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Chariton River near Prairie Hill

Highest listed crest 24.26 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft201 crests since 1955

The Chariton River near Prairie Hill crested at major flood stage 23 times among the 201 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1955 to 2026. The highest, 24.26 ft on May 31, 2019, was major flooding, 9.26 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Chariton River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
24.26 ft
May 31, 2019; 44,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 21.0 ft
Crests at major
23
3rd of 173 gauges in Missouri
Most recent flood crest
July 11, 2026
21.96 ft, major flooding
Location
Chariton County
Missouri

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Chariton River near Prairie Hill
Action stage10.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.0136Jul 27, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage19.042May 22, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage21.023Jul 11, 2026Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

201 crests from 1955 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Chariton River near Prairie Hill, 1955 to 2026 14161820222426ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 21.0 ft Jan 5, 1955: 17.20 ft, minor floodingAug 1, 1958: 20.22 ft, moderate floodingJun 2, 1959: 16.78 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 1960: 20.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 13, 1961: 16.70 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 1961: 16.00 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1961: 16.65 ft, minor floodingSep 14, 1961: 20.10 ft, moderate floodingSep 25, 1961: 17.44 ft, minor floodingNov 3, 1961: 17.80 ft, minor floodingNov 17, 1961: 17.30 ft, minor floodingNov 22, 1961: 16.65 ft, minor floodingFeb 5, 1962: 15.45 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 1962: 17.02 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 1963: 17.70 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 1964: 16.60 ft, minor floodingJan 2, 1965: 19.25 ft, moderate floodingMar 17, 1965: 18.60 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1965: 17.75 ft, minor floodingApr 12, 1965: 17.40 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1965: 15.80 ft, minor floodingJun 6, 1965: 15.50 ft, minor floodingSep 22, 1965: 19.90 ft, moderate floodingJun 13, 1966: 19.55 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1967: 19.12 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1967: 17.64 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 1967: 20.25 ft, moderate floodingJun 28, 1967: 17.66 ft, minor floodingOct 31, 1967: 17.20 ft, minor floodingAug 5, 1968: 15.02 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1969: 15.50 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1969: 15.50 ft, minor floodingJul 1, 1969: 17.57 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 1969: 21.25 ft, major floodingOct 13, 1969: 15.33 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1970: 18.76 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 1970: 20.00 ft, moderate floodingAug 9, 1970: 16.13 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 1970: 17.67 ft, minor floodingSep 24, 1970: 20.32 ft, moderate floodingOct 10, 1970: 18.55 ft, minor floodingDec 15, 1971: 17.98 ft, minor floodingJan 19, 1973: 15.47 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 1973: 19.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 1, 1973: 17.26 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1973: 16.19 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 1973: 21.96 ft, major floodingMay 3, 1973: 18.99 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1973: 17.50 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 1973: 21.10 ft, major floodingJul 22, 1973: 17.25 ft, minor floodingAug 9, 1973: 18.41 ft, minor floodingSep 25, 1973: 16.58 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 1973: 17.44 ft, minor floodingOct 5, 1973: 20.58 ft, moderate floodingMay 20, 1974: 19.48 ft, moderate floodingMay 31, 1974: 18.00 ft, minor floodingJun 8, 1974: 18.66 ft, minor floodingJul 5, 1974: 17.82 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 1975: 18.76 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1975: 15.78 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 1976: 19.98 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1976: 15.82 ft, minor floodingSep 13, 1977: 15.52 ft, minor floodingNov 2, 1977: 17.04 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1978: 17.80 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1978: 19.30 ft, moderate floodingMay 14, 1978: 17.08 ft, minor floodingJul 7, 1978: 16.55 ft, minor floodingSep 19, 1978: 17.41 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 1979: 15.80 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 