Rivermatics

2 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Thompson River flows and levels

Thompson River is gauged at 2 USGS streamgages in Iowa and Missouri, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 183 miles (295 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 701 square miles at Thompson River at Davis City, IA up to 1,720 at Thompson River at Trenton, MO. The gauged reach falls about 188 feet, from 908 feet down to 720. 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
Thompson River at Davis City, IA IA 701 908 267.3 90.6 14-day
Thompson River at Trenton, MO MO 1,720 720 604.7 234.6 14-day

Typical flow by month at Thompson River at Trenton, 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 98 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 21.9 132.4 938.7
February 31.2 306.8 2,352.8
March 76.5 587.8 4,250.3
April 122 604.7 4,632.7
May 105.8 696.6 5,510.6
June 70.3 512.3 5,043
July 41.5 234.6 2,395.5
August 35.1 132.8 1,171.3
September 29 104.1 1,433.4
October 21 91 1,255.4
November 26.8 132.7 1,146.1
December 22.8 134.9 1,094.1

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Thompson River run highest?
May, on the long-term record at Thompson River at Trenton, MO — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 696.6 cfs that month, against 91 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 Thompson River?
Rivermatics tracks 2 USGS streamgages on the Thompson 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 Thompson River?
Yes, at 2 of the 2 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 Thompson River part of?
The Thompson 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 Thompson 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

Browse nearby gauges by state