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Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St

Highest listed crest 19.08 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft55 crests since 1972

The Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St crested at major flood stage 9 times among the 55 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1972 to 2025. The highest, 19.08 ft on June 30, 2018, was major flooding, 5.08 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Walnut Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.08 ft
June 30, 2018; 10,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 17.0 ft
Crests at major
9
29th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
June 30, 2018
19.08 ft, major flooding
Location
Polk County
Near West Des Moines (4.8 mi), Des Moines (4.9 mi), Urbandale (5.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St
Action stage10.030Jun 25, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.05Jun 6, 2008Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.01Jun 18, 1998Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage17.09Jun 30, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

55 crests from 1972 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St, 1972 to 2025 5101520ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 17.0 ft Jun 20, 1972: 9.53 ft, below flood stage; 680 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1973: 17.72 ft, major flooding; 9,000 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1974: 17.44 ft, major flooding; 8,160 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 1975: 17.00 ft, major flooding; 5,800 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1976: 14.24 ft, minor flooding; 2,470 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 1977: 14.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,590 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1978: 10.75 ft, action stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1979: 10.30 ft, action stage; 1,010 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1980: 9.80 ft, below flood stage; 954 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1981: 13.47 ft, action stage; 2,190 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 1982: 12.08 ft, action stage; 1,650 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1983: 12.64 ft, action stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1984: 14.63 ft, minor flooding; 2,820 cubic feet per secondNov 1, 1984: 9.69 ft, below flood stage; 946 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1986: 18.32 ft, major flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1987: 11.87 ft, action stage; 1,970 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 1988: 7.95 ft, below flood stage; 704 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 1989: 8.76 ft, below flood stage; 924 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1990: 18.00 ft, major flooding; 7,780 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1991: 13.95 ft, action stage; 2,890 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1992: 10.10 ft, action stage; 1,450 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 1993: 17.56 ft, major flooding; 6,460 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 1994: 7.89 ft, below flood stage; 792 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1995: 10.12 ft, action stage; 1,450 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1996: 13.24 ft, action stage; 3,850 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1997: 13.34 ft, action stage; 3,930 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1998: 15.85 ft, moderate flooding; 4,910 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1999: 12.64 ft, action stage; 3,140 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2000: 11.19 ft, action stage; 2,430 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2001: 9.79 ft, below flood stage; 1,820 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2002: 10.98 ft, action stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 2002: 11.08 ft, action stageMay 4, 2003: 13.11 ft, action stage; 3,240 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2004: 13.57 ft, action stage; 3,370 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2005: 12.35 ft, action stage; 2,830 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2006: 11.03 ft, action stage; 2,170 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2007: 14.09 ft, minor flooding; 3,690 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2008: 14.93 ft, minor flooding; 4,330 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2009: 11.47 ft, action stage; 2,380 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 2010: 18.59 ft, major flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2011: 12.48 ft, action stage; 3,220 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2012: 12.51 ft, action stage; 2,910 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2013: 11.81 ft, action stage; 2,230 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2014: 13.74 ft, action stage; 3,040 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2015: 18.69 ft, major flooding; 9,720 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 2016: 13.33 ft, action stage; 3,070 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2017: 10.07 ft, action stage; 1,860 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2018: 19.08 ft, major flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2019: 13.54 ft, action stage; 3,900 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2019: 10.67 ft, action stage; 2,490 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2021: 7.75 ft, below flood stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 2021: 8.98 ft, below flood stage; 1,790 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2023: 7.90 ft, below flood stage; 1,360 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2024: 12.69 ft, action stage; 3,490 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2025: 11.88 ft, action stage; 3,070 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.08 ft, Jun 30, 2018 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St 1970s: 5 5 1980s: 2 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 2020s: 0 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 55 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Walnut Creek at Des Moines 63rd St
1Jun 30, 201819.08+5.08Major10,600
2Jun 25, 201518.69+4.69Major9,720
3Aug 9, 201018.59+4.59Major11,700
4May 10, 198618.32+4.32Major12,500
5Jun 16, 199018.00+4.00Major7,780
6Jul 1, 197317.72+3.72Major9,000
7Aug 29, 199317.56+3.56Major6,460
8Jun 9, 197417.44+3.44Major8,160
9Aug 27, 197517.00+3.00Major5,800
10Jun 18, 199815.85+1.85Moderate4,910
11Jun 6, 200814.93+0.93Minor4,330
12Jun 9, 198414.63+0.63Minor2,820
13Aug 28, 197714.48+0.48Minor2,590
14Apr 18, 197614.24+0.24Minor2,470
15Apr 25, 200714.09+0.09Minor3,690
16Jun 4, 199113.95−0.05Action2,890
17Jun 26, 201413.74−0.26Action3,040
18May 25, 200413.57−0.43Action3,370
19May 24, 201913.54−0.46Action3,900
20Jul 3, 198113.47−0.53Action2,190
21Jul 24, 199713.34−0.66Action3,930
22Jul 19, 201613.33−0.67Action3,070
23May 24, 199613.24−0.76Action3,850
24May 4, 200313.11−0.89Action3,240
25Jul 31, 202412.69−1.31Action3,490
26Jul 3, 198312.64−1.36Action1,840
27May 21, 199912.64−1.36Action3,140
28Apr 14, 201212.51−1.49Action2,910
29Jun 20, 201112.48−1.52Action3,220
30May 12, 200512.35−1.65Action2,830
31Aug 5, 198212.08−1.92Action1,650
32Jun 25, 202511.88−2.12Action3,070
33Jul 12, 198711.87−2.13Action1,970
34May 29, 201311.81−2.19Action2,230
35Apr 27, 200911.47−2.53Action2,380
36Jul 5, 200011.19−2.81Action2,430
37Aug 23, 200211.08−2.92Action—
38Apr 2, 200611.03−2.97Action2,170
39Jul 10, 200210.98−3.02Action2,460
40Apr 17, 197810.75−3.25Action1,180
41Oct 2, 201910.67−3.33Action2,490
42Jun 13, 197910.30−3.70Action1,010
43May 9, 199510.12−3.88Action1,450
44Jul 24, 199210.10−3.90Action1,450
45Sep 25, 201710.07−3.93Action1,860
46Aug 16, 19809.80−4.20Below flood stage954
47Sep 7, 20019.79−4.21Below flood stage1,820
48Nov 1, 19849.69−4.31Below flood stage946
49Jun 20, 19729.53−4.47Below flood stage680
50Oct 24, 20218.98−5.02Below flood stage1,790

