Iowa · Decorah, IA

Upper Iowa River float season

Gauge 05387500 on the Kendallville through Bluffton to Decorah. Chimney Rock and 300-foot limestone palisades make this bluff-lined Driftless run the most scenic paddle in Iowa.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Dec–Feb
Upper Iowa River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 150 600 1.5k 2.5k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Upper Iowa River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Decorah gauge, the Upper Iowa River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Dec–Feb. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past April days at this gauge ran above 477 CFS; the January median is 104 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 104
February 110
March 325
April 477
May 403
June 346
July 244
August 192
September 164
October 156
November 163
December 129

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1952 — 74 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 27,900 CFS, in June 2008. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

Common questions

When is the Upper Iowa River usually at its fullest?

At the Decorah gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 477 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.

What is a typical summer flow on the Upper Iowa River?

The July median at this gauge is about 244 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.

Is the Upper Iowa River safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 55 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 05387500 (Upper Iowa River at Decorah, IA), chosen because it best represents the Kendallville through Bluffton to Decorah. Daily records here reach back to 1952.

Data: USGS gauge 05387500, approved daily records 1952–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.