West Fork Des Moines River at Jackson
Highest listed crest 16.04 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft9 crests since 2017
The West Fork Des Moines River at Jackson crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 9 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2017 to 2025. The highest, 16.04 ft on June 26, 2024, was major flooding, 4.04 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
- 16.04 ft
- June 26, 2024; 13,500 cubic feet per second
- Flood stage
- 12.0 ft
- Major flooding from 14.0 ft
- Crests at major
- 2
- 51st of 120 gauges in Minnesota
- Most recent flood crest
- June 26, 2024
- 16.04 ft, major flooding
Flood stages
The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.
| Action stage | 10.0 | 4 | Apr 18, 2023 |
| Flood stage (minor) | 12.0 | 0 | — |
| Moderate flood stage | 12.5 | 1 | Jul 8, 2018 |
| Major flood stage | 14.0 | 2 | Jun 26, 2024 |
Every listed crest
9 crests from 2017 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.
Crests at or above flood stage, by decade
- 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.
- 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
| 1 | Jun 26, 2024 | 16.04 | +4.04 | Major |
| 2 | Mar 24, 2019 | 14.08 | +2.08 | Major |
| 3 | Jul 8, 2018 | 13.92 | +1.92 | Moderate |
| 4 | Apr 18, 2023 | 10.77 | −1.23 | Action |
| 5 | Apr 4, 2020 | 10.64 | −1.36 | Action |
| 6 | May 26, 2017 | 10.50 | −1.50 | Action |
| 7 | Jun 14, 2022 | 10.36 | −1.64 | Action |
| 8 | Jul 5, 2025 | 9.54 | −2.46 | Below flood stage |
| 9 | Apr 12, 2021 | 9.02 | −2.98 | Below flood stage |
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 26, 2024: 16.04 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
- EmmetsburgIA · Jun 24, 2024 · 15.47 ft · Major · its highest
March 24, 2019: 14.08 ft here, major flooding
- AvocaMN · Mar 25, 2019 · 1,428.56 ft · Major
- EsthervilleIA · Mar 25, 2019 · 15.24 ft · Major
- HumboldtIA · Mar 20, 2019 · 14.95 ft · Major
- WindomMN · Mar 23, 2019 · 23.01 ft · Moderate
- EmmetsburgIA · Mar 25, 2019 · 13.44 ft · Moderate
July 8, 2018: 13.92 ft here, moderate flooding
- AvocaMN · Jul 5, 2018 · 1,430.20 ft · Major · its highest
- EsthervilleIA · Jul 9, 2018 · 14.89 ft · Major
- WindomMN · Jul 7, 2018 · 23.40 ft · Moderate
- HumboldtIA · Jul 6, 2018 · 13.50 ft · Moderate
- EmmetsburgIA · Jul 10, 2018 · 13.26 ft · Moderate
Gauges on the West Fork Des Moines River
Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.
| Windom | MN | 25.01 ft, Jun 25, 2024 | 1 |
| Emmetsburg | IA | 15.47 ft, Jun 24, 2024 | 1 |
| Estherville | IA | 17.94 ft, Jun 24, 2024 | 7 |
| Humboldt | IA | 16.82 ft, Jun 27, 2024 | 4 |
| Jackson this gauge | MN | 16.04 ft, Jun 26, 2024 | 2 |
| Avoca | MN | 1,430.20 ft, Jul 5, 2018 | 3 |
Jackson County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Minnesota
NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge JCKM5, 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.