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Little Cedar River near Orchard (IFC)

Highest listed crest 1,083.44 ftFlood stage 1,081.5 ft5 crests since 2014

The Little Cedar River near Orchard (IFC) crested above flood stage 4 times among the 5 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2014 to 2026. The highest, 1,083.44 ft on July 10, 2026, was minor flooding, 1.94 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Little Cedar River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
1,083.44 ft
July 10, 2026
Flood stage
1,081.5 ft
No major stage set
Crests at major
0
4 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 10, 2026
1,083.44 ft, minor flooding
Location
Mitchell County
Iowa
Identifiers
NWS LCOI4
No USGS station

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 Orchard (IFC)
Action stage1,078.51Jun 20, 2014The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)1,081.54Jul 10, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat

Every listed crest

5 crests from 2014 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Little Cedar River near Orchard (IFC), 2014 to 2026 10811081.510821082.510831083.5ft Flood stage 1,081.5 ft Jun 20, 2014: 1,081.08 ft, action stageAug 24, 2016: 1,083.31 ft, minor floodingSep 23, 2016: 1,082.61 ft, minor floodingJun 23, 2024: 1,082.91 ft, minor floodingJul 10, 2026: 1,083.44 ft, minor flooding Highest, 1,083.44 ft, Jul 10, 2026 201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Little Cedar River near Orchard (IFC) 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 2 2010s2020s
  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, Little Cedar River near Orchard (IFC)
1Jul 10, 20261,083.44+1.94Minor—
2Aug 24, 20161,083.31+1.81Minor—
3Jun 23, 20241,082.91+1.41Minor—
4Sep 23, 20161,082.61+1.11Minor—
5Jun 20, 20141,081.08−0.42Action—

The worst floods along the Little Cedar River

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

July 10, 2026: 1,083.44 ft here, minor flooding

  • Nashua (IFC)IA · Jul 11, 2026 · 957.98 ft · Moderate
  • IoniaIA · Jul 11, 2026 · 13.38 ft · Moderate

August 24, 2016: 1,083.31 ft here, minor flooding

  • Nashua (IFC)IA · Aug 26, 2016 · 960.49 ft · Major
  • IoniaIA · Aug 25, 2016 · 15.55 ft · Major

June 23, 2024: 1,082.91 ft here, minor flooding

  • Nashua (IFC)IA · Jun 25, 2024 · 959.94 ft · Major
  • IoniaIA · Jun 25, 2024 · 12.61 ft · Minor

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
IoniaIA10.021.32 ft, Jun 9, 200810
Orchard (IFC) this gaugeIA1,081.51,083.44 ft, Jul 10, 20260

Other gauges in Mitchell County

Flood gauges in Mitchell County
Otranto (IFC)1,141.01,148.60 ft, Sep 23, 20160
St. Ansgar (IFC)1,104.01,109.48 ft, Jun 23, 20240
Carpenter83.087.86 ft, Jun 8, 20081
Osage (IFC)1,142.01,150.05 ft, Jun 20, 20141

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LCOI4, 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.