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Rock River at Rock Rapids

Highest listed crest 28.65 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft25 crests since 2002

The Rock River at Rock Rapids crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 25 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2002 to 2025. The highest, 28.65 ft on June 22, 2024, was major flooding, 15.65 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Rock River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.65 ft
June 22, 2024; 44,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
7
35th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
June 22, 2024
28.65 ft, major flooding
Location
Lyon County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Rock River at Rock Rapids
Action stage11.05Jul 6, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.07Apr 13, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.02Jun 6, 2008Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.07Jun 22, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

25 crests from 2002 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rock River at Rock Rapids, 2002 to 2025 51015202530ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft Mar 30, 2002: 9.95 ft, below flood stage; 1,110 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2003: 9.66 ft, below flood stage; 970 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2004: 14.27 ft, minor flooding; 3,440 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2005: 12.57 ft, action stage; 2,880 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2006: 17.81 ft, moderate flooding; 9,360 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2007: 19.79 ft, major flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2008: 16.49 ft, moderate flooding; 7,330 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2009: 12.83 ft, action stage; 2,870 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2010: 22.25 ft, major flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2011: 15.66 ft, minor flooding; 6,330 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2012: 14.92 ft, minor flooding; 5,270 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2013: 13.86 ft, minor flooding; 3,760 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2014: 26.98 ft, major flooding; 33,800 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2015: 11.96 ft, action stage; 2,380 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2016: 13.02 ft, minor flooding; 3,280 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2017: 11.46 ft, action stage; 2,030 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2018: 20.80 ft, major floodingMar 14, 2019: 19.78 ft, major floodingSep 14, 2019: 21.54 ft, major flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2020: 13.80 ft, minor flooding; 4,120 cubic feet per secondSep 4, 2021: 9.26 ft, below flood stage; 853 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2022: 12.11 ft, action stage; 2,570 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2023: 13.40 ft, minor flooding; 3,900 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2024: 28.65 ft, major flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2025: 10.61 ft, below flood stage; 1,550 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.65 ft, Jun 22, 2024 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rock River at Rock Rapids 2000s: 4 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 3 2000s2010s2020s
  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, Rock River at Rock Rapids
1Jun 22, 202428.65+15.65Major44,000
2Jun 17, 201426.98+13.98Major33,800
3Sep 25, 201022.25+9.25Major18,200
4Sep 14, 201921.54+8.54Major16,600
5Jun 22, 201820.80+7.80Major—
6Mar 15, 200719.79+6.79Major12,900
7Mar 14, 201919.78+6.78Major—
8Apr 8, 200617.81+4.81Moderate9,360
9Jun 6, 200816.49+3.49Moderate7,330
10Mar 22, 201115.66+2.66Minor6,330
11May 28, 201214.92+1.92Minor5,270
12Mar 2, 200414.27+1.27Minor3,440
13Jun 24, 201313.86+0.86Minor3,760
14Jul 7, 202013.80+0.80Minor4,120
15Apr 13, 202313.40+0.40Minor3,900
16Sep 17, 201613.02+0.02Minor3,280
17Feb 10, 200912.83−0.17Action2,870
18Jul 25, 200512.57−0.43Action2,880
19Jul 6, 202212.11−0.89Action2,570
20Aug 20, 201511.96−1.04Action2,380
21May 22, 201711.46−1.54Action2,030
22Jul 1, 202510.61−2.39Below flood stage1,550
23Mar 30, 20029.95−3.05Below flood stage1,110
24Apr 20, 20039.66−3.34Below flood stage970
25Sep 4, 20219.26−3.74Below flood stage853

The worst floods along the Rock River

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

June 22, 2024: 28.65 ft here, major flooding

  • Rock ValleyIA · Jun 22, 2024 · 27.70 ft · Major · its highest
  • HardwickMN · Jun 22, 2024 · 19.89 ft · Moderate
  • LuverneMN · Jun 22, 2024 · 13.61 ft · Moderate

June 17, 2014: 26.98 ft here, major flooding

  • Rock ValleyIA · Jun 17, 2014 · 22.72 ft · Major
  • LuverneMN · Jun 17, 2014 · 14.86 ft · Major · its highest
  • HardwickMN · Jun 17, 2014 · 21.18 ft · Moderate · its highest

September 25, 2010: 22.25 ft here, major flooding

  • Rock ValleyIA · Sep 26, 2010 · 20.24 ft · Major
  • LuverneMN · Sep 24, 2010 · 12.69 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Rock River

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

Flood gauges on the Rock River
LuverneMN10.014.86 ft, Jun 17, 20142
Rock Rapids this gaugeIA13.028.65 ft, Jun 22, 20247
Rock ValleyIA16.027.70 ft, Jun 22, 20246
HardwickMN14.021.18 ft, Jun 17, 20140

Other gauges in Lyon County

Flood gauges in Lyon County
George1,311.51,318.70 ft, Jun 22, 20241
Lester1,375.01,375.89 ft, Jun 21, 20240

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RAPI4, 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.