Des Moines River at Des Moines SE 6th St

Last updated: Apr 5, 2025, 1:10 AM UTC

No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.

Warning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.

US Geological Survey
Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey

Scale to Flood Categories

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Observed (OBS) 04/04/2025 7:45 PM CDT

Record: 35.5 ft

CATEGORY STAGE

Major Flooding 30 ft

Moderate Flooding 26 ft

Minor Flooding 24 ft

Action 20 ft

Reliability of the Forecast:

NOTE: Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.
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	CATEGORY	STAGE
	Major Flooding	30 ft
	Moderate Flooding	26 ft
	Minor Flooding	24 ft
	Action	20 ft

Flood Impacts 🅘

37.3 - This is the top of the levee on the downstream side of SE 6th St.
35 - Water affects the grass bowl of the Simon Estes Amphitheater.
34 - Water surrounds Principal Park and approaches its entrances.
30 - Water from the Des Moines River causes backwater impacts along portions of Fourmile Creek in the Vandalia Rd and S Pleasant Hill Blvd areas.
28.7 - Simon Estes Amphitheater is inundated up to intersection of the arcing sidewalks.
28.5 - Hartford Ave is closed from SE 22nd St to SE 30th Ct.
26.3 - Water affects Arthur St east of Carlisle.
25.7 - Water surrounds the base of Simon Estes Amphitheater.
24 - The bike trail is closed east of Water St. Water affects portions of other bike trails.

Gauge Info

Coordinates	41.5786, -93.6056
RFC	NCRFC
State	IA
WFO	DMX
County	Polk
Data Provider(s)
US Geological Survey	USGS--Water Resources of the United States
USGS	05485500
COE	MVR

Gauge Location

Recent Crests

1.	21.70 ft	on 03-01-2023
2.	22.42 ft	on 06-07-2022
3.	13.54 ft	on 03-27-2021
4.	23.58 ft	on 10-12-2019
5.	29.16 ft	on 03-16-2019
6.	28.87 ft	on 07-01-2018
7.	24.15 ft	on 05-24-2017
8.	26.93 ft	on 12-15-2015
9.	30.14 ft	on 06-26-2015
10.	25.97 ft	on 07-01-2014

Historic Crests

1.	35.55 ft	on 06-13-2008
2.	34.29 ft	on 07-11-1993
3.	32.06 ft	on 05-31-1903
4.	31.96 ft	on 06-26-1947
5.	31.24 ft	on 06-24-1954
6.	30.14 ft	on 06-26-2015
7.	29.83 ft	on 07-02-2010
8.	29.78 ft	on 04-11-1965
9.	29.16 ft	on 03-16-2019
10.	28.91 ft	on 03-31-1951

Low Water Records

Vertical Datum Table

type	NAVD88
major Flooding	792.32 ft
moderate Flooding	788.32 ft
minor Flooding	786.32 ft
action	782.32 ft
Latest Value	777.26 ft
Gauge Zero	762.32 ft

Gauge Photos

No Images Found

Probability Information

Photo 1 of 3

Short Range Forecast Uncertainty
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Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period
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Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels
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Unique Local Info

How low could the river get?

