Mississippi River at Baton Rouge water level

Name: Mississippi River at Baton Rouge 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, Mississippi River, Louisiana, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

11.35ft Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:15 AM CDT (21 min ago)

Flow: 316,000 cfs
Water temperature: 71 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Mississippi River at Baton Rouge is at 11.35 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 9.07 ft, based on 21 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.28 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 6.65 ft, a difference of +4.70 ft.

It has dropped 0.36 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.61 ft and 13.20 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 71 °F.

Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 9.07 ft2.28 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.94 ft – 25.74 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.65 ft+4.70 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.61 ft – 13.20 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.91 ft – 27.23 ft
Highest on record: 45.48 ftMay 18, 2011

Floating and fishing near Mississippi River at Baton Rouge

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	45.48 ft	May 18, 2011
2	43.58 ft	January 18, 2016
3	43.55 ft	April 25, 2008
4	41.00 ft	June 1, 2009
5	39.20 ft	January 20, 2019
6	38.98 ft	July 27, 2015
7	38.74 ft	March 21, 2016
8	38.68 ft	February 2, 2005
9	35.97 ft	May 25, 2013
10	35.77 ft	February 15, 2010

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 79° 55° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 82° 53° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 85° 61° – Wind 3 mph

23 Fri 85° 63° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 82° 62° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 82° 61° – Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 83° 61° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the Mississippi River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Mississippi River at VicksburgRiver gauge, Mississippi River	444,000 cfs	Normal	−4,000.0 cfs	130 mi
Mississippi River at Belle ChasseRiver gauge, Mississippi River	9.31 ft	Normal	−0.31 ft	83 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ward Creek at Government St at Baton RougeRiver gauge, Ward Creek	31.66 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	2.9 mi
Ward Creek at Essen Lane near Baton RougeRiver gauge, Ward Creek	7.86 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	6.0 mi
North Branch Ward Creek at Baton RougeRiver gauge, North Branch Ward Creek	13.88 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	6 mi
Bayou Fountain at Bluebonnet Blvd near B.R.River gauge, Bayou Fountain	4.51 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Comite River near ComiteRiver gauge, Comite River	0.25 ft	Normal	±0	8 mi
Choctaw Bayou at I-10 east of Grosse TeteRiver gauge, Choctaw Bayou	12.37 ft	Normal	−0.24 ft	9 mi
Comite River at Comite Dr near Baton RougeRiver gauge, Comite River	1.36 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	10 mi
Comite R. at Greenwell Spg Rd near Baton RougeRiver gauge, Comite R.	17.86 ft	Normal	±0	10 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge higher than last year?

Yes, it is 4.70 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.65 ft.

What is a normal level for the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 9.07 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.94 ft and 25.74 ft, based on 21 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 Mississippi River at Baton Rouge today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:15 AM CDT, the water level was 11.35 ft. Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Mississippi River at Baton Rouge rising or falling?

Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 1.22 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Mississippi River at Baton Rouge normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Mississippi River at Baton Rouge?

The highest level on record is 45.48 ft on May 18, 2011.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07374000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.44567, -91.19156 (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	11.35 ft	2026-10-20 12:15	Provisional
Flow	316,000 cfs	2026-10-20 12:15	Provisional
Water temperature	71 °F	2026-10-20 12:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Mississippi River at Baton Rouge (usgs:07374000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/mississippi-river-at-baton-rouge

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