Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Little Wapsipinicon River near Oran

Highest listed crest 94.49 ftFlood stage 89.0 ft33 crests since 1968

The Little Wapsipinicon River near Oran crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 33 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1968 to 2024. The highest, 94.49 ft on July 22, 2017, was major flooding, 5.49 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
94.49 ft
July 22, 2017
Flood stage
89.0 ft
Major flooding from 92.0 ft
Crests at major
2
70th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
May 22, 2024
89.30 ft, minor flooding
Location
Fayette 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 Wapsipinicon River near Oran
Action stage87.017May 28, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)89.05May 22, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage90.09Mar 15, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage92.02Jul 22, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

33 crests from 1968 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Little Wapsipinicon River near Oran, 1968 to 2024 868890929496ft Flood stage 89.0 ftMajor 92.0 ft Jul 17, 1968: 90.00 ft, moderate flooding; 3,720 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1969: 88.61 ft, action stage; 2,350 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1971: 88.35 ft, action stage; 1,880 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1973: 88.73 ft, action stage; 2,310 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1974: 88.07 ft, action stage; 1,590 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1975: 88.10 ft, action stage; 1,800 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1976: 88.64 ft, action stage; 2,110 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 1979: 91.81 ft, moderate flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1981: 88.07 ft, action stage; 1,350 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1983: 89.37 ft, minor flooding; 2,460 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1984: 88.30 ft, action stage; 1,550 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1986: 88.70 ft, action stage; 2,030 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 1990: 91.78 ft, moderate flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1991: 91.04 ft, moderate flooding; 4,250 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1993: 88.30 ft, action stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1997: 88.40 ft, action stage; 2,160 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1998: 88.27 ft, action stage; 2,030 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1999: 94.15 ft, major flooding; 12,800 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2000: 88.02 ft, action stage; 1,740 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2004: 91.08 ft, moderate flooding; 7,190 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2007: 88.61 ft, action stage; 1,650 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2008: 91.26 ft, moderate flooding; 5,400 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2009: 88.57 ft, action stage; 1,630 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2010: 89.98 ft, minor flooding; 2,770 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2011: 87.82 ft, action stage; 1,640 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2013: 89.32 ft, minor flooding; 2,170 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2014: 90.47 ft, moderate flooding; 3,890 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2015: 87.47 ft, action stage; 1,190 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2016: 91.17 ft, moderate flooding; 5,370 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2017: 89.49 ft, minor floodingJul 22, 2017: 94.49 ft, major floodingMar 15, 2019: 90.21 ft, moderate floodingMay 22, 2024: 89.30 ft, minor flooding Highest, 94.49 ft, Jul 22, 2017 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Little Wapsipinicon River near Oran 1960s: 1 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 7 7 2020s: 1 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Wapsipinicon River near Oran
1Jul 22, 201794.49+5.49Major—
2May 17, 199994.15+5.15Major12,800
3Aug 30, 197991.81+2.81Moderate5,000
4Aug 25, 199091.78+2.78Moderate5,040
5Aug 25, 200891.26+2.26Moderate5,400
6Sep 23, 201691.17+2.17Moderate5,370
7May 23, 200491.08+2.08Moderate7,190
8Jun 15, 199191.04+2.04Moderate4,250
9Jun 20, 201490.47+1.47Moderate3,890
10Mar 15, 201990.21+1.21Moderate—
11Jul 17, 196890.00+1.00Moderate3,720
12Jul 5, 201089.98+0.98Minor2,770
13Jun 29, 201789.49+0.49Minor—
14Jul 1, 198389.37+0.37Minor2,460
15May 30, 201389.32+0.32Minor2,170
16May 22, 202489.30+0.30Minor—
17Apr 16, 197388.73−0.27Action2,310
18Mar 11, 198688.70−0.30Action2,030
19Apr 17, 197688.64−0.36Action2,110
20Jun 27, 196988.61−0.39Action2,350
21Aug 22, 200788.61−0.39Action1,650
22Apr 26, 200988.57−0.43Action1,630
23Jun 26, 199788.40−0.60Action2,160
24Jun 24, 197188.35−0.65Action1,880
25Jun 22, 198488.30−0.70Action1,550
26Apr 4, 199388.30−0.70Action1,700
27Mar 31, 199888.27−0.73Action2,030
28Mar 21, 197588.10−0.90Action1,800
29Jun 9, 197488.07−0.93Action1,590
30Jun 23, 198188.07−0.93Action1,350
31May 31, 200088.02−0.98Action1,740
32Mar 23, 201187.82−1.18Action1,640
33May 28, 201587.47−1.53Action1,190

Gauges on the Little Wapsipinicon River

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

Flood gauges on the Little Wapsipinicon River
North Washington (IFC)IA1,097.51,100.44 ft, Aug 24, 20160
Oran this gaugeIA89.094.49 ft, Jul 22, 20172

Other gauges in Fayette County

Flood gauges in Fayette County
Alpha (IFC)992.5997.76 ft, Jun 19, 20142
Brainard (IFC)890.0892.37 ft, Jun 29, 20170
Elgin (IFC)799.5805.79 ft, Aug 26, 20160
West Union (IFC)1,088.01,089.57 ft, Sep 22, 20160
West Union (IFC)983.0984.96 ft, Sep 22, 20160
Eldorado13.021.46 ft, Jun 9, 20086
Wadena (IFC)852.0861.00 ft, Jul 22, 20170
Randalia (IFC)1,090.51,092.75 ft, Jun 29, 20170

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ORNI4, 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.