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Mississippi River at Keokuk

Highest listed crest 27.58 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft69 crests since 1851

The Mississippi River at Keokuk crested at major flood stage 24 times among the 69 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1851 to 2024. The highest, 27.58 ft on July 10, 1993, was major flooding, 11.58 feet above flood stage. 17 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 9 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
27.58 ft
July 10, 1993; 446,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
24
7th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
July 8, 2024
18.18 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Lee County
Iowa
Identifiers
NWS EOKI4
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, Mississippi River at Keokuk
Action stage14.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.027Sep 11, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.518Jul 8, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.024May 30, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

69 crests from 1851 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at Keokuk, 1851 to 2024 16182022242628ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft Jun 6, 1851: 21.00 ft, major floodingApr 27, 1870: 16.40 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1876: 16.50 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 1880: 17.50 ft, moderate floodingOct 29, 1881: 18.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 1, 1884: 16.70 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1886: 16.00 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 1888: 19.65 ft, major floodingJun 30, 1892: 19.25 ft, major floodingApr 28, 1897: 18.40 ft, moderate floodingJun 5, 1903: 19.60 ft, major floodingJun 10, 1905: 18.50 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1912: 17.70 ft, moderate floodingMay 9, 1916: 16.70 ft, minor floodingJun 12, 1918: 16.70 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1919: 17.15 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 1920: 16.70 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 1922: 17.45 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 1929: 19.30 ft, major floodingMar 10, 1937: 16.10 ft, minor floodingSep 26, 1938: 16.40 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 1944: 20.85 ft, major floodingMar 3, 1945: 16.80 ft, minor floodingJan 11, 1946: 16.95 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 1947: 20.20 ft, major floodingMar 23, 1948: 18.90 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 1951: 20.15 ft, major floodingApr 27, 1952: 18.95 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 1960: 21.83 ft, major floodingApr 7, 1962: 18.58 ft, moderate floodingMay 1, 1965: 22.14 ft, major floodingApr 23, 1973: 23.50 ft, major flooding; 344,000 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1974: 19.14 ft, major floodingMay 9, 1975: 17.68 ft, moderate flooding; 252,000 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1976: 18.27 ft, moderate flooding; 259,000 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1979: 18.05 ft, moderate flooding; 257,000 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1982: 17.25 ft, minor flooding; 225,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1983: 18.20 ft, moderate floodingJun 29, 1984: 16.31 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1985: 16.80 ft, minor flooding; 207,000 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1986: 19.27 ft, major flooding; 268,000 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1990: 18.34 