Natalbany River at Baptist water level

Name: Natalbany River at Baptist 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, Natalbany River, Louisiana, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.71ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 PM CDT (54 min ago)

Flow: 12.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Natalbany River at Baptist is at 3.71 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.06 ft above the median of 3.65 ft for mid-October, based on 27 years of readings. It is 12.29 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.68 ft (+0.03 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.71 ft and 3.91 ft.

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

Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.65 ft0.06 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.12 ft – 4.44 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.68 ft+0.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.71 ft – 3.91 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.66 ft – 13.92 ft
Highest on record: 24.33 ftAugust 13, 2016

Floating and fishing near Natalbany River at Baptist

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 16.00 ft, 12.29 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: There will be moderate overbank flooding adjacent to Interstate 12 between the truck scales and the Holden interchange. Pumpkin Park Campground will be inundated. Highway 190 will be closed between Albany and Baptist as the water level approaches the bridge deck. The parking lot of the truck depot on the right bank near the Highway 190 bridge will begin to flood. Louisiana Highway 1040 will be impassable west of Bankston Road. Bankston Road will be under water.
24.00 ft: Flood of Record occurred on August 13, 2016.
23.00 ft: Highway 190 will be closed between Albany and Baptist as the water level approaches the bridge deck. The parking lot of the truck depot on the right bank near the Highway 190 bridge will begin to flood. Louisiana Highway 1040 will be impassable west of Bankston Road. Bankston Road will be under water.
20.00 ft: Low lying areas between the Natalbany and Little Natalbany Rivers will flood at the 20 foot stage. Recreational camps and a few commercial buildings near the river will flood. At this level, nearly four feet of water will cover low areas near the approach to the Highway 1040 bridge.
18.00 ft: At 18 feet recreational camps and a few commercial buildings near the river will flood. At this level, nearly four feet of water will cover low areas near the approach to the Highway 1040 bridge.
16.00 ft: The bridge on Highway 1040 will become impassable with water over the roadway on the west end of the bridge.
3.71 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: 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.33 ft	August 13, 2016
2	20.80 ft	April 7, 1983
3	19.76 ft	March 11, 2016
4	19.73 ft	May 3, 1953
5	18.72 ft	August 30, 2021
6	18.66 ft	August 31, 2012
7	18.55 ft	September 28, 1964
8	18.20 ft	April 15, 1967
9	18.12 ft	April 21, 1977
10	17.84 ft	May 23, 1974

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 76° 47° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 78° 51° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 81° 55° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 82° 53° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 84° 55° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 85° 56° – Wind 4 mph

24 Sat 82° 56° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:27 PM Daylight 11 hr, 18 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tickfaw River at HoldenRiver gauge, Tickfaw River	0.53 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	8 mi
Tangipahoa River at RobertRiver gauge, Tangipahoa River	6.42 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Tangipahoa River near PonchatoulaRiver gauge, Tangipahoa River	5.12 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	13 mi
Tickfaw River at MontpelierRiver gauge, Tickfaw River	2.46 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	14 mi
Amite River at Hwy 22 near MaurepasRiver gauge, Amite River	2.93 ft	High	−0.05 ft	14 mi
Tangipahoa River near AmiteRiver gauge, Tangipahoa River	5.05 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	16 mi
Tchefuncte River near FolsomRiver gauge, Tchefuncte River	4.86 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	19 mi
Amite River near French SettlementRiver gauge, Amite River	2.00 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	21 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Natalbany River at Baptist compare with last year?

It is 0.03 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.68 ft.

What is flood stage for the Natalbany River at Baptist?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 12.29 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Natalbany River at Baptist in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.65 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.12 ft and 4.44 ft, based on 27 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 Natalbany River at Baptist today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 PM CDT, the water level was 3.71 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Natalbany River at Baptist rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Natalbany River at Baptist normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07376500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.50436, -90.54592 (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	3.71 ft	2026-10-20 19:00	Provisional
Flow	12.5 cfs	2026-10-20 19:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Natalbany River at Baptist (usgs:07376500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/natalbany-river-at-baptist

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