Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis water level

Name: Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis 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, Pleasant Run, Indiana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.96ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1.3 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis reads 2.96 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.04 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.96 ft and 3.48 ft.

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

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 16.00 ftMay 28, 1956

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 8.00 ft, still 5.04 ft away.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: Flash flood level of May 28, 1956. Very serious flooding on the east side of Indianapolis. In May 1956, this area was part of 40 to 50 square blocks flooded by Eagle Creek, Pogue's Run, Pleasant Run and other small streams. Most of the 2,000 families evacuated were located on the eastern and southeastern part of the city. Water was 5 to 6 feet deep in many streets. Rainfall of more than 4 inches fell in less than 4 hours on very wet grounds.
14.00 ft: Arlington Avenue impassable. Extensive flooding of Pleasant Run Golf Course. Much of the low ground in Ellenberger Park is flooded. Serious flooding in the Sherman Drive area near downtown Indianapolis and near Shadeland Avenue on the eastside. Approaching possibly a flood emergency. Highest flood level since May 1956 and nearing a record flood.
13.70 ft: Approximate low steel of Arlington Avenue Bridge over Pleasant Run. Arlington Avenue begins to flood on the north side of Pleasant Run. Highest flood level of Pleasant Run since June 1978. Approaching serious flooding in the vicinity of Sherman Drive near downtown Indianapolis and Shadeland Avenue on the eastside of Indianapolis.
13.00 ft: Approaching low steel elevation of Arlington Bridge over Pleasant Run near gaging site. Major flooding occurring upstream in the Shadeland Avenue area and downstream in Sherman Drive area. Pleasant Run Golf Course likely flooded and some flooding in Ellenberger Park.
12.30 ft: June 20 2011 locally heavy rains of up to 6 inches caused Pleasant Run just northeast of Pleasant Run Golf Course to flood Pleasant Run Parkway Drive between East 16th and East 21st Street on the eastside of Indianapolis in the vicinity of Shadeland Avenue. Water flowing on East 16th Street in the Shadeland Avenue area was more than a foot deep and had waves. Water from East 16th Street flows directly into Pleasant Run.
10.00 ft: Pleasant Run floods Pleasant Run Parkway and North Drive in the vicinity of Sherman Drive about 3 miles southeast of downtown Indianapolis.
2.96 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.00 ft	May 28, 1956
2	13.86 ft	June 25, 1978
3	12.37 ft	June 20, 2011
4	11.48 ft	October 4, 1986
5	11.33 ft	July 26, 2015
6	11.26 ft	July 7, 2015
7	11.25 ft	September 1, 2003
8	10.87 ft	June 18, 1992
9	10.76 ft	June 14, 1998
10	10.72 ft	May 15, 1996

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 69° 43° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 70° 42° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 71° 46° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 71° 51° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 72° 51° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 74° 53° – Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 72° 55° – Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:00 AM Sunset 06:59 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pogues Run above Dam at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Pogues Run	4.16 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	2.4 mi
Pogues Run at Vermont Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Pogues Run	1.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	4.0 mi
Lick Creek at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Lick Creek	1.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.3 mi
Fall Creek at MillersvilleRiver gauge, Fall Creek	1.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	5.4 mi
Fall Creek at 16th Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Fall Creek	6.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	6.1 mi
White River at IndianapolisRiver gauge, White River	2.75 ft	Low	−0.12 ft	6 mi
White River at Michigan Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, White River	7.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	7 mi
White River at 16th Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, White River	6.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.04 ft below it.

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 Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT, the water level was 2.96 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis?

The highest level on record is 16.00 ft on May 28, 1956.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03353120 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.77587, -86.06385 (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	2.96 ft	2026-10-20 15:15	Provisional
Flow	1.3 cfs	2026-10-20 15:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pleasant Run at Arlington Av at Indianapolis (usgs:03353120). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/indiana/pleasant-run-at-arlington-av-at-indianapolis

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