USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
05470000 South Skunk River near Ames, IA
LOCATION - Lat 42°03'59.7", long 93°37'12.9" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in NW 1/4 SW 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.23, T.84 N., R.24 W., Story County, IA, Hydrologic Unit 07080105, on left bank 20 ft downstream from bridge on West Riverside Road, at northern edge of Ames, 4.4 mi downstream from Keigley Branch, 5.2 mi upstream from Squaw Creek, 132.7 mi upstream from confluence with the North Skunk River, and 227.4 mi upstream from mouth of Skunk River.
DRAINAGE AREA - 315 mi².
REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1438: Drainage area. WSP 1308: 1921, 1925-1926, 1934-1935(M), 1937(M), 1939(M), 1947-1950(M). WDR IA-67-1: 1965. WDR IA-74-1: 1973(P).
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - Discharge records from July 1920 to September 1927, October 1932 to September 1995, October 1996 to current year. August to September 1927 and October 1932 to March 1933, monthly mean discharge published in WSP 1308. Prior to October 1966, published as "Skunk River near Ames".
GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Concrete control from July 21, 1934, to October 1, 2003. Datum of gage is 888.73 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Prior to August 25, 1921, non-recording gage, and July 21, 1934, to September 30, 2003, water-stage recorder, both at site 0.25 mi upstream at datum 5.00 ft higher.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of June 17, 1996, reached a stage of 15.89 ft, from high-water mark, discharge about 14,000 ft³/s, from rating curve extension.