Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Upper Iowa River at Decorah

Highest listed crest 17.90 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft70 crests since 1951

The Upper Iowa River at Decorah crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 70 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1951 to 2023. The highest, 17.90 ft on June 9, 2008, was major flooding, 5.90 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Upper Iowa River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
17.90 ft
June 9, 2008; 34,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
2
70th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
August 24, 2016
13.68 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Winneshiek County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Upper Iowa River at Decorah
Action stage9.028Aug 30, 2021The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.01Jun 1, 2000Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.02Aug 24, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.02Jun 9, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

70 crests from 1951 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Upper Iowa River at Decorah, 1951 to 2023 05101520ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Mar 31, 1951: 9.17 ft, action stage; 8,850 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1953: 9.58 ft, action stage; 11,100 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1954: 10.12 ft, action stage; 11,600 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 1955: 6.64 ft, below flood stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1956: 8.28 ft, below flood stage; 5,500 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1957: 8.98 ft, below flood stage; 8,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1958: 7.40 ft, below flood stage; 1,200 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1959: 8.32 ft, below flood stage; 5,400 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1960: 8.46 ft, below flood stage; 5,880 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1961: 13.08 ft, moderate flooding; 20,200 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1962: 11.32 ft, action stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1963: 8.68 ft, below flood stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1964: 7.97 ft, below flood stage; 3,870 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1965: 9.98 ft, action stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1966: 9.65 ft, action stage; 9,330 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1967: 10.46 ft, action stage; 11,800 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1968: 7.69 ft, below flood stage; 3,950 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1969: 11.35 ft, action stage; 14,900 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 1970: 6.84 ft, below flood stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1971: 9.47 ft, action stage; 8,440 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1972: 10.47 ft, action stage; 8,340 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1973: 9.42 ft, action stage; 6,290 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1974: 9.82 ft, action stage; 7,120 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1975: 9.21 ft, action stage; 6,090 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1976: 10.75 ft, action stage; 9,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1977: 6.31 ft, below flood stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1978: 9.83 ft, action stage; 7,060 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1979: 8.83 ft, below flood stage; 5,260 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1980: 9.33 ft, action stage; 6,120 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1981: 7.26 ft, below flood stage; 3,190 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1982: 7.39 ft, below flood stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1983: 9.11 ft, action stage; 5,730 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1985: 8.72 ft, below flood stage; 5,210 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1986: 9.28 ft, action stage; 6,150 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1986: 9.50 ft, action stage; 6,430 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1989: 6.70 ft, below flood stage; 2,240 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 1990: 9.89 ft, action stage; 7,200 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1991: 7.79 ft, below flood stage; 3,700 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1992: 7.43 ft, below flood stage; 3,200 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1993: 14.35 ft, major flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1994: 7.31 ft, below flood stage; 3,500 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1995: 5.65 ft, below flood stage; 2,340 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1996: 7.68 ft, below flood stage; 2,340 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1997: 7.51 ft, below flood stage; 4,900 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1998: 10.64 ft, action stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1999: 8.55 ft, below flood stage; 6,700 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2000: 12.31 ft, minor flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2001: 10.06 ft, action stage; 9,730 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2002: 5.28 ft, below flood stage; 1,930 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2003: 5.16 ft, below flood stage; 1,920 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2004: 9.32 ft, action stage; 8,180 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2005: 8.76 ft, below flood stage; 7,090 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2006: 6.57 ft, below flood stage; 3,500 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2007: 9.53 ft, action stage; 8,610 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2008: 17.90 ft, major flooding; 34,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2009: 5.27 ft, below flood stage; 2,020 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2010: 7.64 ft, below flood stage; 5,190 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2011: 7.65 ft, below flood stage; 7,330 cubic feet per secondFeb 29, 2012: 4.37 ft, below flood stage; 1,880 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2013: 11.67 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2014: 6.12 ft, below flood stage; 4,200 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2015: 8.66 ft, below flood stage; 9,170 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 2016: 13.68 ft, moderate flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2017: 7.60 ft, below flood stage; 7,690 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2018: 11.87 ft, action stage; 17,200 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 9.44 ft, action stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2020: 7.46 ft, below flood stage; 7,520 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 2021: 9.30 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 2022: 5.09 ft, below flood stage; 4,050 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2023: 5.36 ft, below flood stage; 4,250 cubic feet per second Highest, 17.90 ft, Jun 9, 2008 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Upper Iowa River at Decorah 1950s: 0 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 2 2 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 70 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Upper Iowa River at Decorah
1Jun 9, 200817.90+5.90Major34,100
2Aug 17, 199314.35+2.35Major20,500
3Aug 24, 201613.68+1.68Moderate19,800
4Mar 27, 196113.08+1.08Moderate20,200
5Jun 1, 200012.31+0.31Minor15,300
6Jun 10, 201811.87−0.13Action17,200
7Jun 23, 201311.67−0.33Action17,000
8Jun 30, 196911.35−0.65Action14,900
9Mar 30, 196211.32−0.68Action14,800
10Mar 12, 197610.75−1.25Action9,500
11Jun 28, 199810.64−1.36Action11,000
12Sep 25, 197210.47−1.53Action8,340
13Jun 12, 196710.46−1.54Action11,800
14Jun 21, 195410.12−1.88Action11,600
15Apr 8, 200110.06−1.94Action9,730
16Sep 30, 19659.98−2.02Action10,100
17Aug 25, 19909.89−2.11Action7,200
18Jun 17, 19789.83−2.17Action7,060
19Jun 10, 19749.82−2.18Action7,120
20Feb 8, 19669.65−2.35Action9,330
21Aug 3, 19539.58−2.42Action11,100
22Aug 22, 20079.53−2.47Action8,610
23Oct 13, 19869.50−2.50Action6,430
24Apr 1, 19719.47−2.53Action8,440
25Mar 15, 20199.44−2.56Action11,000
26Apr 17, 19739.42−2.58Action6,290
27Jun 1, 19809.33−2.67Action6,120
28May 23, 20049.32−2.68Action8,180
29Aug 30, 20219.30−2.70Action10,800
30Mar 16, 19869.28−2.72Action6,150
31Apr 29, 19759.21−2.79Action6,090
32Mar 31, 19519.17−2.83Action8,850
33Sep 21, 19839.11−2.89Action5,730
34Jul 16, 19578.98−3.02Below flood stage8,000
35Aug 23, 19798.83−3.17Below flood stage5,260
36Jul 25, 20058.76−3.24Below flood stage7,090
37Feb 23, 19858.72−3.28Below flood stage5,210
38Mar 17, 19638.68−3.32Below flood stage3,600
39Jun 22, 20158.66−3.34Below flood stage9,170
40Jul 22, 19998.55−3.45Below flood stage6,700
41Jul 22, 19608.46−3.54Below flood stage5,880
42Apr 1, 19598.32−3.68Below flood stage5,400
43Mar 28, 19568.28−3.72Below flood stage5,500
44Apr 3, 19647.97−4.03Below flood stage3,870
45May 19, 19917.79−4.21Below flood stage3,700
46May 16, 19687.69−4.31Below flood stage3,950
47Mar 25, 19967.68−4.32Below flood stage2,340
48Mar 24, 20117.65−4.35Below flood stage7,330
49Sep 25, 20107.64−4.36Below flood stage5,190
50Feb 22, 20177.60−4.40Below flood stage7,690

The worst floods along the Upper Iowa River

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

June 9, 2008: 17.90 ft here, major flooding

  • DorchesterIA · Jun 9, 2008 · 22.46 ft · Major
  • BlufftonIA · Jun 9, 2008 · 15.49 ft · Major · its highest

August 17, 1993: 14.35 ft here, major flooding

August 24, 2016: 13.68 ft here, moderate flooding

  • DorchesterIA · Aug 25, 2016 · 24.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • BlufftonIA · Aug 24, 2016 · 14.41 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Upper Iowa River

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

Flood gauges on the Upper Iowa River
BlufftonIA12.015.49 ft, Jun 9, 20081
Decorah this gaugeIA12.017.90 ft, Jun 9, 20082
DorchesterIA14.024.30 ft, Aug 25, 20169

Other gauges in Winneshiek County

Flood gauges in Winneshiek County
Fort Atkinson (IFC)1,014.51,015.93 ft, Jun 29, 20170
Spillville9.020.25 ft, Aug 24, 201612
Cresco (IFC)1,128.51,135.43 ft, Aug 24, 20160
Bluffton12.015.49 ft, Jun 9, 20081

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DEHI4, 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.