Pascagoula River at Merrill water level

Name: Pascagoula River at Merrill 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, Pascagoula River, Mississippi, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

2.05ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,080 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 2.10 ft by Monday, October 19 at 07:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 07:57 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

At 2.05 ft, the Pascagoula River at Merrill is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 1.77 ft below the median of 3.82 ft for mid-October, based on 34 years of readings. It is 19.95 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.21 ft (−0.16 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.10 ft by Monday, October 19 at 07:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.05 ft and 2.90 ft.

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.82 ft1.77 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.93 ft – 9.63 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.21 ft−0.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.05 ft – 2.90 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.08 ft – 24.25 ft
Highest on record: 32.50 ftApril 1, 1900
Forecast peak: 2.10 ftMonday, October 19 at 07:00 AM

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 22.00 ft, still 19.95 ft away.

What happens at each level

32.00 ft: A portion of the railroad tracks will become flooded. USGS 100 year flood.
25.00 ft: Flooding of some residences will occur as the level rises above 25 feet.
24.00 ft: Streets of Merrill will become flooded. At 24 feet the bridge becomes inaccessible by vehicles.
23.50 ft: Water is under homes in Plum Bluff Estates. Streets of Merrill flood.
22.00 ft: Flood Stage. Water approaches homes in west Merrill.
20.00 ft: Water covers the main road at Plum Bluff in southern George County.
18.50 ft: Water covers roads at Smith's Fish Camp in southern George County.
18.00 ft: Some roads west of the river become flooded.
15.00 ft: Water is under homes in Cedar Creek Estates.
14.00 ft: Roads to Cedar Creek Estates are impassable.
13.00 ft: Water covers the roads in Cedar Creek Estates in northern Jackson County.
2.05 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: 15 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	32.50 ft	April 1, 1900
2	31.00 ft	July 9, 1916
3	30.66 ft	February 27, 1961
4	30.20 ft	April 22, 1912
5	29.71 ft	April 13, 1938
6	29.50 ft	December 15, 1919
7	29.10 ft	June 4, 1909
8	28.60 ft	June 8, 1928
9	28.37 ft	April 19, 1974
10	28.02 ft	March 16, 2016

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 72° 49° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 75° 47° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 77° 51° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 81° 51° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 83° 54° – Wind 3 mph

23 Fri 82° 53° – Wind 4 mph

24 Sat 78° 54° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:01 AM Sunset 06:20 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min First quarter 59%

Map

Other gauges on the Pascagoula River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pascagoula River at Graham FerryRiver gauge, Pascagoula River	2.61 ft	Normal	+0.22 ft	26 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Leaf River near McLainRiver gauge, Leaf River	2.65 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Chickasawhay River at LeakesvilleRiver gauge, Chickasawhay River	7.16 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	16 mi
Red Creek at VestryRiver gauge, Red Creek	4.40 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	17 mi
Cypress Creek near JaniceRiver gauge, Cypress Creek	5.58 ft	Low	±0	17 mi
Escatawpa River near WilmerRiver gauge, Escatawpa River	7.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	20 mi
Big Creek at County Road 63 near WilmerRiver gauge, Big Creek	1.52 ft	Low	±0	25 mi
Leaf River near New AugustaRiver gauge, Leaf River	2.34 ft	Normal	+0.05 ft	26 mi
Crooked Creek near FairviewRiver gauge, Crooked Creek	0.52 ft	Normal	±0	28 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Pascagoula River at Merrill compare with last year?

It is 0.16 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.21 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pascagoula River at Merrill?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 19.95 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pascagoula River at Merrill in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.82 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.93 ft and 9.63 ft, based on 34 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 Pascagoula River at Merrill today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:15 AM CDT, the water level was 2.05 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Pascagoula River at Merrill rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.32 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pascagoula River at Merrill normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 34 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:02479000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.97806, -88.72694 (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	2.05 ft	2026-10-19 13:15	Provisional
Flow	1,080 cfs	2026-10-19 13:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pascagoula River at Merrill (usgs:02479000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/mississippi/pascagoula-river-at-merrill

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