Upper Iowa River at Decorah, IA
River level and flood forecast · Winneshiek County
Normal2.2 ftas of Mon 2:45 PM
The river is 9.8 ft below flood stage (12 ft).
Flow: 487 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Sep 20, 6:22 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 14 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 13 ft |
| Flood stage | 12 ft |
| Action stage | 9 ft |
| Record crest (June 9, 2008) | 17.9 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 19.5 ftWater may begin to overtop the protective levee.
- 17.5 ftCollege Drive bridge is closed.
- 17 ftExterior lanes along College Drive Bridge are closed. Homes along Riverview Drive north of 5th Street begin to inundate.
- 16.5 ftPole Line Road is closed as well as Highway 52 at Pole Line Road. Downstream community of Freeport begins evacuating.
- 16 ftValley View Drive is closed.
- 15 ftSandbagging operations begin in Freeport. Pulpit Rock Campground are evacuated. Homes along Valley View Drive south are evacuated. Homes along Riverview Drive north of 5th Street are threatened.
- 14.5 ftNorthern road to Freeport is closed.
- 14 ftMajor flooding may occur outside the areas protected by the levee. Ice Cave Road is closed.
- 13 ftResidential flooding on the west side of town is possible. Street and storm sewer flooding on the east side of town south of the levee can cause basement flooding if flood stage is exceeded for an extended period of time.
- 12 ftResidential areas are threatened on the west edge of Decorah just before the levee protecting the town begins. City begins to initiate sandbagging operations. Luther College Dike Road is closed.
- 10 ftCity begins to set up pumping operations in high risk areas across town.
- 9 ftAgricultural flooding occurs outside of the town of Decorah.
Highest crests on record
- 17.9 ft — June 9, 2008
- 14.35 ft — August 17, 1993
- 13.68 ft — August 24, 2016
- 13.08 ft — March 27, 1961
- 12.31 ft — June 1, 2000
Recent crests: 5.36 ft (February 27, 2023) · 5.09 ft (July 24, 2022) · 9.3 ft (August 30, 2021) · 7.46 ft (June 10, 2020) · 9.44 ft (March 15, 2019)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (DEHI4); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.