Big Blue River at Carthage water level

Name: Big Blue River at Carthage water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Big Blue River, Indiana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

0.71ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Big Blue River at Carthage reads 0.71 ft, a normal level.

It is 6.29 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.69 ft and 0.86 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 14.62 ftMarch 4, 1963

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 7.00 ft, still 6.29 ft away.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: Near record to record flood along the Big Blue River. Many county and some city streets impassable. Eastern and southern parts of Carthage, extreme southern sections of Knightstown and extreme eastern Raysville flood extensively. Many evacuations occur in Knightstown, Carthage and rural northwest Rush county.
13.00 ft: A serious flood in progress. Many local roads are impassable. Some evacuations occur in southern parts of Carthage, extreme southern sections of Knightstown, eastern Raysville and rural areas of northwest Rush County. Used auto parts yard in Carthage is extensively flooded.
11.00 ft: Extensive flooding is in progress. Many local roads flood and are impassable to most vehicles. A few evacuations are necessary in southern parts of Carthage, extreme southern sections of Knightstown, eastern Raysville and a few rural areas of northwest Rush County. Used auto parts yard in Carthage is flooded.
8.50 ft: A frequent high water level. This occurs about two or three times a year. Local roads near the Big Blue River flood. Water surrounds a few homes in Carthage, enters dog houses in southern Carthage and affects used auto parts yard in Carthage. Water is in yards in the southern outskirts of Knightstown and extreme eastern Raysville.
7.00 ft: Lowland flooding begins.
5.00 ft: CR800N begins to flood at its lowest point where it crosses the Big Blue River in northwest Rush County.
0.71 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.62 ft	March 4, 1963
2	13.28 ft	January 21, 1959
3	12.91 ft	November 15, 1993
4	12.42 ft	June 14, 1958
5	12.31 ft	December 30, 1990
6	12.30 ft	August 13, 2026
7	12.08 ft	April 25, 1961
8	11.96 ft	December 22, 2013
9	11.52 ft	November 16, 1955
10	11.22 ft	January 6, 2005

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.19 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

19 Mon 67° 37° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 69° 39° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 71° 40° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 71° 50° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 70° 50° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 71° 48° – Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 70° 52° – Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:58 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Blue River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Blue River at ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Big Blue River	4.82 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Brandywine Creek at GreenfieldRiver gauge, Brandywine Creek	4.90 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	10 mi
Flatrock River near RaleighRiver gauge, Flatrock River	4.08 ft	Below flood stage	±0	11 mi
Flatrock River near RushvilleRiver gauge, Flatrock River	4.60 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
Sugar Creek at New PalestineRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	2.88 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	17 mi
Little Blue River at ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Little Blue River	4.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	18 mi
Buck Creek at ActonRiver gauge, Buck Creek	1.85 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	21 mi
Fall Creek near FortvilleRiver gauge, Fall Creek	1.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	21 mi
Flatrock River at St. PaulRiver gauge, Flatrock River	0.70 ft	Below flood stage	±0	23 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Big Blue River at Carthage?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 6.29 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 Big Blue River at Carthage today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 PM EDT, the water level was 0.71 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Blue River at Carthage rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Big Blue River at Carthage normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Blue River at Carthage?

The highest level on record is 14.62 ft on March 4, 1963.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03361000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.74392, -85.57578 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	0.71 ft	2026-10-20 03:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Blue River at Carthage (usgs:03361000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/indiana/big-blue-river-at-carthage

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