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South Skunk River near Ames US 30

Highest listed crest 26.72 ftFlood stage 21.5 ft66 crests since 1944

The South Skunk River near Ames US 30 crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 66 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1944 to 2025. The highest, 26.72 ft on August 11, 2010, was major flooding, 5.22 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the South Skunk River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.72 ft
August 11, 2010; 36,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
21.5 ft
Major flooding from 24.5 ft
Crests at major
6
41st of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
June 15, 2022
22.10 ft, minor flooding
Location
Story County
Near Ames (1.8 mi), Boone (14.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Skunk River near Ames US 30
Action stage19.016Feb 27, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.522Jun 15, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage23.53Aug 30, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.56Aug 11, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

66 crests from 1944 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Skunk River near Ames US 30, 1944 to 2025 1015202530ft Flood stage 21.5 ftMajor 24.5 ft May 19, 1944: 23.00 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1953: 15.47 ft, below flood stage; 1,620 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 1954: 22.36 ft, minor flooding; 8,700 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 1954: 16.81 ft, below flood stage; 2,680 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1956: 13.05 ft, below flood stage; 638 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1957: 21.58 ft, minor flooding; 6,360 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1958: 22.82 ft, minor flooding; 8,550 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1959: 20.57 ft, action stage; 5,520 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1960: 23.20 ft, minor flooding; 9,260 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1961: 18.27 ft, below flood stage; 3,520 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1962: 21.87 ft, minor flooding; 6,330 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1963: 20.20 ft, action stage; 4,780 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1964: 19.80 ft, action stage; 4,440 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1965: 22.59 ft, minor flooding; 7,340 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1966: 21.45 ft, action stage; 6,380 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1967: 19.90 ft, action stage; 4,960 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1968: 22.07 ft, minor flooding; 7,310 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1969: 22.15 ft, minor flooding; 6,620 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1970: 20.35 ft, action stage; 4,950 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1971: 22.67 ft, minor flooding; 8,610 cubic feet per secondAug 2, 1972: 18.05 ft, below flood stage; 3,340 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1973: 22.43 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1973: 21.94 ft, minor flooding; 6,860 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1974: 23.19 ft, minor flooding; 7,800 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1975: 25.57 ft, major flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1976: 22.14 ft, minor flooding; 6,410 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1977: 22.43 ft, minor flooding; 6,400 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1978: 20.08 ft, action stageSep 14, 1978: 19.97 ft, action stage; 4,700 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1979: 23.68 ft, moderate flooding; 9,430 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1990: 25.40 ft, major flooding; 13,000 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1992: 17.96 ft, below flood stage; 3,370 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 1993: 25.53 ft, major flooding; 26,500 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1994: 19.96 ft, action stage; 5,170 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1995: 18.36 ft, below flood stage; 3,880 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1996: 25.13 ft, major flooding; 24,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1997: 19.46 ft, action stage; 4,130 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1998: 22.81 ft, minor flooding; 9,970 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1999: 21.16 ft, action stage; 6,480 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2000: 14.