South Skunk River near Oskaloosa, IA
River level and flood forecast · Mahaska County
Normal17.6 ftas of Mon 2:30 PM
The river is 6.9 ft below flood stage (24.5 ft).
Forecast to fall to 12.5 ft by Mon, Oct 19, 7 AM.
Flow: 6,200 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 8:27 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 30 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 28.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 24.5 ft |
| Action stage | 18 ft |
| Record crest (August 16, 2010) | 26.4 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 30 ftWater affects US 63.
- 25 ftWater affects the Oskaloosa water plant levee with water into maintenance bay floor.
- 24.5 ftWater threatens Iowa 92 east of Oskaloosa.
- 23.2 ftWater affects Hwy T14 north of Pella...just south of the Marion-Jasper County line.
- 23 ftWater affects secondary roads near US 63 and Iowa 92.
- 21 ftWidespread flooding of agricultural and lowland areas occurs.
- 17 ftWater affects agricultural land.
- 15 ftWater affects the park on the south bank near the US 63 bridge.
Highest crests on record
- 26.4 ft — August 16, 2010
- 25.8 ft — May 1, 1944
- 24.78 ft — July 15, 1993
- 24.61 ft — June 12, 2008
- 23.34 ft — July 7, 2014
Recent crests: 20.26 ft (July 26, 2025) · 23.29 ft (May 24, 2024) · 17.13 ft (March 1, 2023) · 18.05 ft (June 17, 2022) · 13.63 ft (March 4, 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 (OOAI4); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.