Black Earth Creek at Black Earth water level

Name: Black Earth Creek at Black Earth 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, Black Earth Creek, Wisconsin, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.14ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:00 AM CDT (32 min ago)

Flow: 39.6 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Black Earth Creek at Black Earth is at 2.14 ft, in the normal range.

It is 3.36 ft below the flood stage of 5.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.14 ft and 2.24 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: 9.81 ftAugust 21, 2018

Floating and fishing near Black Earth Creek at Black Earth

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

Flood stage here is 5.50 ft, 3.36 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

9.00 ft: Water over roads and into basements throughout north end of village.
8.00 ft: Water up to base of Olsen Rd bridge, downstream of village. Water up to base of Park St bridge. Community Park is flooded. Park St is flooded near the park.
7.00 ft: Community Park is flooded. Park St near Community Park partially covered by water, water up to base of Railroad bridge east of Community Park. Water 1 foot from base of Park St Brdige. Water over Olsen Rd near Hwy DP, downstream of village. Water about 1 foot below Olsen Rd bridge deck. Water up to base of South Valley Rd bridge, upstream of village.
5.50 ft: Flooding effects are confined mainly to lowland and agricultural land.
5.00 ft: There is minor lowland flooding.
4.50 ft: There is minor lowland flooding.
2.14 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	9.81 ft	August 21, 2018
2	7.08 ft	August 2, 2001
3	6.75 ft	March 14, 2019
4	6.58 ft	July 3, 1954
5	6.34 ft	October 2, 2019
6	6.21 ft	February 21, 2018
7	6.13 ft	July 6, 1993
8	6.02 ft	June 8, 2008
9	5.97 ft	July 20, 2017
10	5.96 ft	June 11, 1957

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 1.22 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 56° 31° – Wind 13 mph

18 Sun 62° 39° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 64° 41° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 66° 44° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 67° 45° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 63° 54° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 70° 51° – Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:19 AM Sunset 06:10 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on Black Earth Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black Earth Creek near Brewery Road at Cross PlainsRiver gauge, Black Earth Creek	8.6 cfs	Low	+0.8 cfs	4.9 mi
Black Earth Creek near Treatment Plnt @ Cross PlainsRiver gauge, Black Earth Creek	11.6 cfs	Very low	+0.2 cfs	3.7 mi
Black Earth Creek near Park St Bridge @ Black EarthRiver gauge, Black Earth Creek	1.57 ft	No reference yet	−0.02 ft	0.5 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Brewery Creek-Upstream Site-At Cross PlainsRiver gauge	2.2 cfs	Normal	±0	4.9 mi
Pheasant Branch at Airport Road near MiddletonRiver gauge, Pheasant Branch	1.3 cfs	Normal	−1.1 cfs	10 mi
South Fork Pheasant Branch @ Deming Way @ MiddletonRiver gauge	0.4 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	11 mi
Pheasant Branch at MiddletonRiver gauge, Pheasant Branch	2.5 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	11 mi
Dorn (Spring) Creek @ Ct Highway Q near WaunakeeRiver gauge, Dorn (Spring) Creek @ Ct Highway Q	3.0 cfs	Low	−0.4 cfs	13 mi
Sixmile Creek at State Highway 19 near WaunakeeRiver gauge, Sixmile Creek	7.0 cfs	Low	−0.8 cfs	14 mi
Spring Harbor Storm Sewer at MadisonRiver gauge, Spring Harbor Storm Sewer	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	14 mi
Badger Mill Creek at VeronaRiver gauge, Badger Mill Creek	9.1 cfs	Normal	−0.2 cfs	15 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Black Earth Creek at Black Earth?

The official flood stage is 5.50 ft. The level is currently 3.36 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 Black Earth Creek at Black Earth today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:00 AM CDT, the water level was 2.14 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Black Earth Creek at Black Earth rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Black Earth Creek at Black Earth normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Black Earth Creek at Black Earth?

The highest level on record is 9.81 ft on August 21, 2018.

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:05406500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.13417, -89.73222 (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	2.14 ft	2026-10-20 09:00	Provisional
Flow	39.6 cfs	2026-10-20 09:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black Earth Creek at Black Earth (usgs:05406500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/black-earth-creek-at-black-earth

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