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West Fork Des Moines River at Emmetsburg

Highest listed crest 15.47 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft35 crests since 1969

The West Fork Des Moines River at Emmetsburg crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 35 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1969 to 2025. The highest, 15.47 ft on June 24, 2024, was major flooding, 4.47 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the West Fork Des Moines River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 4 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.47 ft
June 24, 2024; 17,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
1
93rd of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
June 24, 2024
15.47 ft, major flooding
Location
Palo Alto County
Iowa

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, West Fork Des Moines River at Emmetsburg
Action stage9.07Mar 11, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.09Jun 20, 2014Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.04Mar 25, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.01Jun 24, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

35 crests from 1969 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the West Fork Des Moines River at Emmetsburg, 1969 to 2025 05101520ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Apr 12, 1969: 14.75 ft, moderate floodingJul 1, 1969: 12.80 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 1984: 12.60 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 1993: 13.80 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1995: 10.15 ft, action stageFeb 19, 1996: 7.43 ft, below flood stageApr 7, 1997: 11.25 ft, minor floodingMay 25, 1998: 9.05 ft, action stageNov 15, 1998: 9.19 ft, action stageMay 19, 2000: 4.88 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 2001: 12.38 ft, minor floodingJun 12, 2002: 5.39 ft, below flood stageMay 21, 2003: 5.16 ft, below flood stageSep 17, 2004: 10.43 ft, action stageMay 14, 2005: 9.36 ft, action stageApr 9, 2006: 12.44 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 2007: 11.33 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 2008: 8.68 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 2009: 4.64 ft, below flood stageSep 28, 2010: 12.33 ft, minor floodingOct 4, 2010: 12.16 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2012: 7.40 ft, below flood stage; 3,350 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2013: 7.68 ft, below flood stage; 3,520 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2014: 12.33 ft, minor flooding; 7,230 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2015: 4.47 ft, below flood stage; 1,620 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2016: 9.77 ft, action stage; 5,140 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2017: 8.57 ft, below flood stage; 4,220 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2018: 13.26 ft, moderate flooding; 9,340 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2019: 13.44 ft, moderate flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2020: 9.03 ft, action stage; 4,780 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2021: 2.70 ft, below flood stage; 836 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2022: 6.51 ft, below flood stage; 2,850 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2023: 8.17 ft, below flood stage; 3,880 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2024: 15.47 ft, major flooding; 17,900 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 2025: 5.42 ft, below flood stage; 2,110 cubic feet per second Highest, 15.47 ft, Jun 24, 2024 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, West Fork Des Moines River at Emmetsburg 1960s: 2 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2000s: 3 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 1 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

Highest listed crests, West Fork Des Moines River at Emmetsburg
1Jun 24, 202415.47+4.47Major17,900
2Apr 12, 196914.75+3.75Moderate—
3Jun 30, 199313.80+2.80Moderate—
4Mar 25, 201913.44+2.44Moderate12,300
5Jul 10, 201813.26+2.26Moderate9,340
6Jul 1, 196912.80+1.80Minor—
7Jun 24, 198412.60+1.60Minor—
8Apr 9, 200612.44+1.44Minor—
9Apr 14, 200112.38+1.38Minor—
10Sep 28, 201012.33+1.33Minor—
11Jun 20, 201412.33+1.33Minor7,230
12Oct 4, 201012.16+1.16Minor—
13Mar 15, 200711.33+0.33Minor—
14Apr 7, 199711.25+0.25Minor—
15Sep 17, 200410.43−0.57Action—
16May 17, 199510.15−0.85Action—
17May 2, 20169.77−1.23Action5,140
18May 14, 20059.36−1.64Action—
19Nov 15, 19989.19−1.81Action—
20May 25, 19989.05−1.95Action—
21Mar 11, 20209.03−1.97Action4,780
22Jun 13, 20088.68−2.32Below flood stage—
23May 22, 20178.57−2.43Below flood stage4,220
24Apr 22, 20238.17−2.83Below flood stage3,880
25Jun 24, 20137.68−3.32Below flood stage3,520
26Feb 19, 19967.43−3.57Below flood stage—
27Jun 5, 20127.40−3.60Below flood stage3,350
28Jun 16, 20226.51−4.49Below flood stage2,850
29Aug 19, 20255.42−5.58Below flood stage2,110
30Jun 12, 20025.39−5.61Below flood stage—
31May 21, 20035.16−5.84Below flood stage—
32May 19, 20004.88−6.12Below flood stage—
33Mar 24, 20094.64−6.36Below flood stage—
34Aug 20, 20154.47−6.53Below flood stage1,620
35Mar 29, 20212.70−8.30Below flood stage836

The worst floods along the West Fork Des Moines River

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

June 24, 2024: 15.47 ft here, major flooding

  • AvocaMN · Jun 24, 2024 · 1,429.64 ft · Major
  • WindomMN · Jun 25, 2024 · 25.01 ft · Major · its highest
  • EsthervilleIA · Jun 24, 2024 · 17.94 ft · Major · its highest
  • HumboldtIA · Jun 27, 2024 · 16.82 ft · Major · its highest
  • JacksonMN · Jun 26, 2024 · 16.04 ft · Major · its highest

April 12, 1969: 14.75 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EsthervilleIA · Apr 12, 1969 · 17.68 ft · Major
  • HumboldtIA · Apr 14, 1969 · 15.40 ft · Major
  • WindomMN · Apr 11, 1969 · 24.70 ft · Moderate

June 30, 1993: 13.80 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EsthervilleIA · Jun 30, 1993 · 15.38 ft · Major
  • WindomMN · Jul 7, 1993 · 21.10 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the West Fork Des Moines River

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

Flood gauges on the West Fork Des Moines River
WindomMN19.025.01 ft, Jun 25, 20241
Emmetsburg this gaugeIA11.015.47 ft, Jun 24, 20241
EsthervilleIA10.017.94 ft, Jun 24, 20247
HumboldtIA10.016.82 ft, Jun 27, 20244
JacksonMN12.016.04 ft, Jun 26, 20242
AvocaMN1,425.01,430.20 ft, Jul 5, 20183

Palo Alto County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Iowa

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EMTI4, 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.