South Branch Black River near Bangor water level

Name: South Branch Black River near Bangor 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, South Branch Black River, Michigan, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

4.01ft Down 0.37 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 103 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The gauge at South Branch Black River near Bangor shows 4.01 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The level is falling, down 0.37 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.01 ft and 5.81 ft.

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

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.27 ftDecember 28, 2008

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

What happens at each level

8.00 ft: River is bankfull.
4.01 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.27 ft	December 28, 2008
2	14.90 ft	February 21, 1997
3	14.15 ft	February 21, 2018
4	13.78 ft	September 15, 2008
5	13.63 ft	September 30, 1986
6	13.16 ft	April 19, 1975
7	12.92 ft	November 28, 1990
8	12.72 ft	April 18, 2013
9	12.55 ft	April 5, 2023
10	12.43 ft	October 4, 1986

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.57 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 56° 38° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 60° 39° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 68° 45° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 67° 46° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 67° 49° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 70° 56° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 69° 53° – Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:04 AM Sunset 06:56 PM Daylight 10 hr, 52 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Paw Paw River at RiversideRiver gauge, Paw Paw River	6.96 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	15 mi
South Branch Paw Paw River near Paw PawRiver gauge, South Branch Paw Paw River	74.4 cfs	Normal	−7.1 cfs	18 mi
Kalamazoo River at New RichmondRiver gauge, Kalamazoo River	10.54 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	21 mi
Osborn Drain at Dewey Lake St near GlenwoodRiver gauge, Osborn Drain	10.8 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	21 mi
Kalamazoo River near AlleganRiver gauge, Kalamazoo River	1,120 cfs	Normal	+30.0 cfs	22 mi
Dowagiac River at State Highway 51 near DowagiacRiver gauge, Dowagiac River	86.1 cfs	Normal	−2.5 cfs	23 mi
Dowagiac Creek at Dutch Settlement Road near Dowagiac,River gauge, Dowagiac Creek	35.1 cfs	Low	−0.7 cfs	27 mi
West Fork Portage Creek near OshtemoRiver gauge, West Fork Portage Creek	9.2 cfs	High	−0.5 cfs	29 mi

Questions and answers

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 South Branch Black River near Bangor today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 AM EDT, the water level was 4.01 ft. Down 0.37 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South Branch Black River near Bangor rising or falling?

Down 0.37 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Branch Black River near Bangor normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Branch Black River near Bangor?

The highest level on record is 15.27 ft on December 28, 2008.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:04102700 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.35420, -86.18753 (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	4.01 ft	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional
Flow	103 cfs	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Branch Black River near Bangor (usgs:04102700). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/michigan/south-branch-black-river-near-bangor

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