River stage
Waterloo, Cedar River
- River level
- 6.96 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -1.26 ft
- Recent high
- 11.99 ft
- Recent low
- 5.94 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS ALOI4
- 30-day change
- +1.01 ft
- Average
- 7.21 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 27.01 ft
In brief
The Cedar River at Waterloo, IA read 6.96 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 1.54 ft below action stage. That is 1.01 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge ALOI4
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27.01 ft | 2008-06-11 |
| 2 | 22.95 ft | 2016-09-24 |
| 3 | 21.86 ft | 1961-03-29 |
| 4 | 21.67 ft | 1965-04-08 |
| 5 | 20.78 ft | 1999-07-23 |
| 6 | 20.60 ft | 1993-04-02 |
| 7 | 20.15 ft | 1969-06-29 |
| 8 | 20.00 ft | 1929-03-16 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 10.00 ft
Storm sewers are closed behind the Cattle Congress.
- 13.00 ft
Many storm sewers are closed along Black Hawk Creek and the Cedar River. The Fletcher Ave levee gates are closed.
- 16.00 ft
The Riverview Recreation Area is closed.
- 17.00 ft
Many storm sewers are closed along the Cedar River.
- 18.00 ft
The access road to wastewater treatment plant is closed.
- 24.00 ft
The following bridges are closed...Westfield Ave...E 6th St and W 6th St railroad...11th St as well as Park Ave.
- 25.00 ft
The 18th St bridge is closed. Levee gates are also closed throughout the downtown area of Waterloo.
- 26.00 ft
Sandbagging is necessary at Fairview Cemetery.
- 30.00 ft
This is the height of the Waterloo levee design protection.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cedar River flooding at Waterloo?
No. The Cedar River at Waterloo is at 6.96 ft, 1.54 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Waterloo?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 8.5 ft, minor flooding 13 ft, moderate flooding 19 ft and major flooding 21 ft.
What is the highest the Cedar River has been at Waterloo?
The highest crest on record is 27.01 ft, on 2008-06-11.
Is the Cedar River high or low right now at Waterloo?
At 6.96 ft it is higher than 54% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge ALOI4); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05464000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.