Flood of August 24–25, 2016, Upper Iowa River and Turkey River, northeastern Iowa

S. Mike Linhart; Padraic S. O’Shea

doi:10.3133/ofr20171128

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Flood of August 24–25, 2016, Upper Iowa River and Turkey River, northeastern Iowa

S. Mike Linhart·Padraic S. O’Shea

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Abstract

Major flooding occurred August 24–25, 2016, in the Upper Iowa River Basin and Turkey River Basin in northeastern Iowa following severe thunderstorm activity over the region. About 8 inches of rain were recorded for the 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m., August 24, at Decorah, Iowa, and about 6 inches of rain were recorded for the 24-hour period ending at 7 a.m., August 24, at Cresco, Iowa, about 14 miles northwest of Spillville, Iowa. A maximum peak-of-record discharge of 38,000 cubic feet per second in the Upper Iowa River at streamgage 05388250 Upper Iowa River near Dorchester, Iowa, occurred on August 24, 2016, with an annual exceedance-probability range of 0.2–1 percent. High-water marks were measured at six locations along the Upper Iowa River between State Highway 26 near the mouth at the Mississippi River and State Highway 76 about 3.5 miles south of Dorchester, Iowa, a distance of 15 river miles. Along the profiled reach of the Turkey River, a maximum peak-of-record discharge of 15,300 cubic feet per second at streamgage 05411600 Turkey River at Spillville, Iowa, occurred on August 24, 2016, with an annual exceedance-probability range of 1–2 percent. A maximum peak discharge of 35,700 cubic feet per second occurred on August 25, 2016, along the profiled reach of the Turkey River at streamgage 05411850 Turkey River near Eldorado, Iowa, with an annual exceedance-probability range of 0.2–1 percent. High-water marks were measured at 11 locations along the Turkey River between County Road B64 in Elgin and 220th Street, located about 4.5 miles northwest of Spillville, Iowa, a distance of 58 river miles. The high-water marks were used to develop flood profiles for the Upper Iowa River and Turkey River.

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Source-reported bounding extent: 42.60869548716231° to 43.574421623084234° latitude; -92.6667° to -91.065673828125° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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S. Mike Linhart, Padraic S. O’Shea. 2018-02-05. Flood of August 24–25, 2016, Upper Iowa River and Turkey River, northeastern Iowa. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20171128

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