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South Fork Chariton River near Promise City

Highest listed crest 34.84 ftFlood stage 25.0 ft66 crests since 1965

The South Fork Chariton River near Promise City crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 66 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1965 to 2025. The highest, 34.84 ft on September 15, 1992, was major flooding, 9.84 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
34.84 ft
September 15, 1992; 70,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
25.0 ft
Major flooding from 31.0 ft
Crests at major
1
93rd of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
April 18, 2013
27.22 ft, minor flooding
Location
Wayne County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Fork Chariton River near Promise City
Action stage22.06May 29, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)25.05Apr 18, 2013Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage28.02Aug 24, 2007Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage31.01Sep 15, 1992Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

66 crests from 1965 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, 1965 to 2025 010203040ft Flood stage 25.0 ftMajor 31.0 ft Sep 21, 1965: 25.50 ft, minor flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1968: 20.96 ft, below flood stage; 6,950 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1969: 15.05 ft, below flood stageApr 27, 1969: 14.29 ft, below flood stage; 2,600 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 1970: 21.32 ft, below flood stage; 7,660 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 1970: 20.98 ft, below flood stage; 6,970 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 1972: 17.68 ft, below flood stage; 3,930 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1973: 19.21 ft, below flood stage; 4,870 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1973: 19.35 ft, below flood stage; 4,980 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1975: 20.85 ft, below flood stage; 6,580 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1976: 20.29 ft, below flood stage; 5,960 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1977: 18.75 ft, below flood stage; 4,520 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1978: 21.92 ft, below flood stage; 9,700 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1979: 19.74 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 1979: 19.18 ft, below flood stage; 4,910 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1980: 22.92 ft, action stage; 11,200 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1981: 29.95 ft, moderate flooding; 28,000 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1982: 22.32 ft, action stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 1982: 20.57 ft, below flood stageApr 2, 1983: 19.43 ft, below flood stage; 5,570 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1984: 19.83 ft, below flood stage; 6,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1985: 18.06 ft, below flood stageMar 4, 1985: 16.36 ft, below flood stage; 3,040 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1986: 20.95 ft, below flood stage; 7,710 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1987: 18.45 ft, below flood stage; 4,490 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1987: 15.71 ft, below flood stage; 2,770 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1989: 12.40 ft, below flood stage; 1,770 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1990: 20.39 ft, below flood stage; 6,890 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1991: 20.70 ft, below flood stage; 6,760 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1992: 34.84 ft, major flooding; 70,600 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1993: 25.09 ft, minor flooding; 16,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1994: 14.00 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 1994: 12.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1995: 20.39 ft, below flood stage; 7,640 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1996: 22.29 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1997: 19.76 ft, below flood stage; 6,820 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1998: 20.65 ft, below flood stage; 8,000 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1998: 19.03 ft, below flood stage; 5,940 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2000: 14.99 ft, below flood stage; 2,850 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2001: 20.63 ft, below flood stage; 7,980 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2002: 21.50 ft, below flood stage; 6,750 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2003: 9.73 ft, below flood stage; 1,160 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2004: 20.89 ft, below flood stage; 8,350 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2005: 15.79 ft, below flood stage; 3,200 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2006: 7.30 ft, below flood stage; 583 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 2007: 28.41 ft, moderate flooding; 24,700 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2008: 25.78 ft, minor flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 2009: 23.84 ft, action stage; 12,800 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2010: 21.89 ft, below flood stage; 9,070 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 2010: 25.46 ft, minor floodingMay 26, 2011: 21.23 ft, below flood stage; 8,080 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2012: 10.01 ft, below flood stage; 1,430 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2012: 10.21 ft, below flood stageApr 18, 2013: 27.22 ft, minor flooding; 27,100 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2014: 21.57 ft, below flood stage; 8,580 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 2015: 24.00 ft, action stage; 13,100 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2015: 21.12 ft, below flood stage; 7,920 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2017: 18.35 ft, below flood stage; 4,750 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2018: 17.58 ft, below flood stage; 4,220 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2019: 22.60 ft, action stage; 10,300 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2020: 12.86 ft, below flood stage; 2,360 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2021: 13.87 ft, below flood stage; 2,710 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2021: 19.13 ft, below flood stage; 5,440 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2023: 11.60 ft, below flood stage; 2,120 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2024: 21.01 ft, below flood stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 2025: 20.75 ft, below flood stage; 10,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 34.84 ft, Sep 15, 1992 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Fork Chariton River near Promise City 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 2 2020s: 0 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

The 50 highest of 66 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, South Fork Chariton River near Promise City
1Sep 15, 199234.84+9.84Major70,600
2Jul 4, 198129.95+4.95Moderate28,000
3Aug 24, 200728.41+3.41Moderate24,700
4Apr 18, 201327.22+2.22Minor27,100
5Jul 25, 200825.78+0.78Minor17,700
6Sep 21, 196525.50+0.50Minor18,000
7Jul 20, 201025.46+0.46Minor—
8Jul 5, 199325.09+0.09Minor16,900
9Jul 29, 201524.00−1.00Action13,100
10Aug 27, 200923.84−1.16Action12,800
11Jun 3, 198022.92−2.08Action11,200
12May 29, 201922.60−2.40Action10,300
13Jul 16, 198222.32−2.68Action10,000
14May 27, 199622.29−2.71Action10,500
15Apr 10, 197821.92−3.08Below flood stage9,700
16Apr 25, 201021.89−3.11Below flood stage9,070
17Jun 4, 201421.57−3.43Below flood stage8,580
18May 11, 200221.50−3.50Below flood stage6,750
19Aug 8, 197021.32−3.68Below flood stage7,660
20May 26, 201121.23−3.77Below flood stage8,080
21Dec 14, 201521.12−3.88Below flood stage7,920
22May 3, 202421.01−3.99Below flood stage10,500
23Oct 9, 197020.98−4.02Below flood stage6,970
24Apr 23, 196820.96−4.04Below flood stage6,950
25May 17, 198620.95−4.05Below flood stage7,710
26Aug 28, 200420.89−4.11Below flood stage8,350
27Jun 28, 197520.85−4.15Below flood stage6,580
28Jul 20, 202520.75−4.25Below flood stage10,000
29Apr 29, 199120.70−4.30Below flood stage6,760
30May 7, 199820.65−4.35Below flood stage8,000
31May 14, 200120.63−4.37Below flood stage7,980
32Oct 9, 198220.57−4.43Below flood stage—
33Jun 17, 199020.39−4.61Below flood stage6,890
34May 23, 199520.39−4.61Below flood stage7,640
35Jun 14, 197620.29−4.71Below flood stage5,960
36Jun 10, 198419.83−5.17Below flood stage6,500
37Feb 21, 199719.76−5.24Below flood stage6,820
38Mar 4, 197919.74−5.26Below flood stage—
39Apr 2, 198319.43−5.57Below flood stage5,570
40Oct 12, 197319.35−5.65Below flood stage4,980
41Apr 16, 197319.21−5.79Below flood stage4,870
42Mar 24, 197919.18−5.82Below flood stage4,910
43Nov 11, 202119.13−5.87Below flood stage5,440
44Oct 18, 199819.03−5.97Below flood stage5,940
45Aug 26, 197718.75−6.25Below flood stage4,520
46Aug 26, 198718.45−6.55Below flood stage4,490
47Apr 5, 201718.35−6.65Below flood stage4,750
48Feb 21, 198518.06−6.94Below flood stage—
49Sep 14, 197217.68−7.32Below flood stage3,930
50Sep 6, 201817.58−7.42Below flood stage4,220

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PRMI4, 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.