Here are the river forecasts for the South Skunk River from Ames down to Oskaloosa, where Record flooding is either occuring (as is the case with Ames) or is forecast.
…THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUTATION. RECORD FLOODING IS
OCCURRING ALONG PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH SKUNK RIVER…
…FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING…
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR
  THE SOUTH SKUNK RIVER NEAR AMES W RIVERSIDE RD…OR FROM KEIGLEY
  BRANCH NEAR 170TH STREET…TO SQUAW CREEK.
* UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING.
* AT 10:00 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 18.4 FEET.
* FLOOD STAGE IS  14 FEET.
* MAJOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE.
* FORECAST…RISE TO 19.5 FEET THIS AFTERNOON. GO BELOW FLOOD STAGE
  THURSDAY MORNING.
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR
  THE SOUTH SKUNK RIVER NEAR AMES HWY 30…OR FROM SQUAW CREEK…TO
  THE POLK-JASPER COUNTY LINE.
* UNTIL EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.
* AT  9:20 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 26.2 FEET.
* FLOOD STAGE IS  20 FEET.
* RECORD FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE.
* FORECAST…RISE TO 27.0 FEET THIS AFTERNOON. GO BELOW FLOOD STAGE
  EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR
  THE SOUTH SKUNK RIVER AT COLFAX…OR FROM THE JASPER-POLK COUNTY
  LINE…TO THE JASPER-MARION COUNTY LINE.
* UNTIL TUESDAY EVENING.
* AT  9:45 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 22.5 FEET.
* FLOOD STAGE IS  17 FEET.
* RECORD FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE.
* FORECAST…RISE TO 25.0 FEET THURSDAY EVENING. GO BELOW FLOOD STAGE
  TUESDAY EVENING.
* IMPACTS…THE LEVEE AT COLFAX HAS BEEN OVERTOPPED BUT HAS NOT
REPORTED TO HAVE FAILED. THE LEVEL OF THE RIVER AT COLFAX HAS
STEADIED TO 22.5 FEET…POSSIBLY DUE TO THE LEVEE OVERTOPPING.
UNCERTAINTY STILL EXISTS ABOUT THE MAXIMUM CREST…BUT A 25.0 FOOT
CREST IS STILL POSSIBLE.
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR
  THE SOUTH SKUNK RIVER NEAR OSKALOOSA…OR FROM THE MARION-MAHASKA
  COUNTY LINE…TO THE MAHASKA-KEOKUK COUNTY LINE.
* UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
* AT 10:30 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 24.1 FEET.
* FLOOD STAGE IS  20 FEET.
* MAJOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND RECORD FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FORECAST…RISE TO 25.4 FEET THIS EVENING.
* FORECAST…SECOND CREST NEAR 27.0 FEET EXPECTED AROUND MIDNIGHT
MONDAY NIGHT AUGUST 16, 2010. THIS IS BASED ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS
AND MAY CHANGE WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL.
Flooding Pictures from Ames, Des Moines and surrounding areas.