Ocheyedan River near Spencer, IA
River level and flood forecast · Clay County
Normal2.7 ftas of Mon 2:45 PM
The river is 5.3 ft below flood stage (8 ft).
Flow: 117 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
| Major flood stage | 10.5 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 9.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 8 ft |
| Action stage | 7 ft |
| Record crest (June 22, 2024) | 17.2 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 17.5 ftSeveral houses or outbuildings may be flooded. The bridge on 190th Ave at the gage is overtopped.
- 16.5 ftThe bridge south of the Ocheyedan WMA is overtopped.
- 15 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge on 190th Ave at the gage location and may begin to flood some of the low spots on the road north of the bridge. A couple structures are also in danger of flooding.
- 12.5 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge north of the Ocheyedan WMA and 360th St may begin to flood.
- 11 ftThe parking lot at the Riverton Wildlife area near the gage begins to flood.
- 10.5 ftSignificant amounts of agricultural land are flooded and some county roads may begin to flood.
- 9.5 ftAdditional pasture and agricultural land begins to flood.
- 8 ftMinor flooding of pasture and agricultural land begins.
- 7 ftMinor flooding of some ditches begins.
Highest crests on record
- 17.2 ft — June 22, 2024
- 12.77 ft — September 21, 2018
- 12.73 ft — March 15, 2019
- 12.7 ft — June 21, 2018
- 11.72 ft — August 11, 2010
Recent crests: 6.06 ft (July 31, 2025) · 17.2 ft (June 22, 2024) · 6.7 ft (April 3, 2023) · 6.46 ft (May 31, 2022) · 3.05 ft (April 9, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (SPOI4); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.