Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer water level

Name: Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer 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, Black Warrior River, Alabama, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

254.57ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT (36 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer reads 254.57 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 254.49 ft, based on 24 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.08 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 254.71 ft, a difference of −0.14 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 254.30 ft and 254.89 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 254.49 ft0.08 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 254.05 ft – 254.84 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (24 years of records)
Same day last year: 254.71 ft−0.14 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 254.30 ft – 254.89 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 254.15 ft – 254.91 ft

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 72° 42° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 76° 45° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 76° 50° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 77° 52° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 78° 52° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 76° 51° – Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 73° 50° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:59 AM Sunset 06:11 PM Daylight 11 hr, 13 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the Black Warrior River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black Warrior River below Bankhead L&d near BessemerRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	186.48 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	0.1 mi
Black Warrior River at Holt L&d near HoltRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	186.45 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	15 mi
Black Warrior River below Holt L&d near HoltRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	123.09 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	15 mi
Black Warrior River at NorthportRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	123.16 ft	Normal	+0.05 ft	22 mi
Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near TuscaloosaRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	95.69 ft	Normal	+0.08 ft	22 mi
Black Warrior River at Selden L & D near EutawRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	95.83 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	55 mi
Black Warrior River below Selden Dam near EutawRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	73.63 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	55 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Valley Creek near Oak GroveRiver gauge, Valley Creek	3.10 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	13 mi
North River near SamanthaRiver gauge, North River	1.66 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	14 mi
Lake Tuscaloosa near Tuscaloosa, AlabamaLake, Lake Tuscaloosa	221.01 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	16 mi
Lost Creek near OakmanRiver gauge, Lost Creek	9.8 cfs	Normal	−13.0 cfs	21 mi
Valley Creek near BessemerRiver gauge, Valley Creek	5.53 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer higher than last year?

No, it is 0.14 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 254.71 ft.

What is a normal level for the Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 254.49 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 254.05 ft and 254.84 ft, based on 24 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 Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT, the water level was 254.57 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.30 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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:02462500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.45845, -87.35417 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	254.57 ft	2026-10-20 21:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near Bessemer (usgs:02462500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/black-warrior-river-at-bankhead-l-and-d-near-bessemer

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