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

Name: Black Warrior River below 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

High for mid-October

Water level

186.57ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:30 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Black Warrior River below Bankhead L&d near Bessemer shows 186.57 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 186.39 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.18 ft above typical. It is 2.43 ft below the flood stage of 189.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 186.39 ft, a difference of +0.18 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 186.13 ft and 186.86 ft.

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

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 186.39 ft0.18 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 186.07 ft – 186.71 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year: 186.39 ft+0.18 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 186.13 ft – 186.86 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 186.13 ft – 186.98 ft
Highest on record: 194.90 ftApril 5, 1977

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.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 189.00 ft, still 2.43 ft away.

What happens at each level

189.00 ft: Flooding of farm land and low-lying wood lands in the area occurs.
186.57 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	194.90 ft	April 5, 1977
2	194.00 ft	March 30, 1951
3	194.00 ft	July 19, 1916
4	193.60 ft	February 23, 1961
5	193.50 ft	December 3, 1983
6	193.30 ft	January 6, 1949
7	193.10 ft	April 13, 1979
8	192.80 ft	November 15, 1929
9	192.50 ft	February 10, 1946
10	192.40 ft	November 29, 1948

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 71° 41° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 76° 44° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 75° 49° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 76° 51° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 77° 51° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 75° 51° – Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 73° 49° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:59 AM Sunset 06:10 PM Daylight 11 hr, 11 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on the Black Warrior River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black Warrior River at Bankhead L&d near BessemerRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	254.56 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	0.1 mi
Black Warrior River at Holt L&d near HoltRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	186.46 ft	Normal	+0.18 ft	15 mi
Black Warrior River below Holt L&d near HoltRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	123.07 ft	Very low	−1.53 ft	15 mi
Black Warrior River at NorthportRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	123.16 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	22 mi
Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near TuscaloosaRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	95.68 ft	Normal	+0.08 ft	22 mi
Black Warrior River at Selden L & D near EutawRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	95.85 ft	Normal	+0.11 ft	55 mi
Black Warrior River below Selden Dam near EutawRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	73.57 ft	Low	−0.12 ft	55 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Valley Creek near Oak GroveRiver gauge, Valley Creek	3.09 ft	Low	−0.02 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	221.00 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	16 mi
Lost Creek near OakmanRiver gauge, Lost Creek	9.5 cfs	Normal	−14.0 cfs	21 mi
Valley Creek near BessemerRiver gauge, Valley Creek	5.54 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

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

Yes, it is 0.18 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 186.39 ft.

What is flood stage for the Black Warrior River below Bankhead L&d near Bessemer?

The official flood stage is 189.00 ft. The level is currently 2.43 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 186.39 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 186.07 ft and 186.71 ft, based on 26 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 below Bankhead L&d near Bessemer today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:30 PM CDT, the water level was 186.57 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

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

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.

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

High for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:02462501 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.45706, -87.35500 (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	186.57 ft	2026-10-21 00:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black Warrior River below Bankhead L&d near Bessemer (usgs:02462501). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/black-warrior-river-below-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