Bad River near Odanah water level
River gauge, Bad River, Wisconsin, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 116 cfs
- Water temperature
- 47 °F
History
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Bad River near Odanah, where the gauge shows 2.38 ft.
It is 13.62 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.36 ft – 2.49 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 47 °F.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 27.28 ftJuly 12, 2016
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 26.50 ft
- Elm Hoist Road bridge under water.
- 18.00 ft
- Water approaches the level of Highway 2 near Odanah
- 15.00 ft
- Several Roads including Miller Road, Government Road and State Road may be flooded at this stage. Flooding of these areas is also dependent on the volume of water flowing from the White River which comes in below this gauge.
- 13.50 ft
- At this level there is no threat to property. It is common at this level for water to flood the main boat landing in Old Odanah and adjacent to the Powwow grounds in the Maple sugar bush.
- 13.00 ft
- Flooding occurred in Old Odanah in 1996 and 1997 when the gage read between 13 and 15 feet. However, there was water released from the dam at Ashland on the White River. The river runs into the Bad River just south/upstream of Odanah.
- 10.10 ft
- Bankfull stage. At this level, water will be at the top of its banks and any futher rises will result in water moving into the flood plain.
- 2.38 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: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27.28 ft | July 12, 2016 |
| 2 | 22.20 ft | June 24, 1946 |
| 3 | 21.70 ft | April 24, 1960 |
| 4 | 18.41 ft | July 3, 1992 |
| 5 | 17.30 ft | July 4, 1949 |
| 6 | 16.05 ft | May 1, 1954 |
| 7 | 15.50 ft | July 1, 1953 |
| 8 | 15.28 ft | April 13, 2023 |
| 9 | 15.26 ft | June 18, 2018 |
| 10 | 15.25 ft | April 23, 2019 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 1.01 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Bad River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bad River at OdanahRiver gauge, Bad River | 1.96 ft | Low | +0.09 ft | 9 mi |
| Bad River at The Mouth near OdanahRiver gauge, Bad River | 10.23 ft | No reference yet | +0.24 ft | 11 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marengo River near MellenRiver gauge, Marengo River | 51.7 cfs | Low | −4.2 cfs | 5.2 mi |
| Marengo River at Riemer Road near MarengoRiver gauge, Marengo River | 5.83 ft | No reference yet | −0.02 ft | 8 mi |
| Tyler Forks River at Stricker Road near MellenRiver gauge, Tyler Forks River | 3.51 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 8 mi |
| White River near AshlandRiver gauge, White River | 167 cfs | Low | −20.0 cfs | 10 mi |
| Whittlesey Creek near AshlandRiver gauge, Whittlesey Creek | 15.0 cfs | Very low | −3.1 cfs | 15 mi |
| Black River near BessemerRiver gauge, Black River | 2.02 ft | Below flood stage | −0.04 ft | 30 mi |
| Siskiwit River at CornucopiaRiver gauge, Siskiwit River | 7.6 cfs | Normal | −0.2 cfs | 32 mi |
| Namekagon River at LeonardsRiver gauge, Namekagon River | 42.9 cfs | Very low | −2.3 cfs | 37 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Bad River near Odanah?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 13.62 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 Bad River near Odanah today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT, the water level was 2.38 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Bad River near Odanah rising or falling?
Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Bad River near Odanah normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bad River near Odanah?
The highest level on record is 27.28 ft on July 12, 2016.
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:04027000(Agency page)- Coordinates
46.48661, -90.69630(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 | 2.38 ft | 2026-10-19 17:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 116 cfs | 2026-10-19 17:45 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 47 °F | 2026-10-19 17:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Bad River near Odanah (usgs:04027000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/bad-river-near-odanah
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