ft, moderate flooding; 263,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1993: 20.60 ft, major floodingJul 10, 1993: 27.58 ft, major flooding; 446,000 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 1993: 16.90 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 1995: 16.00 ft, minor floodingMay 28, 1996: 18.93 ft, moderate floodingApr 17, 1997: 17.43 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 1998: 19.29 ft, major floodingJul 7, 1998: 16.22 ft, minor floodingApr 29, 1999: 16.54 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 2001: 22.94 ft, major floodingMay 3, 2008: 19.80 ft, major floodingJun 17, 2008: 26.95 ft, major floodingApr 23, 2011: 18.98 ft, moderate flooding; 293,383 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2011: 16.15 ft, minor floodingJun 3, 2011: 16.32 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2011: 18.92 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 2013: 22.20 ft, major floodingJul 7, 2014: 23.38 ft, major floodingJun 27, 2015: 16.50 ft, minor flooding; 252,165 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2015: 16.84 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 2017: 16.19 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 2018: 16.91 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 2019: 19.78 ft, major floodingMay 2, 2019: 23.50 ft, major floodingMay 30, 2019: 25.60 ft, major flooding; 469,801 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2023: 17.71 ft, moderate floodingJul 8, 2024: 18.18 ft, moderate flooding; 276,715 cubic feet per second Highest, 27.58 ft, Jul 10, 1993 1880192019602000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at Keokuk 1850s: 1 1860s: 0 1870s: 2 1880s: 5 1890s: 2 1900s: 2 1910s: 4 1920s: 3 1930s: 2 1940s: 5 1950s: 2 1960s: 3 1970s: 5 1980s: 5 1990s: 10 2000s: 3 2010s: 13 13 2020s: 2 1850s1870s1890s1910s1930s1950s1970s1990s2010s
  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 69 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Mississippi River at Keokuk
1Jul 10, 199327.58+11.58Major446,000
2Jun 17, 200826.95+10.95Major—
3May 30, 201925.60+9.60Major469,801
4Apr 23, 197323.50+7.50Major344,000
5May 2, 201923.50+7.50Major—
6Jul 7, 201423.38+7.38Major—
7May 14, 200122.94+6.94Major—
8Apr 20, 201322.20+6.20Major—
9May 1, 196522.14+6.14Major—
10Apr 4, 196021.83+5.83Major—
11Jun 6, 185121.00+5.00Major—
12May 27, 194420.85+4.85Major—
13Apr 26, 199320.60+4.60Major—
14Jun 20, 194720.20+4.20Major—
15May 12, 195120.15+4.15Major—
16May 3, 200819.80+3.80Major—
17Apr 11, 201919.78+3.78Major—
18May 16, 188819.65+3.65Major—
19Jun 5, 190319.60+3.60Major—
20Mar 23, 192919.30+3.30Major—
21Apr 15, 199819.29+3.29Major—
22Oct 5, 198619.27+3.27Major268,000
23Jun 30, 189219.25+3.25Major—
24May 21, 197419.14+3.14Major—
25Apr 23, 201118.98+2.98Moderate293,383
26Apr 27, 195218.95+2.95Moderate—
27May 28, 199618.93+2.93Moderate—
28Jun 15, 201118.92+2.92Moderate—
29Oct 29, 188118.90+2.90Moderate—
30Mar 23, 194818.90+2.90Moderate—
31Apr 7, 196218.58+2.58Moderate—
32Jun 10, 190518.50+2.50Moderate—
33Apr 28, 189718.40+2.40Moderate—
34Jun 21, 199018.34+2.34Moderate263,000
35Apr 25, 197618.27+2.27Moderate259,000
36Apr 4, 198318.20+2.20Moderate—
37Jul 8, 202418.18+2.18Moderate276,715
38Apr 6, 197918.05+2.05Moderate257,000
39May 5, 202317.71+1.71Moderate—
40Apr 6, 191217.70+1.70Moderate—
41May 9, 197517.68+1.68Moderate252,000
42Jun 29, 188017.50+1.50Moderate—
43Apr 24, 192217.45+1.45Minor—
44Apr 17, 199717.43+1.43Minor—
45Apr 18, 198217.25+1.25Minor225,000
46May 8, 191917.15+1.15Minor—
47Jan 11, 194616.95+0.95Minor—
48Sep 11, 201816.91+0.91Minor—
49Sep 2, 199316.90+0.90Minor—
50Dec 28, 201516.84+0.84Minor—