Collaborative Agencies

The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

Resources

Hydrologic Resource Links

Additional Resource Links

WFO Information

Weather Forecast Office

Des Moines

9607 NW Beaver Dr.

Des Moines, IA 50131

(515) 270-2614

Ask Questions/Webmaster

Official Homepage

1.	21.70 ft	on 03-01-2023
2.	22.42 ft	on 06-07-2022
3.	13.54 ft	on 03-27-2021
4.	23.58 ft	on 10-12-2019
5.	29.16 ft	on 03-16-2019
6.	28.87 ft	on 07-01-2018
7.	24.15 ft	on 05-24-2017
8.	26.93 ft	on 12-15-2015
9.	30.14 ft	on 06-26-2015
10.	25.97 ft	on 07-01-2014
11.	26.75 ft	on 06-01-2013
12.	26.74 ft	on 05-31-2013
13.	17.67 ft	on 05-07-2012
14.	24.09 ft	on 06-21-2011
15.	29.83 ft	on 07-02-2010
16.	22.91 ft	on 04-28-2009
17.	35.55 ft	on 06-13-2008
18.	27.37 ft	on 04-27-2007
19.	21.16 ft	on 05-03-2006
20.	24.52 ft	on 05-13-2005
21.	27.71 ft	on 05-25-2004
22.	24.40 ft	on 05-09-2003
23.	18.38 ft	on 05-14-2002
24.	23.58 ft	on 05-07-2001
25.	23.46 ft	on 03-25-2001
26.	17.16 ft	on 07-14-2000
27.	26.11 ft	on 05-22-1999
28.	28.65 ft	on 06-16-1998
29.	20.53 ft	on 02-21-1997
30.	22.62 ft	on 06-26-1996
31.	21.86 ft	on 06-01-1995
32.	20.29 ft	on 03-08-1994
33.	34.29 ft	on 07-11-1993
34.	22.18 ft	on 04-24-1992
35.	27.05 ft	on 06-10-1991
36.	26.95 ft	on 06-19-1990
37.	14.44 ft	on 05-26-1989
38.	13.95 ft	on 01-31-1988
39.	22.61 ft	on 10-17-1986
40.	27.31 ft	on 07-02-1986
41.	17.71 ft	on 04-30-1985
42.	28.46 ft	on 06-19-1984
43.	25.70 ft	on 07-04-1983
44.	21.99 ft	on 05-21-1982
45.	18.53 ft	on 07-04-1981
46.	18.17 ft	on 06-19-1980
47.	25.07 ft	on 03-21-1979
48.	20.40 ft	on 03-21-1978
49.	16.98 ft	on 08-28-1977
50.	19.07 ft	on 04-24-1976
51.	23.61 ft	on 05-02-1975
52.	27.15 ft	on 05-20-1974
53.	26.93 ft	on 07-05-1973
54.	18.44 ft	on 08-09-1972
55.	22.76 ft	on 02-21-1971
56.	21.08 ft	on 05-18-1970
57.	26.24 ft	on 03-27-1969
58.	13.85 ft	on 07-01-1968
59.	25.70 ft	on 06-13-1967
60.	23.34 ft	on 06-13-1966
61.	29.78 ft	on 04-11-1965
62.	20.62 ft	on 06-23-1964
63.	18.15 ft	on 05-15-1963
64.	27.35 ft	on 04-03-1962
65.	25.10 ft	on 03-31-1961
66.	28.86 ft	on 04-02-1960
67.	23.98 ft	on 06-03-1959
68.	26.12 ft	on 07-04-1958
69.	22.76 ft	on 06-19-1957
70.	16.87 ft	on 09-05-1956
71.	18.43 ft	on 07-11-1955
72.	31.24 ft	on 06-24-1954
73.	24.50 ft	on 06-12-1953
74.	22.50 ft	on 04-01-1952
75.	28.91 ft	on 03-31-1951
76.	22.72 ft	on 06-21-1950
77.	23.74 ft	on 03-07-1949
78.	26.85 ft	on 03-20-1948
79.	31.96 ft	on 06-26-1947
80.	21.98 ft	on 05-29-1946
81.	23.93 ft	on 06-04-1945
82.	28.76 ft	on 05-24-1944
83.	19.16 ft	on 08-17-1943
84.	20.19 ft	on 05-12-1942
85.	18.06 ft	on 08-30-1940
86.	32.06 ft	on 05-31-1903

