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Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales water level

River gauge, Bayou Francois, Louisiana, United States

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Right now

High for late October

Water level

1.85ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

0 3 5 8 Highest onrecord 8.24 ft

History

History
0.51.01.52.0ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 210.51.01.52.0ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
12ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 2112ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
-02ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026-02ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
-02ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-02ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales shows 1.85 ft, above normal for late October.

The median for late October is 1.27 ft, based on 28 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.59 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 0.93 ft, a difference of +0.92 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.12 ft and 2.38 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.27 ft0.59 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
0.44 ft – 1.97 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Same day last year
0.93 ft+0.92 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.12 ft – 2.38 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
−1.20 ft – 2.38 ft
Highest on record
8.24 ftAugust 16, 2016

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
18.24 ftAugust 16, 2016
26.14 ftAugust 13, 2016
35.72 ftSeptember 12, 1998
45.49 ftAugust 30, 2012
55.07 ftJanuary 9, 2013
64.62 ftDecember 8, 2009
74.39 ftApril 30, 2006
84.30 ftMarch 27, 2009
93.95 ftDecember 22, 2006
102.85 ftMay 15, 2008

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 77° 51° – Wind 8 mph
22 Thu 84° 54° – Wind 6 mph
23 Fri 84° 56° – Wind 8 mph
24 Sat 81° 58° – Wind 12 mph
25 Sun 79° 54° – Wind 11 mph
26 Mon 80° 55° – Wind 10 mph
27 Tue 80° 61° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:27 PM Daylight 11 hr, 17 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Black Bayou E of GonzalesRiver gauge 1.97 ft High −0.04 ft 1.9 mi
Black Bayou at Hwy 621 near PrairievilleRiver gauge, Black Bayou 2.07 ft Very high −0.06 ft 3.1 mi
Panama Canal at Hwy 44 near GonzalesRiver gauge, Panama Canal 1.88 ft Normal −0.02 ft 4.1 mi
Bayou Conway near SorrentoRiver gauge, Bayou Conway 1.91 ft Normal −0.01 ft 4.4 mi
Grand Goudine at Babin Rd Near DuplessisRiver gauge, Grand Goudine 1.89 ft Very low −0.05 ft 4.5 mi
Henderson Bayou near Port VincentRiver gauge, Henderson Bayou 1.91 ft High −0.10 ft 4.9 mi
Henderson Bayou Pump Station near Port VincentRiver gauge, Henderson Bayou Pump Station 1.33 ft Normal −0.11 ft 7 mi
Muddy Creek at Hwy 42 near Oak GroveRiver gauge, Muddy Creek 2.80 ft Low −0.04 ft 7 mi

Questions and answers

Is Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.92 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.93 ft.

What is a normal level for Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales in late October?

The median for late October is 1.27 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.44 ft and 1.97 ft, based on 28 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 Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:15 AM CDT, the water level was 1.85 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.28 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales normal?

High for late October. Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales?

The highest level on record is 8.24 ft on August 16, 2016.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:073802273 (Agency page)
Coordinates
30.22742, -90.89954 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.85 ft 2026-10-21 08:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bayou Francois at Hwy 61 Near Gonzales (usgs:073802273). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/bayou-francois-at-hwy-61-near-gonzales

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.