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Turkey River at Elkader

Highest listed crest 27.77 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft34 crests since 1991

The Turkey River at Elkader crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 34 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1991 to 2026. The highest, 27.77 ft on June 10, 2008, was major flooding, 15.77 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Turkey River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
27.77 ft
June 10, 2008; 40,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
6
41st of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
April 4, 2026
12.98 ft, minor flooding
Location
Clayton County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Turkey River at Elkader
Action stage10.03Apr 27, 2009The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.012Apr 4, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.07Mar 14, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.06Aug 30, 2021Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

34 crests from 1991 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Turkey River at Elkader, 1991 to 2026 51015202530ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Jun 15, 1991: 27.32 ft, major flooding; 38,300 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1993: 18.90 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1999: 19.35 ft, moderate floodingJun 5, 2002: 7.65 ft, below flood stage; 1,630 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2003: 8.85 ft, below flood stage; 3,320 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2004: 25.57 ft, major flooding; 33,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2005: 10.22 ft, action stage; 4,730 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2006: 8.94 ft, below flood stage; 3,280 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2007: 13.12 ft, minor flooding; 8,700 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 2007: 12.39 ft, minor flooding; 7,617 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2008: 18.84 ft, moderate flooding; 17,207 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2008: 27.77 ft, major flooding; 40,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2009: 11.69 ft, action stageApr 27, 2009: 11.19 ft, action stage; 5,300 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2010: 14.42 ft, minor flooding; 9,340 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2011: 12.17 ft, minor flooding; 6,470 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2012: 8.20 ft, below flood stage; 2,630 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2013: 16.09 ft, moderate flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2014: 18.82 ft, moderate flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2015: 9.36 ft, below flood stage; 3,170 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 2016: 22.57 ft, major flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2016: 20.65 ft, major flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2017: 14.23 ft, minor flooding; 10,489 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 2017: 12.52 ft, minor flooding; 8,065 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2018: 16.67 ft, moderate flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2019: 18.45 ft, moderate flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2019: 12.23 ft, minor flooding; 6,916 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2020: 15.21 ft, minor flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 2021: 22.87 ft, major flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2022: 9.17 ft, below flood stage; 3,330 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2023: 13.77 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2024: 12.43 ft, minor floodingAug 20, 2025: 13.33 ft, minor flooding; 10,185 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2026: 12.98 ft, minor flooding; 10,058 cubic feet per second Highest, 27.77 ft, Jun 10, 2008 200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Turkey River at Elkader 1990s: 3 2000s: 5 2010s: 11 11 2020s: 6 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, Turkey River at Elkader
1Jun 10, 200827.77+15.77Major40,500
2Jun 15, 199127.32+15.32Major38,300
3May 23, 200425.57+13.57Major33,300
4Aug 30, 202122.87+10.87Major27,600
5Aug 26, 201622.57+10.57Major26,000
6Sep 23, 201620.65+8.65Major21,000
7May 17, 199919.35+7.35Moderate—
8Apr 2, 199318.90+6.90Moderate—
9Apr 26, 200818.84+6.84Moderate17,207
10Jun 20, 201418.82+6.82Moderate17,300
11Mar 14, 201918.45+6.45Moderate18,500
12Sep 20, 201816.67+4.67Moderate13,900
13May 31, 201316.09+4.09Moderate11,900
14Jun 11, 202015.21+3.21Minor13,700
15Mar 12, 201014.42+2.42Minor9,340
16Jun 29, 201714.23+2.23Minor10,489
17Feb 27, 202313.77+1.77Minor10,600
18Aug 20, 202513.33+1.33Minor10,185
19Mar 23, 200713.12+1.12Minor8,700
20Apr 4, 202612.98+0.98Minor10,058
21Jul 22, 201712.52+0.52Minor8,065
22May 23, 202412.43+0.43Minor—
23Aug 24, 200712.39+0.39Minor7,617
24May 20, 201912.23+0.23Minor6,916
25Mar 23, 201112.17+0.17Minor6,470
26Feb 10, 200911.69−0.31Action—
27Apr 27, 200911.19−0.81Action5,300
28Feb 15, 200510.22−1.78Action4,730
29Jun 24, 20159.36−2.64Below flood stage3,170
30Mar 6, 20229.17−2.83Below flood stage3,330
31Apr 18, 20068.94−3.06Below flood stage3,280
32May 11, 20038.85−3.15Below flood stage3,320
33Apr 21, 20128.20−3.80Below flood stage2,630
34Jun 5, 20027.65−4.35Below flood stage1,630

The worst floods along the Turkey River

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

June 10, 2008: 27.77 ft here, major flooding

  • GarberIA · Jun 10, 2008 · 29.13 ft · Major
  • EldoradoIA · Jun 9, 2008 · 21.46 ft · Major · its highest

June 15, 1991: 27.32 ft here, major flooding

  • GarberIA · Jun 15, 1991 · 30.10 ft · Major
  • EldoradoIA · Jun 15, 1991 · 18.78 ft · Major

May 23, 2004: 25.57 ft here, major flooding

  • GarberIA · May 23, 2004 · 32.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • EldoradoIA · May 23, 2004 · 19.61 ft · Major

Gauges on the Turkey River

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

Flood gauges on the Turkey River
Elkader this gaugeIA12.027.77 ft, Jun 10, 20086
GarberIA17.032.80 ft, May 23, 200428
SpillvilleIA9.020.25 ft, Aug 24, 201612
Cresco (IFC)IA1,128.51,135.43 ft, Aug 24, 20160
EldoradoIA13.021.46 ft, Jun 9, 20086
Elgin (IFC)IA766.0775.60 ft, Aug 26, 20161

Other gauges in Clayton County

Flood gauges in Clayton County
Marquette7.012.38 ft, May 23, 20044
Clayton620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
McGregor16.025.38 ft, Apr 24, 19653
Lock and Dam 10 - Guttenberg15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Elkader (IFC)754.5755.15 ft, Sep 23, 20160
Garber17.032.80 ft, May 23, 200428
Elgin (IFC)766.0775.60 ft, Aug 26, 20161
Littleport12.025.36 ft, May 17, 19999
Volga (IFC)784.5790.79 ft, Jul 23, 20170

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EKDI4, 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.