1980: 16.79 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 1981: 16.65 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1981: 18.97 ft, minor floodingJul 6, 1981: 20.77 ft, moderate floodingJul 23, 1981: 15.78 ft, minor floodingJul 27, 1981: 20.73 ft, moderate floodingNov 4, 1981: 15.58 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 1982: 18.26 ft, minor floodingFeb 20, 1982: 15.16 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 1982: 15.67 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 1982: 17.00 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 1982: 20.14 ft, moderate floodingJul 4, 1982: 17.50 ft, minor floodingJul 20, 1982: 19.86 ft, moderate floodingAug 16, 1982: 16.30 ft, minor floodingSep 2, 1982: 16.50 ft, minor floodingDec 2, 1982: 20.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1983: 21.10 ft, major floodingJun 9, 1984: 19.75 ft, moderate floodingNov 1, 1984: 20.42 ft, moderate floodingFeb 23, 1985: 20.04 ft, moderate floodingMar 4, 1985: 20.95 ft, moderate floodingOct 10, 1985: 20.63 ft, moderate floodingOct 19, 1985: 15.18 ft, minor floodingNov 15, 1985: 17.52 ft, minor floodingNov 19, 1985: 15.59 ft, minor floodingJul 14, 1986: 16.64 ft, minor floodingOct 3, 1986: 20.22 ft, moderate floodingJun 8, 1990: 18.03 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 1991: 18.21 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 1992: 15.22 ft, minor floodingJul 1, 1993: 21.93 ft, major floodingMay 17, 1995: 20.17 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1995: 21.96 ft, major floodingJun 8, 1995: 15.34 ft, minor floodingJul 6, 1995: 19.26 ft, moderate floodingAug 10, 1995: 15.30 ft, minor floodingMay 9, 1996: 20.05 ft, moderate floodingMay 27, 1996: 22.33 ft, major flooding; 33,600 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1996: 15.03 ft, minor floodingFeb 21, 1997: 18.18 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1997: 18.35 ft, minor flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1997: 15.67 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1998: 16.79 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 1998: 15.65 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 1998: 16.33 ft, minor floodingJul 4, 1998: 19.27 ft, moderate flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1998: 19.86 ft, moderate flooding; 23,300 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1998: 17.51 ft, minor floodingNov 4, 1998: 16.78 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1999: 15.68 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 1999: 15.30 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1999: 16.79 ft, minor floodingFeb 25, 2001: 17.20 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 2001: 17.94 ft, minor floodingJun 6, 2001: 20.36 ft, moderate floodingJun 15, 2001: 17.55 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 2001: 15.17 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 2002: 16.60 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 2002: 23.01 ft, major floodingMar 5, 2004: 15.00 ft, minor floodingAug 29, 2004: 19.56 ft, moderate floodingApr 13, 2005: 17.59 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 2007: 17.96 ft, minor flooding; 19,773 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2007: 19.66 ft, moderate flooding; 24,895 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2008: 15.35 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 2008: 16.44 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 2008: 16.02 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 2008: 16.96 ft, minor floodingJun 14, 2008: 16.24 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 2008: 22.84 ft, major floodingJul 9, 2008: 15.93 ft, minor floodingJul 27, 2008: 23.27 ft, major floodingSep 9, 2008: 15.69 ft, minor floodingSep 15, 2008: 22.94 ft, major floodingDec 27, 2008: 18.48 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 2009: 20.14 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 2009: 16.54 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 2009: 15.27 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 2009: 22.82 ft, major floodingAug 17, 2009: 16.13 ft, minor floodingOct 23, 2009: 15.46 ft, minor floodingOct 30, 2009: 19.01 ft, moderate floodingNov 17, 2009: 16.31 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 2010: 15.59 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 2010: 17.49 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 2010: 22.27 ft, major floodingJun 6, 2010: 18.40 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2010: 19.95 ft, moderate floodingJun 28, 2010: 16.68 ft, minor floodingJul 23, 2010: 23.23 ft, major floodingSep 19, 2010: 16.43 ft, minor floodingSep 25, 2010: 18.37 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 2011: 15.70 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 2011: 19.