The worst floods along the Walnut Creek

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

June 30, 2018: 19.08 ft here, major flooding

June 25, 2015: 18.69 ft here, major flooding

  • Clive I-80/35IA · Jun 25, 2015 · 13.41 ft · Moderate · its highest

August 9, 2010: 18.59 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Walnut Creek

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

Flood gauges on the Walnut Creek
Clive I-80/35IA9.013.41 ft, Jun 25, 20150
Des Moines 63rd St this gaugeIA14.019.08 ft, Jun 30, 20189
HartwickIA14.017.70 ft, Jun 1, 19470
Waukee 156th StIA9.013.34 ft, Jul 9, 19930

Other gauges in Polk County

Flood gauges in Polk County
Grimes14.016.58 ft, Jul 10, 19930
Des Moines 2nd Ave23.031.57 ft, Jun 13, 20082
Des Moines SE 6th St24.035.55 ft, Jun 13, 20086
Saylorville Reservoir884.0892.03 ft, Jul 11, 19930
Des Moines Easton Blvd12.517.51 ft, Jul 1, 20183
Ankeny NE 86th Ave11.016.17 ft, Jul 1, 20180
Des Moines Fleur Dr12.026.80 ft, Jul 11, 19931
Des Moines IA 2836.041.31 ft, Jun 13, 20083
Clive I-80/359.013.41 ft, Jun 25, 20150

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DOSI4, 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.