Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood water level

Name: Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood 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, Louisiana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

7.47ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT (60 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood, where the gauge shows 7.47 ft.

It is 4.53 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 7.81 ft, a difference of −0.34 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 6.95 ft – 7.80 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

Same day last year: 7.81 ft−0.34 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.95 ft – 7.80 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 7.21 ft – 11.88 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Water is well over the road at the pontoon bridge. Low vehicles could become flooded out if trying to cross.
12.00 ft: Water begins to cover highway 91 near the pontoon bridge.
7.47 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:16 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Mermentau River At MermentauRiver gauge	1.87 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	8 mi
Bayou Queue De Tortue @ RicevilleRiver gauge	4.73 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Bayou Des Cannes west of IotaRiver gauge	11.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	10 mi
Bayou Mallet at Hwy 91 north of IotaRiver gauge, Bayou Mallet	1.74 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	14 mi
Bayou Des Cannes near EuniceRiver gauge, Bayou Des Cannes	0.06 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	20 mi
Bayou Nezpique near BasileRiver gauge, Bayou Nezpique	1.71 ft	Low	±0	22 mi
Vermilion River at Hwy 733 near LafayetteRiver gauge, Vermilion River	4.02 ft	High	−0.38 ft	23 mi
Vermilion River at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Vermilion River	4.85 ft	High	−0.23 ft	25 mi

Questions and answers

Is Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood higher than last year?

No, it is 0.34 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.81 ft.

What is flood stage for Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 4.53 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 Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT, the water level was 7.47 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.33 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood normal?

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

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:08011020 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.19808, -92.46347 (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	7.47 ft	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bayou Plaquemine Brule @ Esterwood (usgs:08011020). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/bayou-plaquemine-brule-esterwood

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