How high is the Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA right now?

The Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA is currently flowing at 8,840 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 5.45 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as high for October 28. Today's discharge is at the 79th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 8.55 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 14.0 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA on October 28?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 2,630 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 353 to 18,500 cfs.

Where is the Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA stream gauge located?

The Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Mahaska County, IA on the Des Moines River. USGS site number 05488500 (coordinates 41.2814, -92.8608).

Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA

USGS Site No: 05488500 • Des Moines River • Mahaska County, IA

Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA on the Des Moines River is currently at 8,840 cfs (High — 79th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 5.45 ft.

Reading from 4 months ago

↑ Upstream on Des Moines River

Des Moines River Near Pella, IA

Downstream on Des Moines River ↓

Des Moines River at Ottumwa, IA

8,840

CFS Discharge

5.45

Gage Height (ft)

High

Flow Condition

Normal

Flood Status

Historical Percentile Comparison

Today's discharge compared to the long-term record for October 28 at this station. Percentile rank shows what fraction of historical years had lower flow on this date.

Percentile	Label	CFS Threshold	Today's Flow
10th	Very Low threshold	353
25th	Low threshold	482
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	2,630
75th	High threshold	6,550
95th	Very High threshold	18,500	Today: 8,840 cfs

30-Day Hydrograph

Recent discharge plotted against the historical 10th–95th percentile envelope for the same calendar days. Source: USGS daily values + long-term statistics.

10th–95th historical Day-of-year median Recent discharge

30-Day Flow History

Date	Discharge (CFS)	Gage Ht (ft)
May 28, 2026	9,730	—
May 27, 2026	10,200	—
May 26, 2026	11,200	—
May 25, 2026	12,200	—
May 24, 2026	12,700	—
May 23, 2026	13,300	—
May 22, 2026	15,300	—
May 21, 2026	18,900	—
May 20, 2026	19,200	—
May 19, 2026	12,900	—
May 18, 2026	6,980	—
May 17, 2026	6,370	—
May 16, 2026	6,110	—
May 15, 2026	6,340	—
Apr 20, 2026	14,800	—
Apr 19, 2026	18,300	—
Apr 18, 2026	21,500	—
Apr 17, 2026	24,000	—
Apr 16, 2026	23,000	—
Apr 15, 2026	20,000	—
Apr 14, 2026	19,900	—
Apr 13, 2026	24,400	—
Apr 12, 2026	26,600	—
Apr 11, 2026	25,800	—
Apr 10, 2026	22,900	—
Apr 9, 2026	25,700	—
Apr 8, 2026	26,300	—
Apr 7, 2026	26,200	—
Apr 6, 2026	25,000	—
Apr 5, 2026	21,400	—

Station Information

USGS Site No: 05488500
State: IA
County: Mahaska County
Coordinates: 41.2814, -92.8608
Drainage Area: 12,479 mi²
Datum (ft): 670.9
HUC Code: 07100009

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 13.0 ft
Flood Stage: 14.0 ft
Moderate Flood: 20.0 ft
Major Flood: 23.0 ft

Currently 8.55 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 26,600 cfs

Apr 12, 2026
Min discharge: 1,430 cfs

Dec 5, 2025
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Cedar Creek Near Bussey, IA
5.0 mi · 59 cfs

Normal
Des Moines River Near Pella, IA
8.3 mi · 8,720 cfs

High
English Creek Near Knoxville, IA
9.6 mi · 17 cfs

Normal
South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA
11.7 mi · 1,610 cfs

High
Des Moines River at Eddyville, IA
14.4 mi · 9,290 cfs

Very High