Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville water level

Name: Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville 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, Black Bayou, Louisiana, United States

Directions

Very high for late October

Water level

2.07ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT (43 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville shows 2.07 ft, well above normal for late October.

That puts it 0.57 ft above the median of 1.50 ft for late October, based on 24 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 1.64 ft (+0.43 ft). The record high is 9.97 ft, set on August 29, 2012.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.48 ft and 2.59 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.50 ft0.57 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.88 ft – 2.05 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (24 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.64 ft+0.43 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.48 ft – 2.59 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.19 ft – 5.08 ft
Highest on record: 9.97 ftAugust 29, 2012

High water at Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.97 ft	August 29, 2012
2	9.61 ft	August 16, 2016
3	9.40 ft	June 6, 2001
4	8.70 ft	January 9, 2013
5	8.65 ft	March 11, 2016
6	8.61 ft	April 30, 2006
7	8.23 ft	March 27, 2009
8	7.93 ft	December 30, 2006
9	7.78 ft	December 18, 2009
10	7.03 ft	May 15, 2008

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 80° 51° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 84° 55° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 84° 57° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 81° 58° – Wind 12 mph

25 Sun 79° 54° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 80° 55° – Wind 10 mph

27 Tue 80° 61° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:27 PM Daylight 11 hr, 17 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Henderson Bayou near Port VincentRiver gauge, Henderson Bayou	1.91 ft	High	−0.10 ft	2.8 mi
Grand Goudine at Babin Rd Near DuplessisRiver gauge, Grand Goudine	1.88 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	2.8 mi
Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near GonzalesRiver gauge, Bayou Francois	1.83 ft	High	−0.06 ft	3.1 mi
Black Bayou E of GonzalesRiver gauge	1.97 ft	High	−0.04 ft	3.6 mi
Muddy Creek at Hwy 42 near Oak GroveRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	2.80 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	4.2 mi
Henderson Bayou Pump Station near Port VincentRiver gauge, Henderson Bayou Pump Station	1.33 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	4.8 mi
Bayou Manchac near Little PrairieRiver gauge, Bayou Manchac	2.70 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	4.9 mi
Amite River at Port VincentRiver gauge, Amite River	2.67 ft	Very high	−0.12 ft	5.8 mi

Questions and answers

How does Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville compare with last year?

It is 0.43 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.64 ft.

What is a normal level for Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville in late October?

The median for late October is 1.50 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.88 ft and 2.05 ft, based on 24 years of records.

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 Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT, the water level was 2.07 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.26 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville normal?

Very high for late October. Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville?

The highest level on record is 9.97 ft on August 29, 2012.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:0738022395 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.26944, -90.91694 (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	2.07 ft	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near Prairieville (usgs:0738022395). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/black-bayou-at-hwy-621-near-prairieville

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