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Iowa River at Oakville

Highest listed crest 23.22 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft14 crests since 2008

The Iowa River at Oakville crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 14 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2008 to 2024. The highest, 23.22 ft on June 14, 2008, was major flooding, 12.22 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
23.22 ft
June 14, 2008; 188,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
1
93rd of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
July 3, 2024
12.35 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 Oakville
Action stage8.03Apr 7, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.05Jul 3, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.05Jun 1, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.01Jun 14, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

14 crests from 2008 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Iowa River at Oakville, 2008 to 2024 510152025ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Jun 14, 2008: 23.22 ft, major flooding; 188,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2010: 13.61 ft, minor flooding; 60,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2011: 13.90 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 2012: 8.27 ft, action stage; 27,700 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2013: 17.26 ft, moderate flooding; 98,500 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2014: 19.22 ft, moderate flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2015: 11.05 ft, minor flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2015: 10.64 ft, action stage; 37,700 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2016: 16.27 ft, moderate flooding; 75,100 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2017: 9.74 ft, action stage; 29,700 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 2018: 15.13 ft, moderate flooding; 69,700 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2019: 17.57 ft, moderate flooding; 82,600 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2020: 13.70 ft, minor flooding; 58,000 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2024: 12.35 ft, minor flooding; 44,331 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.22 ft, Jun 14, 2008 2010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Iowa River at Oakville 2000s: 1 2010s: 8 8 2020s: 2 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, Iowa River at Oakville
1Jun 14, 200823.22+12.22Major188,000
2Jul 4, 201419.22+8.22Moderate102,000
3Jun 1, 201917.57+6.57Moderate82,600
4Apr 20, 201317.26+6.26Moderate98,500
5Sep 30, 201616.27+5.27Moderate75,100
6Sep 9, 201815.13+4.13Moderate69,700
7Feb 18, 201113.90+2.90Minor—
8Jun 29, 202013.70+2.70Minor58,000
9Mar 20, 201013.61+2.61Minor60,500
10Jul 3, 202412.35+1.35Minor44,331
11Mar 11, 201511.05+0.05Minor13,600
12Jun 17, 201510.64−0.36Action37,700
13Apr 7, 20179.74−1.26Action29,700
14May 5, 20128.27−2.73Action27,700

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 14, 2008: 23.22 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
  • Iowa CityIA · Jun 15, 2008 · 31.53 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 4, 2014: 19.22 ft here, moderate flooding

June 1, 2019: 17.57 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WapelloIA · May 31, 2019 · 27.21 ft · Moderate
  • MarengoIA · May 29, 2019 · 18.44 ft · Moderate
  • Columbus JctIA · May 31, 2019 · 24.95 ft · Minor

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 CityIA23.531.53 ft, Jun 15, 20082
MarengoIA15.021.38 ft, Jun 12, 200810
MarshalltownIA19.022.25 ft, Jul 2, 20140
Oakville this gaugeIA11.023.22 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
Columbus Jct23.032.30 ft, Jun 15, 20083
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 OKVI4, 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.