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,240 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2001: 16.94 ft, below flood stage; 3,350 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2002: 17.12 ft, below flood stage; 3,020 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2003: 19.98 ft, action stage; 5,720 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2004: 19.90 ft, action stage; 5,110 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2005: 17.29 ft, below flood stage; 3,110 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 2006: 19.10 ft, action stage; 4,490 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2007: 23.20 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2008: 24.70 ft, major flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2009: 19.97 ft, action stage; 5,590 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 2010: 26.72 ft, major flooding; 36,200 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2011: 15.88 ft, below flood stage; 2,940 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2012: 12.60 ft, below flood stage; 908 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2013: 22.55 ft, minor flooding; 9,090 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2014: 23.79 ft, moderate flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 2015: 23.98 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2015: 22.84 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 2017: 18.19 ft, below flood stageMay 1, 2017: 16.95 ft, below flood stage; 3,560 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2018: 22.77 ft, minor flooding; 9,820 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2019: 23.09 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2020: 17.89 ft, below flood stage; 4,380 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2021: 12.46 ft, below flood stage; 678 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2022: 22.10 ft, minor flooding; 8,570 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2023: 19.53 ft, action stage; 7,510 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2024: 18.12 ft, below flood stage; 4,560 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 2025: 18.76 ft, below flood stage; 4,990 cubic feet per second Highest, 26.72 ft, Aug 11, 2010 1960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Skunk River near Ames US 30 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 1960s: 5 1970s: 8 8 1980s: 0 1990s: 4 2000s: 2 2010s: 7 2020s: 1 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Skunk River near Ames US 30
1Aug 11, 201026.72+5.22Major36,200
2Jun 27, 197525.57+4.07Major14,700
3Jul 9, 199325.53+4.03Major26,500
4Jun 17, 199025.40+3.90Major13,000
5Jun 17, 199625.13+3.63Major24,400
6May 30, 200824.70+3.20Major19,800
7Aug 30, 201523.98+2.48Moderate15,200
8Jul 1, 201423.79+2.29Moderate14,200
9Mar 19, 197923.68+2.18Moderate9,430
10Mar 30, 196023.20+1.70Minor9,260
11Apr 26, 200723.20+1.70Minor11,500
12Jun 23, 197423.19+1.69Minor7,800
13Mar 14, 201923.09+1.59Minor11,700
14May 19, 194423.00+1.50Minor10,000
15Dec 15, 201522.84+1.34Minor10,100
16Jul 4, 195822.82+1.32Minor8,550
17Jun 15, 199822.81+1.31Minor9,970
18Jun 15, 201822.77+1.27Minor9,820
19Feb 20, 197122.67+1.17Minor8,610
20Apr 6, 196522.59+1.09Minor7,340
21May 28, 201322.55+1.05Minor9,090
22Feb 2, 197322.43+0.93Minor—
23Aug 16, 197722.43+0.93Minor6,400
24Aug 28, 195422.36+0.86Minor8,700
25Mar 20, 196922.15+0.65Minor6,620
26Jun 14, 197622.14+0.64Minor6,410
27Jun 15, 202222.10+0.60Minor8,570
28Jun 25, 196822.07+0.57Minor7,310
29Apr 16, 197321.94+0.44Minor6,860
30Jul 15, 196221.87+0.37Minor6,330
31Jun 16, 195721.58+0.08Minor6,360
32Jun 12, 196621.45−0.05Action6,380
33Jun 11, 199921.16−0.34Action6,480
34May 31, 195920.57−0.93Action5,520
35May 13, 197020.35−1.15Action4,950
36May 12, 196320.20−1.30Action4,780
37Apr 18, 197820.08−1.42Action—
38Jul 9, 200319.98−1.52Action5,720
39Sep 14, 197819.97−1.53Action4,700
40Mar 9, 200919.97−1.53Action5,590
41Jun 24, 199419.96−1.54Action5,170
42Jun 8, 196719.90−1.60Action4,960
43May 25, 200419.90−1.60Action5,110
44Jun 23, 196419.80−1.70Action4,440
45Feb 27, 202319.53−1.97Action7,510
46Feb 19, 199719.46−2.04Action4,130
47Sep 12, 200619.10−2.40Action4,490
48Jul 30, 202518.76−2.74Below flood stage4,990
49May 10, 199518.36−3.14Below flood stage3,880
50Sep 30, 196118.27−3.23Below flood stage3,520

The worst floods along the South Skunk River

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

August 11, 2010: 26.72 ft here, major flooding

  • ColfaxIA · Aug 14, 2010 · 23.85 ft · Major · its highest
  • Ames W Riverside RdIA · Aug 11, 2010 · 19.04 ft · Major
  • OskaloosaIA · Aug 16, 2010 · 26.40 ft · Minor · its highest

June 27, 1975: 25.57 ft here, major flooding

July 9, 1993: 25.53 ft here, major flooding

  • ColfaxIA · Jul 12, 1993 · 21.53 ft · Major
  • OskaloosaIA · Jul 15, 1993 · 24.78 ft · Minor

Gauges on the South Skunk River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the South Skunk River
Ames W Riverside RdIA12.520.89 ft, Jun 17, 199610
Ames US 30 this gaugeIA21.526.72 ft, Aug 11, 20106
ColfaxIA18.023.85 ft, Aug 14, 20102
OskaloosaIA24.526.40 ft, Aug 16, 20100

Other gauges in Story County

Flood gauges in Story County
Ames Lincoln Way10.018.54 ft, Jul 9, 19934
Ames W Riverside Rd12.520.89 ft, Jun 17, 199610

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge AESI4, 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.