Hatchie River at Bolivar water level

Name: Hatchie River at Bolivar 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, Hatchie River, Tennessee, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

5.57ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:30 AM CDT (48 min ago)

Flow: 224 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 07:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 08:52 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Hatchie River at Bolivar is running far below normal at 5.57 ft.

The median for mid-October is 6.99 ft, based on 36 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.42 ft below typical. It is 12.43 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.70 ft, a difference of −1.13 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 07:00 PM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 5.45 ft and 5.74 ft.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.99 ft1.42 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.66 ft – 13.36 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.70 ft−1.13 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.45 ft – 5.74 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.45 ft – 14.43 ft
Highest on record: 21.53 ftFebruary 15, 1948
Forecast peak: 5.60 ftTuesday, October 20 at 01:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Hatchie River at Bolivar

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 18.00 ft, 12.43 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

28.00 ft: Water is flowing across Highway 18 near the river. Secondary roads and maintenance roads are flooded.
21.00 ft: Water is reaching the edge of Highway 18 northeast of Bolivar.
20.50 ft: Some businesses along Margin Street are flooding.
20.00 ft: Water is flowing over Highway 64 east of Bolivar.
19.00 ft: Water starts to flood homes on River Road.
18.00 ft: Low-lying land near the river is flooding.
5.57 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	21.53 ft	February 15, 1948
2	21.29 ft	December 2, 2001
3	21.11 ft	February 25, 2019
4	20.66 ft	January 13, 1974
5	20.61 ft	December 30, 1983
6	20.46 ft	May 5, 2010
7	20.46 ft	May 6, 2010
8	20.08 ft	December 4, 1991
9	19.69 ft	January 15, 1989
10	19.46 ft	January 26, 2002

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 70° 36° – Wind 5 mph

19 Mon 73° 42° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 76° 45° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 79° 50° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 79° 51° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 80° 52° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 78° 51° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:07 AM Sunset 06:16 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on the Hatchie River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hatchie River near WalnutRiver gauge, Hatchie River	38.2 cfs	Very low	+1.0 cfs	25 mi
Hatchie River at RialtoRiver gauge, Hatchie River	2.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	44 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wolf River at LagrangeRiver gauge, Wolf River	5.46 ft	Very low	±0	23 mi
Middle Fork Forked Deer River near FairviewRiver gauge, Middle Fork Forked Deer River	4.05 ft	Very low	±0	33 mi
South Fork Forked Deer River near Owl CityRiver gauge, South Fork Forked Deer River	8.95 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	33 mi
Wolf River at RossvilleRiver gauge, Wolf River	1.51 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	35 mi
Loosahatchie River near ArlingtonRiver gauge, Loosahatchie River	0.70 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	37 mi
Wolf River near ColliervilleRiver gauge, Wolf River	3.00 ft	Very low	±0	40 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Hatchie River at Bolivar higher than last year?

No, it is 1.13 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.70 ft.

What is flood stage for the Hatchie River at Bolivar?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 12.43 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Hatchie River at Bolivar in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.99 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.66 ft and 13.36 ft, based on 36 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 Hatchie River at Bolivar today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:30 AM CDT, the water level was 5.57 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Hatchie River at Bolivar rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Hatchie River at Bolivar normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 36 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:07029500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.27536, -88.97663 (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	5.57 ft	2026-10-20 05:30	Provisional
Flow	224 cfs	2026-10-20 05:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Hatchie River at Bolivar (usgs:07029500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/tennessee/hatchie-river-at-bolivar

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