The origin of the name of the river is unclear. Early explorers gave it the name La Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks". Speculation has it that the name may have referred to the early monks who built their huts near the entrance of the river.

The historic Great Flood of 1993 was a devastating event for the city. The result of the huge, costly, storm and flooding caused incalculable crop and property damage. The record number of river levels forced the evacuation of much of the city of Des Moines and nearby communities. Some areas received more than 4 feet of rain during the period. In some categories, it surpassed the 1927 flood.

The repetitive storms that bombarded the Upper Midwest with voluminous rainfall amounts throughout the late spring and summer, broke record river levels set during the 1973 Mississippi and the 1951 Missouri River floods. Reports of levees being overtopped and levee breaks became common.