Pearl River near Bogalusa water level

Name: Pearl River near Bogalusa 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, Pearl River, Louisiana, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

5.96ft Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,530 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.90 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 01:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 09:02 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Pearl River near Bogalusa is running far below normal at 5.96 ft.

That puts it 2.01 ft below the median of 7.97 ft for mid-October, based on 54 years of readings. It is 12.04 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 6.26 ft (−0.30 ft).

It has risen 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.90 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 01:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 5.91 ft and 6.50 ft.

Compared with 54 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7.97 ft2.01 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 6.49 ft – 12.55 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (54 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.26 ft−0.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.91 ft – 6.50 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.96 ft – 20.42 ft
Highest on record: 23.23 ftApril 24, 1979
Forecast peak: 6.00 ftTuesday, October 20 at 01:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Pearl River near Bogalusa

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 18.00 ft, 12.04 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

23.23 ft: Flood of Record occurred on April 24, 1979. Sections of LA Highways 10 and 21 will be inundated. Water will back up along Coburn Creek and Bogalusa Creek.
23.00 ft: Flood of Record occurred on April 24, 1979. Property east of Louisiana Highway 21 along Bogalusa Creek will flood. Bogalusa Creek will back up threatening the Sewage Treatment Plant. Homes south of Bogalusa Creek and east of Highway 21 will flood. The city water treatment plant and property near City Hall will be threatened by flooding.
22.00 ft: Woodlands and crop acreage along the river will be flooded. The Bogue Chitto Wildlife Management area will be inundated with water in recreational camps and over access roads. At 21 feet, property east of Highway 21 along Bogalusa Creek will begin to flood. Bogalusa Creek will back up threatening the Sewage Treatment Plant. Homes south of Bogalusa Creek and east of Highway 21 will flood.
21.00 ft: Woodlands and crop acreage along the river will be flooded. The Bogue Chitto Wildlife Management area will be inundated with water in recreational camps and over access roads. At 21 feet, property east of Louisiana Highway 21 along Bogalusa Creek will begin to flood.
20.00 ft: Woodlands and crop acreage along the river will be flooded. The Bogue Chitto Wildlife Management area will be inundated with water in recreational camps and over access roads.
18.50 ft: Woodlands and crop acreage along the river will be flooded. The Bogue Chitto Wildlife Management area will be inundated with water in recreational camps and over access roads.
17.00 ft: Woodlands and crop acreage along the river will be flooded.
16.00 ft: Woodlands along the river and wildlife management property will be flooded.
5.96 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: 28 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	23.23 ft	April 24, 1979
2	22.78 ft	April 8, 1983
3	22.75 ft	March 13, 2016
4	22.60 ft	February 25, 2020
5	22.42 ft	March 31, 1980
6	22.17 ft	May 11, 1991
7	22.13 ft	April 17, 1974
8	21.99 ft	March 30, 2009
9	21.77 ft	January 29, 1990
10	21.77 ft	February 27, 2003

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:06 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 11 hr, 18 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Pearl River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pearl River near LenaRiver gauge, Pearl River	4.29 ft	Low	+0.04 ft	130 mi
Pearl River at Ratliff`s Ferry near RatliffRiver gauge, Pearl River	296.36 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	124 mi
Pearl River at Ross Barnett ReservoirRiver gauge, Pearl River	250.61 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	112 mi
Pearl River at Highway 25 at JacksonRiver gauge, Pearl River	16.30 ft	Normal	±0	108 mi
Pearl River at JacksonRiver gauge, Pearl River	3.11 ft	Very low	±0	105 mi
Pearl River near HopewellRiver gauge, Pearl River	5.75 ft	No reference yet	−0.03 ft	83 mi
Pearl River at RockportRiver gauge, Pearl River	4.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	71 mi
Pearl River near MonticelloRiver gauge, Pearl River	4.12 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	55 mi
Pearl River near ColumbiaRiver gauge, Pearl River	0.46 ft	Low	+0.05 ft	31 mi
Pearl River at Pools Bluff near BogalusaRiver gauge, Pearl River	56.14 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	6 mi
Pearl River at Pearl RiverRiver gauge, Pearl River	4.93 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	29 mi
Pearl River at I-10 near SlidellRiver gauge, Pearl River	2.78 ft	Very low	−0.11 ft	35 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pearl River Navigation Canal Lock and Dam No. 3River gauge	10.52 ft	Very low	±0	11 mi
West Hobolochitto Creek near McNeillRiver gauge, West Hobolochitto Creek	5.52 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Bogue Chitto River near BushRiver gauge, Bogue Chitto River	2.67 ft	Low	±0	12 mi
Pearl River Navigation Canal Lock and Dam No. 2River gauge	10.54 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	14 mi
East Hobolochitto Creek near CaesarRiver gauge, East Hobolochitto Creek	3.82 ft	Normal	±0	20 mi
Bogue Chitto River at FranklintonRiver gauge, Bogue Chitto River	0.33 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Pearl River Navigation Canal Lock and Dam No. 1River gauge	39.31 ft	Highest on record	+0.01 ft	23 mi
East Pearl River at I-59 near NicholsonRiver gauge, East Pearl River	9.42 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Pearl River near Bogalusa compare with last year?

It is 0.30 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.26 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pearl River near Bogalusa?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 12.04 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pearl River near Bogalusa in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7.97 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.49 ft and 12.55 ft, based on 54 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 Pearl River near Bogalusa today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM CDT, the water level was 5.96 ft. Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Pearl River near Bogalusa rising or falling?

Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pearl River near Bogalusa normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 54 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02489500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.79326, -89.82091 (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	5.96 ft	2026-10-20 16:15	Provisional
Flow	1,530 cfs	2026-10-20 16:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pearl River near Bogalusa (usgs:02489500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/pearl-river-near-bogalusa

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