Kayak Love

Iowa · river

Rock River below Tom Creek at Rock Rapids

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

90

Favorable weather

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT.

River observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 22:15:00 GMT.

Page checked: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:09:50 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Rock River below Tom Creek at Rock Rapids
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Melan Arch Bridge.jpg by Joseph Elliott, Public domain. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

10 mph

gusting to 20 mph

Air temp

69°F

4% chance of rain

River flow

179 cfs

normal for this date

Weather outlook

Wednesday · 100

  • Tue

    48

  • Wed

    100

    Best

  • Thu

    50

  • Fri

    91

  • Sat

    62

  • Sun

    84

  • Mon

    52

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
6p1020
7p1020
8p818
9p513
10p612
11p410
12a411
1a28
2a58
3a47
4a36
5a27

Is this flow normal for September 29?

Today's 179 cfs is 99% above the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 90 cfs, across 24 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 10 mph — moderate wind at the forecast location-10

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. 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 →