Iowa River at Belle Plaine, IA
River level and flood forecast · Benton County
Normal12.5 ftas of Mon 3 PM
The river is 2.5 ft below flood stage (15 ft).
Flow: 4,400 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Flood stage | 15 ft |
| Action stage | 13 ft |
| Record crest (June 13, 2008) | 19.86 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 17.3 ftWater begins running over Highway 21 south of Belle Plaine.
- 16 ftWater affects lowest yards on the south side of Chelsea.
- 13 ftWater affects 380th Street in Tama County.
Highest crests on record
- 19.86 ft — June 13, 2008
- 19.11 ft — July 3, 2014
- 18.8 ft — May 30, 2013
- 18.74 ft — July 11, 1993
- 18.22 ft — March 15, 2019
Recent crests: 15.56 ft (July 8, 2026) · 15.91 ft (April 19, 2026) · 16.16 ft (April 10, 2026) · 17.72 ft (May 25, 2024) · 17.98 ft (June 23, 2020)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BPLI4); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.