About this river
Raccoon River is a 12.9 mile river near Flats N Cats Guide Service in Iowa. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Raccoon River near West Des Moines, IA (site 05484600). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 6. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical water level by month
2000 to 2026
Raccoon River typically sits highest in May, at a median 30.58 ft, and lowest in September, at 26.88 ft. The highest water level on record for any single day is 46.14 ft, in 2008.
| Month | Typical (ft) | Usual range (ft) | Relative level |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27.40 | 26.73 to 29.53 | |
| February | 27.95 | 26.97 to 29.31 | |
| March | 28.83 | 27.50 to 30.30 | |
| April | 29.32 | 27.79 to 31.16 | |
| May | 30.58 | 29.15 to 32.62 | |
| June | 30.39 | 29.09 to 32.65 | |
| July | 28.50 | 27.53 to 30.17 | |
| August | 27.43 | 26.55 to 28.66 | |
| September | 26.88 | 26.29 to 28.70 | |
| October | 27.02 | 26.24 to 29.51 | |
| November | 27.01 | 26.48 to 28.92 | |
| December | 27.12 | 26.47 to 28.75 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 26 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Raccoon River near West Des Moines, IA (site 05484600). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
One mapped launch sits in the mapped area of Raccoon River. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Des Moines Water Works ParkNorth Raccoon RiverPublic
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