Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28

Highest listed crest 41.31 ftFlood stage 36.0 ft34 crests since 1993

The Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28 crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 34 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1993 to 2025. The highest, 41.31 ft on June 13, 2008, was major flooding, 5.31 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Raccoon River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
41.31 ft
June 13, 2008; 52,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
36.0 ft
Major flooding from 40.0 ft
Crests at major
3
58th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
March 15, 2019
37.43 ft, minor flooding
Location
Polk County
Near West Des Moines (4.1 mi), Des Moines (4.9 mi), Norwalk (5.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28
Action stage34.06Jun 25, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)36.06Mar 15, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage38.02May 24, 2004Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage40.03Jun 26, 2015Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

34 crests from 1993 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28, 1993 to 2025 202530354045ft Flood stage 36.0 ftMajor 40.0 ft Jul 11, 1993: 40.77 ft, major flooding; 66,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1994: 32.82 ft, below flood stageMay 29, 1995: 31.00 ft, below flood stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1996: 33.12 ft, below flood stage; 15,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1997: 37.52 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1998: 39.46 ft, moderate flooding; 40,300 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1999: 35.87 ft, action stage; 25,300 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2000: 27.52 ft, below flood stage; 4,700 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2001: 33.23 ft, below flood stage; 17,600 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2002: 28.55 ft, below flood stage; 7,470 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2003: 35.19 ft, action stage; 21,100 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2004: 38.22 ft, moderate flooding; 30,800 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2005: 35.35 ft, action stage; 23,500 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2006: 27.99 ft, below flood stage; 7,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2007: 37.94 ft, minor flooding; 33,500 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2008: 41.31 ft, major flooding; 52,000 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2009: 35.78 ft, action stage; 24,600 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2010: 36.97 ft, minor flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2011: 33.01 ft, below flood stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2012: 27.79 ft, below flood stage; 6,410 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2012: 27.85 ft, below flood stageJun 1, 2013: 36.25 ft, minor flooding; 25,600 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 2014: 34.51 ft, action stage; 19,600 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2015: 40.37 ft, major flooding; 46,600 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2015: 37.43 ft, minor flooding; 29,300 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2017: 32.09 ft, below flood stage; 13,500 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2018: 34.04 ft, action stage; 19,600 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 37.43 ft, minor flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 2019: 29.95 ft, below flood stage; 12,800 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2021: 22.44 ft, below flood stage; 2,140 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2022: 31.02 ft, below flood stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2023: 28.39 ft, below flood stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2024: 31.92 ft, below flood stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2025: 29.99 ft, below flood stage; 12,400 cubic feet per second Highest, 41.31 ft, Jun 13, 2008 200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28 1990s: 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 0 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Raccoon River at Des Moines IA 28
1Jun 13, 200841.31+5.31Major52,000
2Jul 11, 199340.77+4.77Major66,000
3Jun 26, 201540.37+4.37Major46,600
4Jun 16, 199839.46+3.46Moderate40,300
5May 24, 200438.22+2.22Moderate30,800
6Apr 26, 200737.94+1.94Minor33,500
7Feb 19, 199737.52+1.52Minor—
8Dec 15, 201537.43+1.43Minor29,300
9Mar 15, 201937.43+1.43Minor32,000
10Jun 28, 201036.97+0.97Minor28,700
11Jun 1, 201336.25+0.25Minor25,600
12May 22, 199935.87−0.13Action25,300
13Apr 28, 200935.78−0.22Action24,600
14May 13, 200535.35−0.65Action23,500
15May 9, 200335.19−0.81Action21,100
16Sep 1, 201434.51−1.49Action19,600
17Jun 25, 201834.04−1.96Action19,600
18May 7, 200133.23−2.77Below flood stage17,600
19Jun 22, 199633.12−2.88Below flood stage15,200
20Jun 21, 201133.01−2.99Below flood stage14,800
21Feb 19, 199432.82−3.18Below flood stage—
22May 21, 201732.09−3.91Below flood stage13,500
23May 22, 202431.92−4.08Below flood stage16,000
24Jun 7, 202231.02−4.98Below flood stage14,600
25May 29, 199531.00−5.00Below flood stage12,100
26Jul 31, 202529.99−6.01Below flood stage12,400
27Oct 12, 201929.95−6.05Below flood stage12,800
28Jun 13, 200228.55−7.45Below flood stage7,470
29Feb 28, 202328.39−7.61Below flood stage10,800
30May 3, 200627.99−8.01Below flood stage7,000
31May 7, 201227.85−8.15Below flood stage—
32Apr 15, 201227.79−8.21Below flood stage6,410
33Jul 6, 200027.52−8.48Below flood stage4,700
34Mar 26, 202122.44−13.56Below flood stage2,140

The worst floods along the Raccoon River

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

June 13, 2008: 41.31 ft here, major flooding

July 11, 1993: 40.77 ft here, major flooding

June 26, 2015: 40.37 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Raccoon River

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

Flood gauges on the Raccoon River
Des Moines Fleur DrIA12.026.80 ft, Jul 11, 19931
Des Moines IA 28 this gaugeIA36.041.31 ft, Jun 13, 20083
Van MeterIA17.026.34 ft, Jul 10, 19933
Van Meter Hwy R16--IFCIA857.8867.14 ft, Jul 10, 19931

Other gauges in Polk County

Flood gauges in Polk County
Grimes14.016.58 ft, Jul 10, 19930
Des Moines 2nd Ave23.031.57 ft, Jun 13, 20082
Des Moines SE 6th St24.035.55 ft, Jun 13, 20086
Saylorville Reservoir884.0892.03 ft, Jul 11, 19930
Des Moines Easton Blvd12.517.51 ft, Jul 1, 20183
Ankeny NE 86th Ave11.016.17 ft, Jul 1, 20180
Des Moines Fleur Dr12.026.80 ft, Jul 11, 19931
Clive I-80/359.013.41 ft, Jun 25, 20150
Des Moines 63rd St14.019.08 ft, Jun 30, 20189

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DMWI4, 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.