Wabash River at Mount Carmel water level
River gauge, Wabash River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 9,640 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.10 ft by Monday, October 26 at 01:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:07 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Wabash River at Mount Carmel, where the gauge shows 4.12 ft.
The median for mid-October is 3.36 ft, based on 35 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.76 ft above typical. It is 14.88 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.10 ft by Monday, October 26 at 01:00 PM. The 30-day range is 4.12 ft – 4.37 ft.
Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.36 ft0.76 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.48 ft – 11.34 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
- Highest on record
- 34.02 ftMay 3, 2011
- Forecast peak
- 4.20 ftSunday, October 18 at 01:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 19.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 38.00 ft
- An unbelievable flood. Water 4 feet above May 2011 flood. Levee at Mt. Carmel overtopped. Great flood destruction in both Indiana and Illinois affecting major power plant, residential and business areas. Indiana State Road 64 and nearby railroad flooded. Possible flooding to I-64.
- 35.00 ft
- Flood waters threaten Gibson Generating Station located in Gibson County Indiana just across the river from Mt. Carmel. In June 2008...it was the third largest power plant in the nation according to the Indianapolis Star. Its generated power went to 79 Indiana counties including the Indianapolis Area. Wabash River is at a record level...about one foot above the January 2005 flood and the local levees in the East Mount Carmel...Indiana area. Levee Unit #5 overtopped. A serious flood is in progress.
- 34.00 ft
- Flood of near record height is in progress. Flood destruction could be great in much of western Gibson County Indiana and eastern Wabash County Illinois if agricultural levees fail.
- 33.00 ft
- The Wabash River is at the flood crest of the Great March 1913 flood. All unprotected flood plain areas are flooded to within one foot of January 2005 flood. This includes the northern outskirts of Mount Carmel, Illinois, western Gibson County Indiana and eastern Wabash County Illinois. Extensive flood damage in unprotected flood areas. A flood with the flow of March 1913 would reach an estimated 36 feet and cause failure of agricultural levees and widespread rural flood destruction.
- 32.00 ft
- Beginning of a major flood. Extensive flooding of western Gibson County Indiana, eastern Wabash County Illinois and the northern outskirts of Mount Carmel. Numerous local roads are impassable. Some evacuations are necessary. Some agricultural levees fail.
- 31.00 ft
- Much of Western Gibson County is underwater. Some evacuations are necessary. New Baltimore (Black Hawk River Camp) about 1 1/2 miles south of Griffin floods extensively. Extensive flooding on the northern outskirts of Mount Carmel, Illinois. Numerous local river roads are underwater, some by a few feet. A few agricultural levees fail. River is 3 miles wide at I-64.
- 30.50 ft
- Extensive flooding in East Mt. Carmel Indiana. The road through East Mount Carmel is impassable. Most structures in this area are elevated 2 to 3 feet above current flood waters. Vehicles must be parked on higher ground.
- 30.10 ft
- Old Illinois 1 north of Mt. Carmel begins to flood around this level. Water overtops the Wabash District #1 levee located in the New Harmony area.
- 30.00 ft
- Extensive flooding in progress on the northern outskirts of Mount Carmel and in western Gibson County Indiana with some evacuations needed. Flooding may cause some evacuations and relocation of motorized land vehicles. Numerous local river roads are flooded. Beall Woods State Park has 160-200 acres flooded. High water backs up into Bon Pas Creek. Browns, Illinois may be surrounded by water if heavy local rain occurs. River is 3 miles wide at I-64.
- 28.50 ft
- Extensive flooding in progress. Some residents along South Division Street in the Mt. Carmel area and in the Keensburg area must relocate. Several local roads are flooded, some by several feet of water. These include South Division Street, CR 1280 E, three township roads south of Illinois 1 near Keensburg in Illinois, and Wabash River Road and Wilson Road near Little Rock in Indiana.
- 28.00 ft
- Critical Stage of Rochester-Mcleary Bluff Levee. Cattle and farm equipment must be moved. Most roads along river or near river are now impassible. Agricultural losses 100 percent in areas that are not protected by levees. The Wabash River is more than 2 miles wide at I-64.
- 27.50 ft
- In the City of Mt. Carmel, all local roads flooded east of the levee except for South Division.
- 4.12 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: 41 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34.02 ft | May 3, 2011 |
| 2 | 33.95 ft | January 13, 2005 |
| 3 | 33.24 ft | June 14, 2008 |
| 4 | 33.00 ft | March 30, 1913 |
| 5 | 32.35 ft | May 17, 2002 |
| 6 | 31.75 ft | January 7, 1991 |
| 7 | 31.35 ft | April 13, 2025 |
| 8 | 30.68 ft | May 12, 1996 |
| 9 | 30.50 ft | May 10, 2017 |
| 10 | 30.45 ft | May 6, 1996 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Wabash River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wabash River at LafayetteRiver gauge, Wabash River | 3.15 ft | Below flood stage | −0.74 ft | 147 mi |
| Wabash River at IndependenceRiver gauge, Wabash River | 6.67 ft | No reference yet | −0.43 ft | 137 mi |
| Wabash River at CovingtonRiver gauge, Wabash River | 7.27 ft | Below flood stage | −0.13 ft | 122 mi |
| Wabash River at MontezumaRiver gauge, Wabash River | 5.65 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 98 mi |
| Wabash River at Terre HauteRiver gauge, Wabash River | 5.83 ft | Below flood stage | −0.12 ft | 76 mi |
| Wabash River at RivertonRiver gauge, Wabash River | 5.31 ft | Below flood stage | −0.28 ft | 44 mi |
| Wabash River at Memorial Bridge at VincennesRiver gauge, Wabash River | 4.83 ft | Below flood stage | −0.13 ft | 23 mi |
| Wabash River at New HarmonyRiver gauge, Wabash River | 2.51 ft | Below flood stage | −0.09 ft | 21 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patoka River near PrincetonRiver gauge, Patoka River | 3.17 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 11 mi |
| Bonpas Creek at BrownsRiver gauge, Bonpas Creek | 2.06 ft | Normal | −1.33 ft | 12 mi |
| White River at HazletonRiver gauge, White River | 2.25 ft | Below flood stage | +0.07 ft | 13 mi |
| Pigeon Creek near Fort BranchRiver gauge, Pigeon Creek | 2.0 cfs | Normal | +0.1 cfs | 17 mi |
| Big Creek near WadesvilleRiver gauge, Big Creek | 0.3 cfs | Low | −0.3 cfs | 22 mi |
| Embarras River at LawrencevilleRiver gauge, Embarras River | 16.73 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 23 mi |
| Little Wabash River near Golden GateRiver gauge, Little Wabash River | 5.02 ft | Normal | −0.42 ft | 26 mi |
| White River at PetersburgRiver gauge, White River | 2.88 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 26 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Wabash River at Mount Carmel?
The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 14.88 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Wabash River at Mount Carmel in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.36 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.48 ft and 11.34 ft, based on 35 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 Wabash River at Mount Carmel today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 10:45 AM CDT, the water level was 4.12 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Wabash River at Mount Carmel rising or falling?
Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Wabash River at Mount Carmel normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Wabash River at Mount Carmel?
The highest level on record is 34.02 ft on May 3, 2011.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:03377500(Agency page)- Coordinates
38.39833, -87.75639(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 | 4.12 ft | 2026-10-18 15:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 9,640 cfs | 2026-10-18 15:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Wabash River at Mount Carmel (usgs:03377500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/wabash-river-at-mount-carmel
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