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Iowa River at Iowa City

Highest listed crest 31.53 ftFlood stage 23.5 ft51 crests since 1959

The Iowa River at Iowa City crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 51 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1959 to 2018. The highest, 31.53 ft on June 15, 2008, was major flooding, 8.03 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
31.53 ft
June 15, 2008; 41,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
23.5 ft
Major flooding from 26.0 ft
Crests at major
2
70th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
July 12, 2014
25.15 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Johnson County
Near Iowa City (0.5 mi), Coralville (4.1 mi), North Liberty (7.0 mi)

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 Iowa City
Action stage21.09Oct 6, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)23.50—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage24.52Jul 12, 2014Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage26.02Jun 15, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

51 crests from 1959 to 2018. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Iowa River at Iowa City, 1959 to 2018 010203040ft Flood stage 23.5 ftMajor 26.0 ft Apr 14, 1959: 10.40 ft, below flood stage; 9,380 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1967: 5.16 ft, below flood stage; 4,420 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1973: 22.04 ft, action stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1974: 22.44 ft, action stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1975: 21.50 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1976: 18.72 ft, below flood stage; 7,350 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1977: 16.38 ft, below flood stage; 5,240 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1978: 20.34 ft, below flood stage; 9,510 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1979: 21.64 ft, action stage; 10,700 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1980: 16.67 ft, below flood stage; 5,650 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1981: 17.31 ft, below flood stage; 6,230 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1982: 21.44 ft, action stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1983: 20.72 ft, below flood stage; 9,490 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1984: 20.68 ft, below flood stage; 9,430 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1985: 21.50 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1986: 21.22 ft, action stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1986: 17.17 ft, below flood stage; 6,100 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1988: 15.33 ft, below flood stage; 4,450 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1989: 13.87 ft, below flood stage; 3,240 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1990: 13.29 ft, below flood stage; 13,500 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1991: 23.35 ft, action stage; 13,700 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1992: 18.54 ft, below flood stage; 8,080 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1993: 28.52 ft, major flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1993: 20.24 ft, below flood stageMar 10, 1994: 20.03 ft, below flood stage; 9,440 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1995: 20.11 ft, below flood stage; 9,530 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1996: 17.80 ft, below flood stage; 6,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1997: 20.91 ft, below flood stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1998: 20.36 ft, below flood stage; 9,960 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1999: 18.41 ft, below flood stage; 7,760 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2000: 17.29 ft, below flood stage; 6,890 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2001: 20.53 ft, below flood stage; 11,100 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 2002: 15.03 ft, below flood stage; 4,650 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2003: 16.38 ft, below flood stage; 6,310 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2004: 17.40 ft, below flood stage; 7,550 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2005: 16.64 ft, below flood stage; 6,310 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2006: 14.92 ft, below flood stage; 5,030 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2007: 19.20 ft, below flood stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2008: 31.53 