Big Sunflower River near Merigold water level

Name: Big Sunflower River near Merigold 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, Big Sunflower River, Mississippi, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

3.43ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 AM CDT (23 min ago)

Flow: 19.2 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Big Sunflower River near Merigold is running far below normal at 3.43 ft.

The median for mid-October is 4.35 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.91 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 4.13 ft, a difference of −0.70 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 3.40 ft and 4.63 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.35 ft0.91 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.95 ft – 18.04 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.13 ft−0.70 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.40 ft – 4.63 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.42 ft – 20.62 ft
Highest on record: 37.47 ftMarch 14, 2016

Floating and fishing near Big Sunflower River near Merigold

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	37.47 ft	March 14, 2016
2	36.24 ft	February 25, 2019
3	34.73 ft	December 1, 2001
4	32.40 ft	December 25, 2002
5	31.76 ft	May 12, 2009
6	31.56 ft	January 24, 2006
7	30.75 ft	January 31, 1999
8	30.39 ft	January 29, 1994
9	30.21 ft	January 15, 2013
10	29.64 ft	October 15, 2009

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 78° 45° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 83° 51° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 83° 57° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 84° 58° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 83° 57° – Wind 11 mph

25 Sun 78° 55° – Wind 8 mph

26 Mon 78° 57° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:12 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 11 hr, 12 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Sunflower River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Sunflower River at ClarksdaleRiver gauge, Big Sunflower River	0.3 cfs	Very low	+0.1 cfs	26 mi
Big Sunflower River at SunflowerRiver gauge, Big Sunflower River	−1.22 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	21 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hushpuckena River at HushpuckenaRiver gauge, Hushpuckena River	8.74 ft	No reference yet	±0	13 mi
Harris Bayou at Palmer Road East of AlligatorRiver gauge, Harris Bayou	8.11 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	17 mi
Porter Bayou at StephensvilleRiver gauge, Porter Bayou	12.41 ft	Normal	±0	20 mi
Richies Bayou at SherardRiver gauge, Richies Bayou	3.66 ft	Very low	±0	26 mi
Tallahatchie River at MoneyRiver gauge, Tallahatchie River	15.02 ft	Low	−0.64 ft	29 mi
Overcup Slough Tributary North 2 near FarrellRiver gauge, Overcup Slough Tributary North 2	2.65 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	30 mi
Bogue Phalia near LelandRiver gauge, Bogue Phalia	5.31 ft	Very low	±0	32 mi
Arkansas River at PendletonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	26.40 ft	Below flood stage	+0.38 ft	42 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Big Sunflower River near Merigold higher than last year?

No, it is 0.70 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.13 ft.

What is a normal level for the Big Sunflower River near Merigold in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.35 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.95 ft and 18.04 ft, based on 32 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 Big Sunflower River near Merigold today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 AM CDT, the water level was 3.43 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Sunflower River near Merigold rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Sunflower River near Merigold normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Sunflower River near Merigold?

The highest level on record is 37.47 ft on March 14, 2016.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07288280 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.83250, -90.67000 (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	3.43 ft	2026-10-20 12:45	Provisional
Flow	19.2 cfs	2026-10-20 12:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Sunflower River near Merigold (usgs:07288280). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/mississippi/big-sunflower-river-near-merigold

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