USGS Streamgage 06903700
South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA
South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA is USGS streamgage 06903700 in Iowa, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10280201. It drains a watershed of about 168 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1965. Typical flow runs near 6.7 cfs in July and 45 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.
View live conditions & forecast →
Gauge details
- State
- Iowa
- Drainage area
- 168 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 937 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 10280201
- Coordinates
- 40.80044, -93.19269
- USGS site number
- 06903700
- Records begin
- 1965-09-21 (61 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA. Each day carries a median estimate and the band the model expects the flow to fall within — not a single number to plan against. Forecasts are re-issued daily; see the live screen for the current outlook.
| Date | Low p10 | Expected p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | 7.6 | 9.8 | ||
| 4.6 | 6.7 | 13.5 | ||
| 4.2 | 6.8 | 21.7 | ||
| 4.6 | 13.6 | 187 | ||
| 5.2 | 29.6 | 727 | ||
| 10.7 | 126 | 1,243 | ||
| 11.9 | 120 | 1,045 | ||
| 11.7 | 101 | 994 | ||
| 10.8 | 60.6 | 379 | ||
| 8.5 | 33.1 | 189 | ||
| 6.8 | 20 | 80.6 | ||
| 5.5 | 15 | 62.9 | ||
| 4.6 | 11.7 | 51.3 | ||
| 3.8 | 9.1 | 29.9 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs). Estimates only — do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision.
Typical flow by month
Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 59 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.9 | 8.1 | 69.1 | |
| February | 2.3 | 23.4 | 234.1 | |
| March | 6.6 | 44.2 | 435.4 | |
| April | 8.9 | 45 | 576.9 | |
| May | 5.6 | 37.8 | 548.1 | |
| June | 1.5 | 18.9 | 459.9 | |
| July | 0.6 | 6.7 | 280.4 | |
| August | 0.4 | 2.8 | 85 | |
| September | 0.4 | 2.2 | 117.9 | |
| October | 0.3 | 4.5 | 141.2 | |
| November | 0.9 | 9.5 | 99 | |
| December | 0.6 | 11.2 | 109.3 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA normally run highest?
- April, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 45 cfs, against 2.2 cfs in September, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 8.1 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 0.9 and 69.1 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 06903700 begin in 1965, about 61 years, covering roughly 9,200 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Is there a flow forecast for South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA?
- Yes. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on this basin's observed flows, weather, and snowpack, and issues a daily flow outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on the live gauge screen. Open live conditions to see the current outlook.
- Where is South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA?
- The gauge sits at 40.80044, -93.19269, in Iowa, in hydrologic subbasin 10280201, at an elevation of about 937 feet, draining roughly 168 square miles.
- Can I use South Fork Chariton River near Promise City, IA data for flood or safety decisions?
- No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.