How high is the South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA right now?

The South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA is currently flowing at 1,610 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 11.06 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as high for October 28. Today's discharge is at the 86th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 13.44 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 24.5 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA on October 28?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 218 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 50 to 2,200 cfs.

Where is the South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA stream gauge located?

The South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Mahaska County, IA on the South Skunk River. USGS site number 05471500 (coordinates 41.3557, -92.6574).

South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA

USGS Site No: 05471500 • South Skunk River • Mahaska County, IA

South Skunk River Near Oskaloosa, IA on the South Skunk River is currently at 1,610 cfs (High — 86th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 11.06 ft.

Reading from 4 months ago

↑ Upstream on South Skunk River

South Skunk River at Colfax, IA

1,610

CFS Discharge

11.06

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	50
25th	Low threshold	78
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	218
75th	High threshold	888
95th	Very High threshold	2,200	Today: 1,610 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	1,770	—
May 27, 2026	1,900	—
May 26, 2026	2,060	—
May 25, 2026	2,290	—
May 24, 2026	2,590	—
May 23, 2026	2,940	—
May 22, 2026	3,400	—
May 21, 2026	4,120	—
May 20, 2026	4,530	—
May 19, 2026	4,920	—
May 18, 2026	1,510	—
May 17, 2026	1,500	—
May 16, 2026	1,170	—
May 15, 2026	1,140	—
Apr 20, 2026	3,790	—
Apr 19, 2026	4,540	—
Apr 18, 2026	5,590	—
Apr 17, 2026	5,960	—
Apr 16, 2026	5,960	—
Apr 15, 2026	5,170	—
Apr 14, 2026	3,830	—
Apr 13, 2026	4,270	—
Apr 12, 2026	4,730	—
Apr 11, 2026	5,520	—
Apr 10, 2026	5,230	—
Apr 9, 2026	4,400	—
Apr 8, 2026	5,460	—
Apr 7, 2026	6,780	—
Apr 6, 2026	7,190	—
Apr 5, 2026	6,780	—

Station Information

USGS Site No: 05471500
State: IA
County: Mahaska County
Coordinates: 41.3557, -92.6574
Drainage Area: 1,635 mi²
Datum (ft): 685.1
HUC Code: 07080105

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 18.0 ft
Flood Stage: 24.5 ft
Moderate Flood: 28.5 ft
Major Flood: 30.0 ft

Currently 13.44 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 8,590 cfs

Jul 26, 2025
Min discharge: 39 cfs

Dec 13, 2025
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Des Moines River Near Tracy, IA
11.7 mi · 8,840 cfs

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

Very High
Cedar Creek Near Bussey, IA
16.1 mi · 59 cfs

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

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

Normal