Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville water level

Name: Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville 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, Sugar Creek, Indiana, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

3.01ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 05:45 PM CDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 43.9 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

High water at Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville: the latest reading is 3.01 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.26 ft, based on 19 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.75 ft above typical. It is 11.99 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.91 ft, a difference of +0.10 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.97 ft – 3.61 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.26 ft1.75 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.14 ft – 2.92 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (19 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.91 ft+0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.97 ft – 3.61 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.76 ft – 9.95 ft

Staying safe in high water

Flood stage is only the first threshold. Above it the National Weather Service sets moderate and major flood stages, and the forecast crest tells you which of those the river is expected to reach.

Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.

What happens at each level

24.50 ft: Record flooding. Businesses and homes flooded. Numerous roads underwater.
23.00 ft: Near record flooding is in progress.
21.00 ft: Major flooding is in progress. Evacuations necessary along SR 234 just east of Shades State Park. Buildings at Crawfordsville Power Plant flood. Business and residence just north of Sugar Creek along U.S. 231 flood.
20.00 ft: Mobile homes extensively flood in a camping area about 1/2 mile upstream of US Hwy 136 in the Crawfordsville area.
19.00 ft: Residences and SR 234 in northeast Parke County begin to flood. Extensive flooding north of Sugar Creek near U.S. 231 is in progress. Flooding begins on Crawfordsville Power Plant grounds. Extensive agricultural flooding is in progress. Extensive flooding of low areas of Shades and Turkey Run State Parks.
18.50 ft: A mobile home park at Darlington may flood extensively and a few evacuations may be necessary.
17.00 ft: Flooding is in progress along Sugar Creek. Montgomery CR 175 E, Rock River Ridge Road and other roads are impassable. Flooding begins north of Sugar Creek along U.S. 231.
15.00 ft: Montgomery County Road 175 E, Rock River Ridge Road and other county roads begin to flood. Higher campgrounds begin to flood. Agricultural flooding is in progress.
13.00 ft: Bankfull level is reached. Agricultural flooding begins. Low campgrounds flood. Trails in Shades and Turkey Run State Parks near Sugar Creek begin to flood.
6.00 ft: Level considered unsafe for canoeing on Sugar Creek.
5.00 ft: Level that restrictions begin on canoeing on Sugar Creek.
3.01 ft: Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:03 AM Sunset 06:04 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on Sugar Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sugar Creek near ThorntownRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	21.8 cfs	Normal	−3.2 cfs	13 mi
Sugar Creek at West Terre HauteRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	1.46 ft	No reference yet	−0.04 ft	50 mi
Sugar Creek at New PalestineRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	2.90 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	59 mi
Sugar Creek near BoggstownRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	84.0 cfs	Normal	−20.0 cfs	61 mi
Sugar Creek near EdinburghRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	4.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	68 mi
Sugar Creek at MilfordRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	2.82 ft	Low	±0	59 mi
Sugar Creek at Covered Bridge Road near ChathamRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	17.45 ft	No reference yet	−0.01 ft	149 mi
Sugar Creek near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	9.79 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	144 mi
Sugar Creek near BloomingtonRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	1.10 ft	Normal	±0	116 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Raccoon Creek near FincastleRiver gauge, Big Raccoon Creek	1.82 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	17 mi
Big Walnut Creek near RoachdaleRiver gauge, Big Walnut Creek	4.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	18 mi
Prairie Creek near LebanonRiver gauge, Prairie Creek	4.94 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	21 mi
Plum Creek near BainbridgeRiver gauge, Plum Creek	1.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	22 mi
Cecil M. Harden Lake at FerndaleLake, Cecil M. Harden Lake	661.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	25 mi
Wabash River at LafayetteRiver gauge, Wabash River	2.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	26 mi
South Fork Wildcat Creek near LafayetteRiver gauge, South Fork Wildcat Creek	2.63 ft	Below flood stage	±0	26 mi
Wabash River at CovingtonRiver gauge, Wabash River	6.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.63 ft	27 mi

Questions and answers

Is Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.10 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.91 ft.

What is flood stage for Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 11.99 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.26 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.14 ft and 2.92 ft, based on 19 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 Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.01 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 19 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:03339500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.05031, -86.90725 (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	3.01 ft	2026-10-19 22:45	Provisional
Flow	43.9 cfs	2026-10-19 22:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville (usgs:03339500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/indiana/sugar-creek-at-crawfordsville

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