Hinkson Creek at Columbia water level

Name: Hinkson Creek at Columbia 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, Hinkson Creek, Missouri, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.10ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1.1 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Hinkson Creek at Columbia is at 4.10 ft, in the normal range.

It is 10.90 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.10 ft and 5.06 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: 23.45 ftJune 25, 2021

Floating and fishing near Hinkson Creek at Columbia

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 15.00 ft, 10.90 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

25.50 ft: Approximate height of the levee protecting the soccer practice field off the left bank downstream of the old Providence Road bridge.
23.40 ft: The bottom of the old Providence Road bridge begins flooding along the right bank.
22.50 ft: The bottom of the gage shelter begins to flood.
21.90 ft: Base of the fence at the power substation just off the right bank downstream of the old Providence Road bridge begins to flood.
21.60 ft: Water begins pooling onto Providence Road just north of the Hinkson Creek bridge near intersection with Old Route K.
21.40 ft: Reactor Field parking lot begins flooding.
20.90 ft: Height of Providence Road just north of the gage bridge.
17.70 ft: Height of the soccer practice field, protected by a levee to about 25.5 feet.
16.00 ft: Right bank 50 feet downstream of the old Providence Road bridge begins to flood.
9.90 ft: The right bank 200 ft. upstream of the gage beneath the Highway 163 bridge begins to flood.
4.10 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: 18 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	23.45 ft	June 25, 2021
2	22.40 ft	April 30, 2009
3	20.80 ft	June 8, 2026
4	20.67 ft	September 14, 2008
5	20.22 ft	May 31, 2013
6	19.96 ft	April 25, 2010
7	19.77 ft	June 7, 1990
8	19.62 ft	April 11, 1979
9	19.45 ft	August 6, 2026
10	19.44 ft	June 26, 2021

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 66° 42° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 70° 45° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 75° 52° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 77° 53° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 79° 55° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 80° 58° – Wind 11 mph

25 Sun 73° 60° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:27 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 60%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Moniteau Creek near FayetteRiver gauge, Moniteau Creek	4.67 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi
Petite Saline Creek at Hwy U near Boonville, M0River gauge, Petite Saline Creek	3.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.26 ft	20 mi
Missouri River at BoonvilleRiver gauge, Missouri River	10.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.33 ft	22 mi
Missouri River at Jefferson CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	9.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.52 ft	25 mi
Moreau River near Jefferson CityRiver gauge, Moreau River	1.78 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	29 mi
Auxvasse Creek near ReformRiver gauge, Auxvasse Creek	5.2 cfs	Low	−2.3 cfs	29 mi
Missouri River at GlasgowRiver gauge, Missouri River	14.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	34 mi
Osage River below St. ThomasRiver gauge, Osage River	2.56 ft	Below flood stage	+0.09 ft	36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Hinkson Creek at Columbia?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 10.90 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 Hinkson Creek at Columbia today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT, the water level was 4.10 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Hinkson Creek at Columbia rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Hinkson Creek at Columbia normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Hinkson Creek at Columbia?

The highest level on record is 23.45 ft on June 25, 2021.

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:06910230 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.92775, -92.33994 (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	4.10 ft	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional
Flow	1.1 cfs	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Hinkson Creek at Columbia (usgs:06910230). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/missouri/hinkson-creek-at-columbia

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