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Iowa River at Columbus Jct

Highest listed crest 32.30 ftFlood stage 23.0 ft14 crests since 1993

The Iowa River at Columbus Jct crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 14 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1993 to 2019. The highest, 32.30 ft on June 15, 2008, was major flooding, 9.30 feet above flood stage. 10 other gauges on the Iowa River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 8 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
32.30 ft
June 15, 2008
Flood stage
23.0 ft
Major flooding from 26.5 ft
Crests at major
3
58th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
May 31, 2019
24.95 ft, minor flooding
Location
Louisa County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Iowa River at Columbus Jct
Action stage19.02Jun 17, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)23.07May 31, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage25.02Sep 30, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage26.53Jul 3, 2014Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

14 crests from 1993 to 2019. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Iowa River at Columbus Jct, 1993 to 2019 1520253035ft Flood stage 23.0 ftMajor 26.5 ft Jul 7, 1993: 28.30 ft, major floodingMay 12, 1996: 23.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 1997: 23.50 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 2004: 24.28 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2008: 32.30 ft, major floodingFeb 19, 2011: 19.38 ft, action stage; 36,037 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2013: 25.82 ft, moderate flooding; 78,396 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2014: 27.67 ft, major flooding; 103,658 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2015: 19.08 ft, action stage; 34,639 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2016: 25.29 ft, moderate flooding; 71,999 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2018: 23.91 ft, minor floodingOct 9, 2018: 24.32 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 2019: 24.21 ft, minor flooding; 66,286 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2019: 24.95 ft, minor flooding Highest, 32.30 ft, Jun 15, 2008 199520002005201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Iowa River at Columbus Jct 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 7 7 1990s2000s2010s
  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, Iowa River at Columbus Jct
1Jun 15, 200832.30+9.30Major—
2Jul 7, 199328.30+5.30Major—
3Jul 3, 201427.67+4.67Major103,658
4Apr 19, 201325.82+2.82Moderate78,396
5Sep 30, 201625.29+2.29Moderate71,999
6May 31, 201924.95+1.95Minor—
7Oct 9, 201824.32+1.32Minor—
8May 30, 200424.28+1.28Minor—
9Mar 21, 201924.21+1.21Minor66,286
10Sep 8, 201823.91+0.91Minor—
11May 12, 199623.50+0.50Minor—
12Feb 23, 199723.50+0.50Minor—
13Feb 19, 201119.38−3.62Action36,037
14Jun 17, 201519.08−3.92Action34,639

The worst floods along the Iowa River

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

June 15, 2008: 32.30 ft here, major flooding

  • WapelloIA · Jun 14, 2008 · 32.15 ft · Major · its highest
  • Iowa CityIA · Jun 15, 2008 · 31.53 ft · Major · its highest
  • OakvilleIA · Jun 14, 2008 · 23.22 ft · Major · its highest
  • Lone Tree (Tri-County Bridge)IA · Jun 15, 2008 · 23.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • MarengoIA · Jun 12, 2008 · 21.38 ft · Major · its highest
  • RowanIA · Jun 9, 2008 · 15.89 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • MarshalltownIA · Jun 13, 2008 · 21.79 ft · Minor
  • Tama US 63IA · Jun 13, 2008 · 21.31 ft · Minor
  • Belle PlaineIA · Jun 13, 2008 · 19.86 ft · Minor · its highest
  • Steamboat RockIA · Jun 8, 2008 · 17.86 ft · Minor · its highest

July 7, 1993: 28.30 ft here, major flooding

July 3, 2014: 27.67 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Iowa River

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

Flood gauges on the Iowa River
Belle PlaineIA15.019.86 ft, Jun 13, 20080
Columbus Jct this gaugeIA23.032.30 ft, Jun 15, 20083
Iowa CityIA23.531.53 ft, Jun 15, 20082
MarengoIA15.021.38 ft, Jun 12, 200810
MarshalltownIA19.022.25 ft, Jul 2, 20140
OakvilleIA11.023.22 ft, Jun 14, 20081
Steamboat RockIA11.017.86 ft, Jun 8, 20080
WapelloIA21.032.15 ft, Jun 14, 20087
Lone Tree (Tri-County Bridge)IA16.023.10 ft, Jun 15, 20083
RowanIA12.515.89 ft, Jun 9, 20080
Tama Hwy E49IA12.515.20 ft, May 28, 20133
Tama US 63IA20.022.31 ft, Apr 28, 20070

Other gauges in Louisa County

Flood gauges in Louisa County
Oakville11.023.22 ft, Jun 14, 20081
Wapello21.032.15 ft, Jun 14, 20087
Lone Tree (Tri-County Bridge)16.023.10 ft, Jun 15, 20083
Keithsburg14.024.49 ft, Jun 17, 200822

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CJTI4, 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.