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Little Cedar River near Ionia

Highest listed crest 21.32 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft60 crests since 1954

The Little Cedar River near Ionia crested at major flood stage 10 times among the 60 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1954 to 2026. The highest, 21.32 ft on June 9, 2008, was major flooding, 11.32 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
21.32 ft
June 9, 2008; 24,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
10
26th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
July 11, 2026
13.38 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Chickasaw County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Little Cedar River near Ionia
Action stage8.012Mar 13, 1995The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.017Aug 18, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.09Jul 11, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.010Aug 25, 2016Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

60 crests from 1954 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Little Cedar River near Ionia, 1954 to 2026 0510152025ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Jun 22, 1954: 11.37 ft, minor flooding; 4,600 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1955: 7.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,500 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1956: 6.78 ft, below flood stage; 1,160 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1957: 6.19 ft, below flood stage; 890 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1958: 5.53 ft, below flood stage; 632 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1959: 7.30 ft, below flood stage; 1,830 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1960: 9.19 ft, action stage; 2,790 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1961: 15.58 ft, major flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1962: 14.27 ft, moderate floodingSep 1, 1962: 15.14 ft, major flooding; 9,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1963: 9.65 ft, action stage; 3,510 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1964: 5.15 ft, below flood stage; 572 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1965: 13.55 ft, moderate flooding; 7,380 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1966: 9.71 ft, action stage; 3,610 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1967: 9.82 ft, action stage; 3,370 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1968: 8.86 ft, action stage; 2,440 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1969: 14.33 ft, moderate flooding; 7,770 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 1970: 6.93 ft, below flood stage; 1,270 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1971: 8.79 ft, action stage; 2,580 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1972: 11.99 ft, minor flooding; 5,260 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1973: 11.59 ft, minor flooding; 5,150 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1974: 15.04 ft, major flooding; 9,520 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1975: 10.63 ft, minor flooding; 4,180 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1976: 7.63 ft, below flood stage; 1,750 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1977: 4.69 ft, below flood stage; 350 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1978: 8.57 ft, action stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1979: 10.60 ft, minor flooding; 3,830 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1980: 12.73 ft, minor flooding; 6,250 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 1981: 8.65 ft, action stage; 2,350 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1982: 8.86 ft, action stage; 2,510 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1983: 10.44 ft, minor flooding; 3,770 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1984: 13.94 ft, moderate flooding; 7,880 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1985: 7.24 ft, below flood stage; 1,470 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1986: 11.30 ft, minor flooding; 4,590 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1986: 11.91 ft, minor flooding; 5,150 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1988: 5.79 ft, below flood stage; 390 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1989: 6.67 ft, below flood stage; 650 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1990: 12.88 ft, minor flooding; 5,470 