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SwedenMissouri River at St. Joseph water level
River gauge, Missouri River, Missouri, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 44,000 cfs
- Water temperature
- 59 °F
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 7.30 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 07:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 09:21 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Missouri River at St. Joseph, where the gauge shows 8.13 ft.
It is 8.87 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.
It is on the way up, by 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 7.30 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 07:00 AM. There is still 8.87 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 7.52 ft – 8.13 ft.
The water temperature at the gauge is 59 °F.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 32.07 ftMarch 22, 2019
- Forecast peak
- 8.10 ftSunday, October 18 at 01:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 17.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 31.50 ft
- The levee system will likely be overtopped, causing flooding in the town of Elwood and the eastern edge of Wathena.
- 30.00 ft
- St. Joseph public works building on 3rd Street floods.
- 24.00 ft
- A residential area in northwest St. Joseph begins to flood.
- 21.00 ft
- Riverfront Park in St. Joseph begins to flood.
- 19.00 ft
- Backwater from the Missouri River floods property along the Nodaway river at Nodaway, Missouri.
- 17.00 ft
- Lowland flooding upstream and downstream from St. Joseph occurs.
- 8.13 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 39 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32.07 ft | March 22, 2019 |
| 2 | 32.07 ft | July 26, 1993 |
| 3 | 29.97 ft | June 28, 2011 |
| 4 | 27.20 ft | April 29, 1881 |
| 5 | 26.82 ft | April 22, 1952 |
| 6 | 26.17 ft | June 25, 2010 |
| 7 | 25.78 ft | March 3, 1979 |
| 8 | 25.63 ft | October 13, 1973 |
| 9 | 25.60 ft | June 16, 1984 |
| 10 | 25.26 ft | May 7, 2007 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.06 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Missouri River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri River at Hwy 92 at OmahaRiver gauge, Missouri River | 13.84 ft | Very low | −0.12 ft | 115 mi |
| Missouri River at Hwy 370 at BellevueRiver gauge, Missouri River | 15.42 ft | Very low | −0.15 ft | 110 mi |
| Missouri River at Nebraska CityRiver gauge, Missouri River | 9.20 ft | Below flood stage | −0.29 ft | 83 mi |
| Missouri River at BrownvilleRiver gauge, Missouri River | 25.20 ft | Below flood stage | −0.27 ft | 61 mi |
| Missouri River at RuloRiver gauge, Missouri River | 8.64 ft | Below flood stage | −0.13 ft | 36 mi |
| Missouri River at AtchisonRiver gauge, Missouri River | 10.03 ft | Below flood stage | +0.24 ft | 19 mi |
| Missouri River at LeavenworthRiver gauge, Missouri River | 5.31 ft | Below flood stage | +0.27 ft | 30 mi |
| Missouri River above ParkvilleRiver gauge, Missouri River | 10.65 ft | Below flood stage | +0.33 ft | 39 mi |
| Missouri River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Missouri River | 13.24 ft | Below flood stage | +0.23 ft | 47 mi |
| Missouri River at NapoleonRiver gauge, Missouri River | 9.70 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 60 mi |
| Missouri River at WaverlyRiver gauge, Missouri River | 13.83 ft | Below flood stage | −0.25 ft | 81 mi |
| Missouri River at GlasgowRiver gauge, Missouri River | 14.70 ft | Below flood stage | −0.65 ft | 113 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platte River near AgencyRiver gauge, Platte River | 7.39 ft | Below flood stage | −0.13 ft | 9 mi |
| One Hundred Two River near BolckowRiver gauge, One Hundred Two River | 216 cfs | Normal | −17.0 cfs | 25 mi |
| Platte River at Sharps StationRiver gauge, Platte River | 5.25 ft | Below flood stage | −0.09 ft | 25 mi |
| Little Platte River near PlattsburgRiver gauge, Little Platte River | 0.0 cfs | Low | ±0 | 27 mi |
| Little Platte River at SmithvilleRiver gauge, Little Platte River | 12.29 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 29 mi |
| Stranger Creek at EastonRiver gauge, Stranger Creek | 2.79 ft | Below flood stage | −0.09 ft | 31 mi |
| Nodaway River near GrahamRiver gauge, Nodaway River | 1,140 cfs | Normal | −110.0 cfs | 33 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Missouri River at St. Joseph?
The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 8.87 ft below it.
Is gage height the same as water depth?
No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.
What is the water level of Missouri River at St. Joseph today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 12:35 PM CDT, the water level was 8.13 ft. Up 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Missouri River at St. Joseph rising or falling?
Up 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Missouri River at St. Joseph normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Missouri River at St. Joseph?
The highest level on record is 32.07 ft on March 22, 2019.
Is Missouri River at St. Joseph expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 7.30 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 07:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06818000(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.75325, -94.85683(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NAVD88
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 8.13 ft | 2026-10-18 17:35 | Provisional |
| Flow | 44,000 cfs | 2026-10-18 17:35 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 59 °F | 2026-10-18 17:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Missouri River at St. Joseph (usgs:06818000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/missouri/missouri-river-at-st-joseph
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer