Blackwater River at Valley City water level

Name: Blackwater River at Valley City 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, Blackwater River, Missouri, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.48ft Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 11:00 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 9.8 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Blackwater River at Valley City, where the gauge shows 2.48 ft.

It is 19.52 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.48 ft – 2.87 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: 34.31 ftAugust 1, 2020

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 22.00 ft.

What happens at each level

31.00 ft: Extensive flooding of rural property and many roads occurs.
25.00 ft: County Highway E near Valley City and Highway 23 near the Perry State Wildlife Area are under water.
22.00 ft: Woodlands and farm fields along the river begin to flood.
2.48 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: 40 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	34.31 ft	August 1, 2020
2	33.83 ft	August 7, 2017
3	33.62 ft	April 3, 2014
4	33.16 ft	April 29, 2024
5	32.91 ft	April 30, 2017
6	32.42 ft	April 21, 2025
7	32.39 ft	June 1, 2013
8	32.15 ft	May 22, 2019
9	31.75 ft	September 14, 1961
10	31.50 ft	June 7, 2001

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 39° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 73° 43° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 75° 53° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 78° 55° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 80° 57° – Wind 12 mph

24 Sat 80° 58° – Wind 14 mph

25 Sun 75° 63° – Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Blackwater River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Blackwater River at Blue LickRiver gauge, Blackwater River	7.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Missouri River at WaverlyRiver gauge, Missouri River	14.00 ft	Below flood stage	+0.17 ft	25 mi
Big Creek near BlairstownRiver gauge, Big Creek	10.46 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	29 mi
Missouri River at NapoleonRiver gauge, Missouri River	9.84 ft	Below flood stage	+0.14 ft	30 mi
Wakenda Creek at CarrolltonRiver gauge, Wakenda Creek	2.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	34 mi
South Grand River at UrichRiver gauge, South Grand River	2.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	35 mi
Lamine River near OttervilleRiver gauge, Lamine River	0.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	37 mi
Crooked River near RichmondRiver gauge, Crooked River	5.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	37 mi
Little Blue River near Lake CityRiver gauge, Little Blue River	4.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	40 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Blackwater River at Valley City?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 19.52 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 Blackwater River at Valley City today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:00 AM CDT, the water level was 2.48 ft. Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Blackwater River at Valley City rising or falling?

Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Blackwater River at Valley City normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Blackwater River at Valley City?

The highest level on record is 34.31 ft on August 1, 2020.

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:06907700 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.87001, -93.62216 (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	2.48 ft	2026-10-19 16:00	Provisional
Flow	9.8 cfs	2026-10-19 16:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Blackwater River at Valley City (usgs:06907700). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/missouri/blackwater-river-at-valley-city

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