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1991: 10.05 ft, minor flooding; 2,840 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1992: 8.84 ft, action stage; 2,220 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 13.29 ft, moderate flooding; 6,930 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1993: 18.99 ft, major flooding; 14,000 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1994: 8.76 ft, action stage; 2,180 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1995: 8.36 ft, action stageJun 29, 1998: 11.33 ft, minor flooding; 4,270 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1999: 17.52 ft, major flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2000: 12.55 ft, minor flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2001: 16.00 ft, major flooding; 8,650 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2004: 15.24 ft, major flooding; 7,840 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2007: 10.65 ft, minor flooding; 3,700 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2008: 21.32 ft, major flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2010: 13.16 ft, moderate flooding; 5,819 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2011: 10.31 ft, minor flooding; 3,690 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2013: 18.41 ft, major flooding; 13,987 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2016: 15.55 ft, major flooding; 9,160 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2016: 13.96 ft, moderate floodingJul 22, 2017: 13.56 ft, moderate flooding; 6,283 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2024: 12.61 ft, minor floodingAug 18, 2025: 12.06 ft, minor flooding; 5,329 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 2026: 13.38 ft, moderate flooding; 6,726 cubic feet per second Highest, 21.32 ft, Jun 9, 2008 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Little Cedar River near Ionia 1950s: 1 1960s: 5 1970s: 5 1980s: 5 1990s: 6 6 2000s: 5 2010s: 6 2020s: 3 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 60 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Little Cedar River near Ionia
1Jun 9, 200821.32+11.32Major24,300
2Aug 16, 199318.99+8.99Major14,000
3May 21, 201318.41+8.41Major13,987
4Jul 21, 199917.52+7.52Major12,200
5Apr 13, 200116.00+6.00Major8,650
6Mar 27, 196115.58+5.58Major10,800
7Aug 25, 201615.55+5.55Major9,160
8May 23, 200415.24+5.24Major7,840
9Sep 1, 196215.14+5.14Major9,000
10Jun 5, 197415.04+5.04Major9,520
11Jun 30, 196914.33+4.33Moderate7,770
12Mar 29, 196214.27+4.27Moderate—
13Sep 24, 201613.96+3.96Moderate—
14Jun 18, 198413.94+3.94Moderate7,880
15Jul 22, 201713.56+3.56Moderate6,283
16Sep 30, 196513.55+3.55Moderate7,380
17Jul 11, 202613.38+3.38Moderate6,726
18Apr 1, 199313.29+3.29Moderate6,930
19Mar 13, 201013.16+3.16Moderate5,819
20Aug 26, 199012.88+2.88Minor5,470
21Jun 1, 198012.73+2.73Minor6,250
22Jun 25, 202412.61+2.61Minor—
23Jun 15, 200012.55+2.55Minor5,040
24Aug 18, 202512.06+2.06Minor5,329
25Sep 30, 197211.99+1.99Minor5,260
26Oct 13, 198611.91+1.91Minor5,150
27Apr 17, 197311.59+1.59Minor5,150
28Jun 22, 195411.37+1.37Minor4,600
29Jun 29, 199811.33+1.33Minor4,270
30Mar 19, 198611.30+1.30Minor4,590
31Mar 23, 200710.65+0.65Minor3,700
32Apr 29, 197510.63+0.63Minor4,180
33Aug 23, 197910.60+0.60Minor3,830
34Mar 7, 198310.44+0.44Minor3,770
35Mar 24, 201110.31+0.31Minor3,690
36May 20, 199110.05+0.05Minor2,840
37Jun 11, 19679.82−0.18Action3,370
38Feb 9, 19669.71−0.29Action3,610
39May 13, 19639.65−0.35Action3,510
40Jun 25, 19609.19−0.81Action2,790
41Jul 23, 19688.86−1.14Action2,440
42Mar 19, 19828.86−1.14Action2,510
43Mar 11, 19928.84−1.16Action2,220
44Mar 31, 19718.79−1.21Action2,580
45Jul 20, 19948.76−1.24Action2,180
46Aug 28, 19818.65−1.35Action2,350
47Mar 23, 19788.57−1.43Action1,720
48Mar 13, 19958.36−1.64Action—
49Apr 15, 19767.63−2.37Below flood stage1,750
50Jun 3, 19557.54−2.46Below flood stage1,500

Gauges on the Little Cedar River

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

Flood gauges on the Little Cedar River
Nashua (IFC)IA954.5961.85 ft, Sep 24, 20163
Ionia this gaugeIA10.021.32 ft, Jun 9, 200810
Orchard (IFC)IA1,081.51,083.44 ft, Jul 10, 20260

Other gauges in Chickasaw County

Flood gauges in Chickasaw County
Bassett (IFC)1,008.51,011.00 ft, Sep 22, 20163
Bassett (IFC)1,044.01,045.58 ft, Sep 22, 20160
Nashua (IFC)954.5961.85 ft, Sep 24, 20163
Saude (IFC)1,126.01,129.69 ft, Aug 24, 20161
North Washington (IFC)1,097.51,100.44 ft, Aug 24, 20160

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge IONI4, 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.