Rivermatics

5 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Chariton River flows and levels

Chariton River is gauged at 5 USGS streamgages in Iowa and Missouri, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 210 miles (338 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 182 square miles at Chariton River near Chariton, IA up to 1,870 at Chariton River near Prairie Hill, MO. The gauged reach falls about 285 feet, from 941 feet down to 656. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Chariton River near Chariton, IA IA 182 941 44.7 6.1 14-day
Chariton River near Rathbun, IA IA 549 864 122.3 528.9 14-day
Chariton River near Moulton, IA IA 740 837 121.9 170.4 14-day
Chariton River at Novinger, MO MO 1,370 738 712.3 869.8 14-day
Chariton River near Prairie Hill, MO MO 1,870 656 918.4 431.7 14-day

Typical flow by month at Chariton River near Prairie Hill, MO

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 97 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 33.2 237.2 1,918.4
February 58.8 491.1 3,131
March 130.7 943.6 4,931
April 178.9 918.4 5,468
May 153.4 1,045.7 5,653.5
June 82.2 957 6,413
July 47.4 431.7 3,449.4
August 41.3 195.3 2,083.2
September 36.1 128.9 1,954.7
October 29.5 108.5 2,055.5
November 31.8 160.2 1,860
December 33.8 224.5 2,053.9

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Chariton River run highest?
May, on the long-term record at Chariton River near Prairie Hill, MO — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 1,045.7 cfs that month, against 108.5 cfs in October, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Chariton River?
Rivermatics tracks 5 USGS streamgages on the Chariton River, across Iowa and Missouri. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Chariton River?
Yes, at 5 of the 5 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily 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 each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Chariton River part of?
The Chariton River drains into the Mississippi River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Chariton River 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.

Other rivers in the Mississippi River system

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