Kayak Love

Iowa · river

Old Mans Creek near Iowa City

Live conditions for this USGS-monitored stretch of water, updated every 15 minutes.

77of 100

Good

Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Old Mans Creek near Iowa City
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Beeeeeeeeeeee^ on flower in Iowa - panoramio.jpg by Chanilim715, CC BY-SA 3.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

4 mph

gusting to 5 mph

Air temp

73°F

87% chance of rain

River flow

52.7 cfs

high for this date

Best day to paddle this week

Thursday · 100

  • Today

    66

  • Thu

    100

    Best

  • Fri

    70

  • Sat

    58

  • Sun

    98

  • Mon

    55

  • Tue

    79

Scored from each day's peak forecast wind, heat, and rain chance — river flow isn't forecastable, so check back before you load the boat.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
3a414
4a211
5a920
6a89
7a37
8a815
9a1018
10a714
11a714
12p713
1p912
2p811

Is this flow normal for September 9?

Today's 52.7 cfs is 210% above the median for this date — which counts as high water here.

The median flow on this date is 17 cfs, across 74 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind4 mph — calm, ideal for any boat±0
  • Rain87% chance in the next 6 hours-23

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, so the flow and weather are real — but we haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Iowa