The worst floods along the Mississippi River

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

July 10, 1993: 27.58 ft here, major flooding

  • QuincyIL · Jul 13, 1993 · 32.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • HannibalMO · Jul 15, 1993 · 31.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL · Jul 13, 1993 · 31.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • LaGrangeMO · Jul 13, 1993 · 30.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • Gregory LandingMO · Jul 9, 1993 · 28.49 ft · Major · its highest
  • Canton Lock and Dam 20MO · Jul 9, 1993 · 27.88 ft · Major · its highest
  • New BostonIL · Jul 9, 1993 · 25.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • MuscatineIA · Jul 9, 1993 · 25.61 ft · Major · its highest
  • BurlingtonIL · Jul 10, 1993 · 25.10 ft · Major
  • KeithsburgIA · Jul 9, 1993 · 24.15 ft · Major

June 17, 2008: 26.95 ft here, major flooding

May 30, 2019: 25.60 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Mississippi River

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

Flood gauges on the Mississippi River
TiptonvilleMO37.048.35 ft, May 5, 20112
Alma - Pool 5MN672.0672.13 ft, Apr 16, 20010
AltonIL21.039.55 ft, Aug 1, 19937
Baton RougeLA35.047.28 ft, May 15, 192731
BellevueIL17.023.51 ft, Apr 26, 196511
BrainerdMN16.017.61 ft, Jun 28, 20120
BrownsvilleMN635.0640.20 ft, Apr 22, 19650
BurlingtonIL15.025.73 ft, Jun 17, 200836
CamancheIA17.024.65 ft, Apr 28, 196520
Canton Lock and Dam 20MO15.027.88 ft, Jul 9, 19933
Cape GirardeauMO32.048.86 ft, Jan 2, 201615
CaruthersvilleMO32.047.61 ft, May 7, 20112
ChesterIL27.049.74 ft, Aug 7, 19939
Clarksville Lock and Dam 24MO25.037.73 ft, Jul 29, 199310
ClaytonIA620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
DakotaMN644.0649.08 ft, Apr 21, 19650
DonaldsonvilleLA27.036.01 ft, May 15, 19273
Dubuque (LD11)IA16.025.69 ft, Apr 26, 196513
Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)IA17.026.81 ft, Apr 26, 196518
Fort RipleyMN10.514.15 ft, Apr 8, 19970
Fridley abv 37th Ave NEMN16.020.00 ft, Apr 17, 19656
FultonIL16.024.75 ft, Apr 28, 196513
GladstoneIL10.022.46 ft, Jun 17, 200824
GraftonIL20.038.17 ft, Aug 1, 199315
Gregory LandingMO15.028.49 ft, Jul 9, 19934
HannibalMO17.031.80 ft, Jul 15, 199310
HelenaAR44.060.21 ft, Feb 12, 19374
HerculaneumMO26.029.79 ft, Jul 10, 20240
HickmanKY34.054.29 ft, May 2, 20113
Hwy 169 at ChamplinMN12.017.96 ft, Apr 12, 19653
Hwy 610 in Brooklyn ParkMN12.019.53 ft, Apr 17, 19654
Illinois CityIA15.024.10 ft, Jul 9, 199321
KeithsburgIA14.024.49 ft, Jun 17, 200822
Keokuk this gaugeIA16.027.58 ft, Jul 10, 199324
La Crosse - Pool 8WI12.017.89 ft, Apr 22, 19654
LaGrangeMO17.030.00 ft, Jul 13, 19934
Lake CityWI16.022.18 ft, Apr 19, 19653
Lansing - Pool 9IA17.022.50 ft, Apr 24, 19651
LeClaireIA11.017.75 ft, Apr 28, 196516
LouisianaMO15.028.40 ft, Jul 28, 19934
McGregorIA16.025.38 ft, Apr 24, 19653
Mel Price (Alton) Lock and DamIL21.042.72 ft, Aug 1, 19938
MemphisTN34.048.70 ft, Feb 10, 19372
MuscatineIA16.025.61 ft, Jul 9, 199321
NatchezMS48.061.95 ft, May 19, 20116
New BostonIL15.025.90 ft, Jul 9, 199322
New MadridMO34.048.35 ft, May 6, 20114
New OrleansLA17.021.27 ft, Apr 25, 19225
OsceolaAR28.050.90 ft, Feb 7, 193742
QuincyIL19.032.13 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL18.031.30 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Red River LandingLA48.063.39 ft, May 18, 20110
Red WingMN14.020.70 ft, Apr 18, 19659
ReserveLA22.026.00 ft, Jun 11, 19291
Rock IslandIL15.022.70 ft, May 2, 201920
Saverton Lock and Dam 22MO16.029.58 ft, Jul 25, 19939
St. CloudMN9.011.44 ft, Apr 8, 19971
St. LouisMO30.049.58 ft, Aug 1, 19939
St. PaulMN14.026.01 ft, Apr 16, 196516
ThebesIL33.047.74 ft, Jan 2, 201612
Tunica Mhoon LandingMS30.053.20 ft, Feb 10, 19375
VicksburgLA43.057.10 ft, May 19, 201112
Wabasha - Pool 4MN12.020.05 ft, Apr 19, 19657
Winfield Lock and Dam 25MO26.039.62 ft, Aug 1, 19939
Winona - Pool 6MN13.020.77 ft, Apr 19, 19655
Lock and Dam 10 - GuttenbergIA15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Lock and Dam 2 - HastingsMN15.025.90 ft, Apr 17, 196512
Lock and Dam 3 - Red WingMN680.5687.77 ft, Apr 19, 19658
Lock and Dam 4 - AlmaWI16.019.78 ft, Apr 19, 19652
Lock and Dam 5 - Minnesota CityMN660.0667.85 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 5a - WinonaMN655.0663.35 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 6 - TrempealeauMN647.0653.02 ft, Apr 21, 19654
Lock and Dam 7 - La CrescentMN641.0647.38 ft, Apr 21, 19652
Lock and Dam 8 - GenoaWI631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653
Lock and Dam 9 - LynxvilleWI625.0633.16 ft, Apr 24, 19653
AitkinMN13.022.49 ft, May 20, 195011
Arkansas CityAR37.059.20 ft, Apr 21, 192715
GreenvilleAR48.065.40 ft, Apr 21, 192718

Other gauges in Lee County

Flood gauges in Lee County
St. Francisville18.032.02 ft, Jul 15, 199313

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EOKI4, 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.