Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion water level

Name: Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion 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, Obion River, Tennessee, United States

Directions

Normal for late October

Water level

19.09ft Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 03:00 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 522 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 19.00 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:59 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion is at 19.09 ft, in the normal range for late October.

That puts it 0.13 ft above the median of 18.96 ft for late October, based on 27 years of readings. It is 14.91 ft below the flood stage of 34.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 20.07 ft (−0.98 ft).

It has risen 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 19.00 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 AM. There is still 14.91 ft of room before flood stage. In the last month it has stayed between 18.97 ft and 19.84 ft.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 18.96 ft0.13 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 17.18 ft – 25.18 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year: 20.07 ft−0.98 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 18.97 ft – 19.84 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 18.99 ft – 31.19 ft
Highest on record: 40.75 ftApril 8, 2025
Forecast peak: 19.00 ftWednesday, October 21 at 01:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion

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

Flood stage here is 34.00 ft, 14.91 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

41.70 ft: Widespread flooding is occurring in Dyer, Obion, Gibson, and Weakley Counties near the Obion River and its tributaries.
39.60 ft: Extensive flooding is occurring in the community of Obion. Agricultural land on both banks of the river is extensively flooded. Evacuations are necessary in Obion and Rives.
38.00 ft: Rives is flooding and most farmland near the river is flooding.
37.00 ft: Flooding is occurring in Obion. Widespread flooding is occurring in Rives. Numerous secondary roads near the river are flooded.
36.00 ft: Rives is flooding. Most cropland near the river is flooded.
35.00 ft: Several secondary roads and large areas of farmland are flooded in northern Dyer County. Flooding is occurring around Rives in southeast Obion County.
34.00 ft: Farmland near the river is flooded.
33.00 ft: Agricultural land near the Obion River begins to flood.
31.00 ft: Cropland flooding is occurring in low areas on the south bank of the Obion River.
29.00 ft: Overbank flooding begins near the Obion River.
19.09 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: 7 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	40.75 ft	April 8, 2025
2	39.84 ft	February 19, 2025
3	39.84 ft	February 19, 2025
4	39.60 ft	March 4, 1997
5	39.31 ft	May 6, 2011
6	39.12 ft	March 14, 2016
7	38.99 ft	December 24, 1990
8	38.78 ft	December 3, 2001
9	38.46 ft	February 15, 2019
10	38.43 ft	May 5, 2010

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Running Reelfoot Bayou below Reelfoot SpillwayLake, Running Reelfoot Bayou	0.30 ft	Very high	±0	13 mi
Reelfoot Lake near TiptonvilleLake, Reelfoot Lake	11.08 ft	Low	±0	13 mi
Reelfoot Creek near SamburgRiver gauge, Reelfoot Creek	2.91 ft	No reference yet	−0.01 ft	15 mi
North Fork Obion River near Martin, Tn (Ce)River gauge, North Fork Obion River	5.21 ft	Normal	±0	23 mi
South Fork Obion River near GreenfieldRiver gauge, South Fork Obion River	130 cfs	Normal	−2.0 cfs	24 mi
Mississippi River at New MadridRiver gauge, Mississippi River	7.18 ft	Below flood stage	−0.63 ft	30 mi
Bayou De Chien near ClintonRiver gauge, Bayou De Chien	19.4 cfs	Normal	±0	30 mi
South Fork Forked Deer River near Owl CityRiver gauge, South Fork Forked Deer River	8.97 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	36 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion compare with last year?

It is 0.98 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 20.07 ft.

What is flood stage for the Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion?

The official flood stage is 34.00 ft. The level is currently 14.91 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion in late October?

The median for late October is 18.96 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 17.18 ft and 25.18 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 Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:00 AM CDT, the water level was 19.09 ft. Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion rising or falling?

Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.14 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion normal?

Normal for late 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:07026040 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.24085, -89.21764 (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	19.09 ft	2026-10-21 08:00	Provisional
Flow	522 cfs	2026-10-21 08:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Obion River at Highway 51 near Obion (usgs:07026040). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/tennessee/obion-river-at-highway-51-near-obion

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