ft, major flooding; 41,100 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2009: 20.13 ft, below flood stageMar 18, 2010: 19.83 ft, below flood stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 2010: 20.31 ft, below flood stageFeb 22, 2011: 18.08 ft, below flood stage; 8,500 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2012: 13.51 ft, below flood stage; 3,540 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2013: 24.90 ft, moderate flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2014: 25.15 ft, moderate flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2015: 18.09 ft, below flood stage; 8,930 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2015: 20.05 ft, below flood stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2017: 17.47 ft, below flood stage; 7,880 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2018: 20.01 ft, below flood stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 2018: 23.23 ft, action stage; 16,100 cubic feet per second Highest, 31.53 ft, Jun 15, 2008 196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Iowa River at Iowa City 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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.
  3. 61 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 24.10 ft on Jun 1, 1851; 21.10 ft on Jul 17, 1881; 15.00 ft on Jun 3, 1903; 8.30 ft on Mar 25, 1904; 8.80 ft on Jun 10, 1905; 10.20 ft on Mar 2, 1906; and more.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 51 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Iowa River at Iowa City
1Jun 15, 200831.53+8.03Major41,100
2Aug 10, 199328.52+5.02Major28,200
3Jul 12, 201425.15+1.65Moderate19,900
4Jun 5, 201324.90+1.40Moderate19,900
5Jun 13, 199123.35−0.15Action13,700
6Oct 6, 201823.23−0.27Action16,100
7Jun 9, 197422.44−1.06Action11,900
8May 1, 197322.04−1.46Action11,300
9Mar 29, 197921.64−1.86Action10,700
10Apr 9, 197521.50−2.00Action10,500
11Mar 4, 198521.50−2.00Action10,500
12Jun 15, 198221.44−2.06Action10,400
13Jun 30, 198621.22−2.28Action10,100
14Feb 21, 199720.91−2.59Below flood stage10,500
15Apr 26, 198320.72−2.78Below flood stage9,490
16Mar 1, 198420.68−2.82Below flood stage9,430
17Mar 20, 200120.53−2.97Below flood stage11,100
18Apr 9, 199820.36−3.14Below flood stage9,960
19Mar 26, 197820.34−3.16Below flood stage9,510
20Jul 13, 201020.31−3.19Below flood stage—
21Oct 1, 199320.24−3.26Below flood stage—
22Mar 16, 200920.13−3.37Below flood stage—
23Apr 30, 199520.11−3.39Below flood stage9,530
24Dec 23, 201520.05−3.45Below flood stage10,900
25Mar 10, 199420.03−3.47Below flood stage9,440
26Sep 20, 201820.01−3.49Below flood stage11,000
27Mar 18, 201019.83−3.67Below flood stage11,400
28Mar 23, 200719.20−4.30Below flood stage10,100
29Apr 24, 197618.72−4.78Below flood stage7,350
30Apr 25, 199218.54−4.96Below flood stage8,080
31Jun 10, 199918.41−5.09Below flood stage7,760
32Jun 13, 201518.09−5.41Below flood stage8,930
33Feb 22, 201118.08−5.42Below flood stage8,500
34May 20, 199617.80−5.70Below flood stage6,900
35Apr 6, 201717.47−6.03Below flood stage7,880
36Jun 11, 200417.40−6.10Below flood stage7,550
37Jun 29, 198117.31−6.19Below flood stage6,230
38Jul 12, 200017.29−6.21Below flood stage6,890
39Nov 19, 198617.17−6.33Below flood stage6,100
40Mar 19, 198016.67−6.83Below flood stage5,650
41May 20, 200516.64−6.86Below flood stage6,310
42Sep 18, 197716.38−7.12Below flood stage5,240
43May 15, 200316.38−7.12Below flood stage6,310
44Jan 31, 198815.33−8.17Below flood stage4,450
45Aug 23, 200215.03−8.47Below flood stage4,650
46Apr 8, 200614.92−8.58Below flood stage5,030
47Sep 9, 198913.87−9.63Below flood stage3,240
48May 8, 201213.51−9.99Below flood stage3,540
49Jun 17, 199013.29−10.21Below flood stage13,500
50Apr 14, 195910.40−13.10Below flood stage9,380

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: 31.53 ft here, major flooding

  • Columbus JctIA · Jun 15, 2008 · 32.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • WapelloIA · Jun 14, 2008 · 32.15 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

August 10, 1993: 28.52 ft here, major flooding

June 5, 2013: 24.90 ft here, moderate 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 JctIA23.032.30 ft, Jun 15, 20083
Iowa City this gaugeIA23.531.53 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 Johnson County

Flood gauges in Johnson County
Coralville11.016.36 ft, Jun 17, 19900
Oxford10.016.05 ft, Jul 1, 20140
Iowa City12.018.61 ft, Jul 1, 20140
Iowa City9.015.61 ft, Aug 10, 19930
Iowa City7.010.50 ft, Jul 14, 19620

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge IOWI4, 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.