County
Near Ankeny (1.9 mi), Altoona (6.5 mi), Johnston (8.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Fourmile Creek near Ankeny NE 86th Ave
Action stage8.015May 20, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.03Jul 1, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat

Every listed crest

23 crests from 2004 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Fourmile Creek near Ankeny NE 86th Ave, 2004 to 2025 05101520ft Flood stage 11.0 ft May 23, 2004: 10.60 ft, action stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2005: 9.99 ft, action stage; 1,570 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2005: 10.30 ft, action stageApr 2, 2006: 7.18 ft, below flood stage; 815 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2007: 10.05 ft, action stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 2008: 12.19 ft, minor flooding; 3,050 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2009: 9.35 ft, action stage; 1,740 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 2010: 13.69 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 2011: 10.18 ft, action stage; 2,080 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2012: 8.45 ft, action stage; 1,250 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2013: 9.41 ft, action stage; 1,680 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2014: 10.36 ft, action stage; 2,180 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2015: 9.69 ft, action stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2015: 9.45 ft, action stage; 1,590 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2017: 5.21 ft, below flood stage; 435 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2018: 16.17 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2019: 10.68 ft, action stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2020: 6.11 ft, below flood stage; 997 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2021: 5.78 ft, below flood stage; 879 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2022: 9.33 ft, action stage; 1,470 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2023: 6.01 ft, below flood stage; 780 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2024: 9.91 ft, action stage; 1,880 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2025: 8.36 ft, action stage; 1,260 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.17 ft, Jul 1, 2018 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Fourmile Creek near Ankeny NE 86th Ave 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 0 2000s2010s2020s
  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, Fourmile Creek near Ankeny NE 86th Ave
1Jul 1, 201816.17+5.17Minor10,000
2Aug 11, 201013.69+2.69Minor—
3Jul 28, 200812.19+1.19Minor3,050
4Mar 13, 201910.68−0.32Action3,290
5May 23, 200410.60−0.40Action1,720
6Jun 30, 201410.36−0.64Action2,180
7Jun 25, 200510.30−0.70Action—
8Jun 10, 201110.18−0.82Action2,080
9Apr 25, 200710.05−0.95Action2,010
10May 13, 20059.99−1.01Action1,570
11May 21, 20249.91−1.09Action1,880
12Jun 15, 20159.69−1.31Action1,710
13Dec 14, 20159.45−1.55Action1,590
14May 30, 20139.41−1.59Action1,680
15Apr 27, 20099.35−1.65Action1,740
16Apr 22, 20229.33−1.67Action1,470
17Apr 14, 20128.45−2.55Action1,250
18May 20, 20258.36−2.64Action1,260
19Apr 2, 20067.18−3.82Below flood stage815
20Jul 14, 20206.11−4.89Below flood stage997
21May 5, 20236.01−4.99Below flood stage780
22Jun 25, 20215.78−5.22Below flood stage879
23Mar 29, 20175.21−5.79Below flood stage435

The worst floods along the Fourmile Creek

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

July 1, 2018: 16.17 ft here, minor flooding

August 11, 2010: 13.69 ft here, minor flooding

July 28, 2008: 12.19 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Fourmile Creek

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

Flood gauges on the Fourmile Creek
Ankeny NE 86th Ave this gaugeIA11.016.17 ft, Jul 1, 20180
Des Moines Easton BlvdIA12.517.51 ft, Jul 1, 20183

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
Saylorville Reservoir884.0892.03 ft, Jul 11, 19930
Des Moines Easton Blvd12.517.51 ft, Jul 1, 20183
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 ANKI4, 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.