Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge water level

Name: Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge 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, Ward Creek, Louisiana, United States

Directions

Very low for late October

Water level

7.85ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 04:00 AM CDT (54 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Low water at Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge: the gauge reads 7.85 ft, far below normal for late October.

The median for late October is 8.14 ft, based on 11 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.29 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 8.01 ft, a difference of −0.16 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 7.82 ft – 8.24 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 11 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 8.14 ft0.29 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 7.92 ft – 9.17 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (11 years of records)
Same day last year: 8.01 ft−0.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 7.82 ft – 8.24 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 7.81 ft – 18.46 ft
Highest on record: 29.72 ftApril 11, 1995

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	29.72 ft	April 11, 1995
2	26.48 ft	June 18, 1997
3	26.40 ft	June 12, 1994
4	26.36 ft	May 12, 2004
5	25.63 ft	September 24, 2005
6	24.83 ft	August 12, 2016
7	24.77 ft	May 4, 2007
8	24.09 ft	January 6, 1998
9	23.72 ft	May 14, 2008
10	22.91 ft	October 3, 1995

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 80° 51° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 84° 55° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 85° 61° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 82° 60° – Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 81° 58° – Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 81° 59° – Wind 8 mph

27 Tue 81° 63° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:28 PM Daylight 11 hr, 17 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on Ward Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ward Creek at Government St at Baton RougeRiver gauge, Ward Creek	31.66 ft	Normal	±0	3.6 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Branch Ward Creek at Baton RougeRiver gauge, North Branch Ward Creek	13.89 ft	Low	±0	1.1 mi
Mississippi River at Baton RougeRiver gauge, Mississippi River	11.07 ft	Normal	−0.33 ft	6.0 mi
Bluff Swamp near KleinpeterRiver gauge, Bluff Swamp	2.10 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	8 mi
Bayou Manchac at Alligator B. near KleinpeterRiver gauge, Bayou Manchac	2.04 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	8 mi
Alligator Bayou near KleinpeterRiver gauge, Alligator Bayou	2.04 ft	Low	−0.09 ft	8 mi
Comite River near ComiteRiver gauge, Comite River	0.24 ft	Normal	±0	8 mi
Amite River near Denham SpringsRiver gauge, Amite River	9.66 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Comite R. at Greenwell Spg Rd near Baton RougeRiver gauge, Comite R.	17.87 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	8 mi

Questions and answers

Is Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge higher than last year?

No, it is 0.16 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.01 ft.

What is a normal level for Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge in late October?

The median for late October is 8.14 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 7.92 ft and 9.17 ft, based on 11 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 Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 04:00 AM CDT, the water level was 7.85 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge normal?

Very low for late October. Compared with 11 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge?

The highest level on record is 29.72 ft on April 11, 1995.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07379050 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.40491, -91.10344 (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	7.85 ft	2026-10-21 09:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton Rouge (usgs:07379050). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/ward-creek-at-essen-lane-near-baton-rouge

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