1.	35.55 ft	on 06-13-2008
2.	34.29 ft	on 07-11-1993
3.	32.06 ft	on 05-31-1903
4.	31.96 ft	on 06-26-1947
5.	31.24 ft	on 06-24-1954
6.	30.14 ft	on 06-26-2015
7.	29.83 ft	on 07-02-2010
8.	29.78 ft	on 04-11-1965
9.	29.16 ft	on 03-16-2019
10.	28.91 ft	on 03-31-1951
11.	28.87 ft	on 07-01-2018
12.	28.86 ft	on 04-02-1960
13.	28.76 ft	on 05-24-1944
14.	28.65 ft	on 06-16-1998
15.	28.46 ft	on 06-19-1984
16.	27.71 ft	on 05-25-2004
17.	27.37 ft	on 04-27-2007
18.	27.35 ft	on 04-03-1962
19.	27.31 ft	on 07-02-1986
20.	27.15 ft	on 05-20-1974
21.	27.05 ft	on 06-10-1991
22.	26.95 ft	on 06-19-1990
23.	26.93 ft	on 07-05-1973
24.	26.93 ft	on 12-15-2015
25.	26.85 ft	on 03-20-1948
26.	26.75 ft	on 06-01-2013
27.	26.74 ft	on 05-31-2013
28.	26.24 ft	on 03-27-1969
29.	26.12 ft	on 07-04-1958
30.	26.11 ft	on 05-22-1999
31.	25.97 ft	on 07-01-2014
32.	25.70 ft	on 06-13-1967
33.	25.70 ft	on 07-04-1983
34.	25.10 ft	on 03-31-1961
35.	25.07 ft	on 03-21-1979
36.	24.52 ft	on 05-13-2005
37.	24.50 ft	on 06-12-1953
38.	24.40 ft	on 05-09-2003
39.	24.15 ft	on 05-24-2017
40.	24.09 ft	on 06-21-2011
41.	23.98 ft	on 06-03-1959
42.	23.93 ft	on 06-04-1945
43.	23.74 ft	on 03-07-1949
44.	23.61 ft	on 05-02-1975
45.	23.58 ft	on 05-07-2001
46.	23.58 ft	on 10-12-2019
47.	23.46 ft	on 03-25-2001
48.	23.34 ft	on 06-13-1966
49.	22.91 ft	on 04-28-2009
50.	22.76 ft	on 02-21-1971
51.	22.76 ft	on 06-19-1957
52.	22.72 ft	on 06-21-1950
53.	22.62 ft	on 06-26-1996
54.	22.61 ft	on 10-17-1986
55.	22.50 ft	on 04-01-1952
56.	22.42 ft	on 06-07-2022
57.	22.18 ft	on 04-24-1992
58.	21.99 ft	on 05-21-1982
59.	21.98 ft	on 05-29-1946
60.	21.86 ft	on 06-01-1995
61.	21.70 ft	on 03-01-2023
62.	21.16 ft	on 05-03-2006
63.	21.08 ft	on 05-18-1970
64.	20.62 ft	on 06-23-1964
65.	20.53 ft	on 02-21-1997
66.	20.40 ft	on 03-21-1978
67.	20.29 ft	on 03-08-1994
68.	20.19 ft	on 05-12-1942
69.	19.16 ft	on 08-17-1943
70.	19.07 ft	on 04-24-1976
71.	18.53 ft	on 07-04-1981
72.	18.44 ft	on 08-09-1972
73.	18.43 ft	on 07-11-1955
74.	18.38 ft	on 05-14-2002
75.	18.17 ft	on 06-19-1980
76.	18.15 ft	on 05-15-1963
77.	18.06 ft	on 08-30-1940
78.	17.71 ft	on 04-30-1985
79.	17.67 ft	on 05-07-2012
80.	17.16 ft	on 07-14-2000
81.	16.98 ft	on 08-28-1977
82.	16.87 ft	on 09-05-1956
83.	14.44 ft	on 05-26-1989
84.	13.95 ft	on 01-31-1988
85.	13.85 ft	on 07-01-1968
86.	13.54 ft	on 03-27-2021