USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

05488500 Des Moines River near Tracy, IA

LOCATION - Lat 41°16'52.9", long 92°51'38.96" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in SE 1/4 NE 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.19, T.75 N., R.17 W., Mahaska County, IA, Hydrologic Unit 07100009, on right bank 250 ft upstream from abandoned Bellefountaine bridge, 0.8 mi east of Tracy, 3.8 mi downstream from bridge on State Highway 92, 3.1 mi upstream from Cedar Creek, 6.4 mi downstream from English Creek, and 127.5 mi upstream from mouth. Actual service address is 107-1/2 Jefferson Street Mahaska County 50256.

DRAINAGE AREA - 12,479 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1438: Drainage area. WSP 1508: 1920(M), 1922(M), 1933.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Discharge records from March 1920 to current year. Prior to March 1940, monthly mean discharge for some periods published in WSP 1308.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 670.92 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Prior to June 27, 1940, and June 30, 1952, to November 4, 1960, non-recording gage at site 250 ft downstream at same datum; June 27, 1940, to June 29, 1952, water-stage recorder at site 250 ft downstream at same datum.

REMARKS - Accuracy of records is discussed in the annual Station Analysis archived at the USGS IA Water Science Center. Flow regulated by Lake Red Rock (station 05488100), 11.9 mi upstream, since March 12, 1969.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Since at least 1851, no flood outside the period of record exceeded the June 14, 1947, stage of 26.50 ft. Flood of May 31, 1903, reached a stage of about 25 ft, discharge about 130,000 ft³/s. Minimum daily discharge since at least 1910, occurred January 21-31, 1940, 45 ft³/s.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Water year 2008.