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 2013: 19.45 ft, moderate floodingApr 11, 2013: 16.32 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 2013: 23.39 ft, major floodingMay 28, 2013: 21.40 ft, major floodingFeb 20, 2014: 15.57 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2014: 18.95 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 2014: 23.07 ft, major flooding; 34,100 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2015: 19.34 ft, moderate floodingJun 28, 2015: 22.37 ft, major flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2015: 15.96 ft, minor floodingJul 20, 2015: 16.51 ft, minor floodingJul 30, 2015: 16.00 ft, minor floodingNov 27, 2015: 16.71 ft, minor floodingDec 14, 2015: 19.71 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 2017: 16.42 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 2017: 17.72 ft, minor floodingOct 8, 2018: 15.93 ft, minor floodingFeb 24, 2019: 15.05 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 2019: 18.61 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 2019: 16.45 ft, minor floodingMay 22, 2019: 20.42 ft, moderate floodingMay 31, 2019: 24.26 ft, major flooding; 44,400 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2019: 22.60 ft, major floodingMar 20, 2020: 15.80 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 2020: 18.84 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 2020: 16.57 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 2021: 15.15 ft, minor floodingJul 11, 2021: 23.21 ft, major floodingJul 16, 2021: 15.23 ft, minor floodingAug 5, 2023: 15.96 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 2024: 21.60 ft, major floodingMay 3, 2024: 17.45 ft, minor floodingJul 3, 2024: 15.65 ft, minor floodingJul 27, 2025: 18.26 ft, minor floodingJul 11, 2026: 21.96 ft, major flooding Highest, 24.26 ft, May 31, 2019 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Chariton River near Prairie Hill 1950s: 3 1960s: 32 1970s: 36 36 1980s: 28 1990s: 25 2000s: 31 2010s: 34 2020s: 12 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 201 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Chariton River near Prairie Hill
1May 31, 201924.26+9.26Major44,400
2Apr 18, 201323.39+8.39Major—
3Jul 27, 200823.27+8.27Major—
4Jul 23, 201023.23+8.23Major—
5Jul 11, 202123.21+8.21Major—
6Sep 11, 201423.07+8.07Major34,100
7May 13, 200223.01+8.01Major—
8Sep 15, 200822.94+7.94Major—
9Jun 26, 200822.84+7.84Major—
10May 16, 200922.82+7.82Major—
11Jun 23, 201922.60+7.60Major—
12Jun 28, 201522.37+7.37Major34,300
13May 27, 199622.33+7.33Major33,600
14May 13, 201022.27+7.27Major—
15Apr 23, 197321.96+6.96Major—
16May 24, 199521.96+6.96Major—
17Jul 11, 202621.96+6.96Major—
18Jul 1, 199321.93+6.93Major—
19Apr 28, 202421.60+6.60Major—
20May 28, 201321.40+6.40Major—
21Sep 11, 196921.25+6.25Major—
22May 29, 197321.10+6.10Major—
23Apr 2, 198321.10+6.10Major—
24Mar 4, 198520.95+5.95Moderate—
25Jul 6, 198120.77+5.77Moderate—
26Jul 27, 198120.73+5.73Moderate—
27Oct 10, 198520.63+5.63Moderate—
28Oct 5, 197320.58+5.58Moderate—
29Nov 1, 198420.42+5.42Moderate—
30May 22, 201920.42+5.42Moderate—
31Apr 4, 196020.40+5.40Moderate—
32Jun 6, 200120.36+5.36Moderate—
33Sep 24, 197020.32+5.32Moderate—
34Jun 15, 196720.25+5.25Moderate—
35Aug 1, 195820.22+5.22Moderate—
36Oct 3, 198620.22+5.22Moderate—
37May 17, 199520.17+5.17Moderate—
38Jun 9, 198220.14+5.14Moderate—
39Mar 10, 200920.14+5.14Moderate—
40Sep 14, 196120.10+5.10Moderate—
41May 9, 199620.05+5.05Moderate—
42Feb 23, 198520.04+5.04Moderate—
43May 16, 197020.00+5.00Moderate—
44Dec 2, 198220.00+5.00Moderate—
45Apr 26, 197619.98+4.98Moderate—
46Jun 15, 201019.95+4.95Moderate—
47Sep 22, 196519.90+4.90Moderate—
48Jul 20, 198219.86+4.86Moderate—
49Oct 5, 199819.86+4.86Moderate23,300
50Mar 26, 197319.80+4.80Moderate—

The worst floods along the Chariton River

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

May 31, 2019: 24.26 ft here, major flooding

  • NovingerMO · May 29, 2019 · 27.80 ft · Major
  • CharitonIA · May 29, 2019 · 19.89 ft · Minor

April 18, 2013: 23.39 ft here, major flooding

  • NovingerMO · Apr 18, 2013 · 23.43 ft · Moderate
  • MoultonIA · Apr 18, 2013 · 36.56 ft · Minor
  • CharitonIA · Apr 18, 2013 · 20.98 ft · Minor

July 27, 2008: 23.27 ft here, major flooding

  • NovingerMO · Jul 25, 2008 · 28.44 ft · Major
  • CharitonIA · Jul 28, 2008 · 20.33 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Chariton River

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

Flood gauges on the Chariton River
CharitonIA19.529.32 ft, Sep 15, 19921
Rathbun ReservoirIA926.0927.16 ft, Jul 28, 19930
MoultonIA36.045.00 ft, Jun 1, 19471
NovingerMO20.028.60 ft, Jun 1, 191712
Prairie Hill this gaugeMO15.024.26 ft, May 31, 201923

Chariton County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Missouri

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PRIM7, 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.