Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa water level

Name: Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa 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

95.67ft Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:30 PM CDT (30 min ago)

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 95.70 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 01:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 07:53 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa is at 95.67 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.02 ft above the median of 95.65 ft for mid-October, based on 41 years of readings. It is 33.33 ft below the flood stage of 129.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 95.75 ft (−0.08 ft).

It has risen 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 95.70 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 01:00 PM. There is still 33.33 ft of room before flood stage. In the last month it has stayed between 95.40 ft and 96.72 ft.

Compared with 41 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 95.65 ft0.02 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 13.17 ft – 98.95 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (41 years of records)
Same day last year: 95.75 ft−0.08 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 95.40 ft – 96.72 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 95.53 ft – 119.93 ft
Highest on record: 149.00 ftFebruary 22, 1961
Forecast peak: 95.70 ftTuesday, October 20 at 01:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa

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

Flood stage here is 129.00 ft, 33.33 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

153.00 ft: Water reaches the top of the levee at Northport. At higher stages flooding of Northport can be expected.
149.00 ft: Extensive business and industrial flooding occurs along the Jack Warner Parkway in Tuscaloosa.
147.00 ft: Flooding along Jack Warner Parkway worsens. The park at Manderson Landing floods at stages of 148 feet.
146.00 ft: Considerable flooding of industrial and commercial interests along Jack Warner Parkway occurs.
144.00 ft: Flooding of Rice Mine Road in Northport and northeast Tuscaloosa begins.
140.00 ft: Flooding of portions of Jack Warner Parkway can be expected. Some industrial property may also begin to flood along Jack Warner Parkway. Residential flooding will commence in areas southwest of Tuscaloosa at stages above 140 feet.
135.00 ft: Numerous camphouses and some permanent residences southwest of Tuscaloosa become cutoff.
132.00 ft: Flooding of rural roads southwest of Tuscaloosa occurs.
129.00 ft: Flooding of agricultural lands in areas southwest of Tuscaloosa occurs. Elevated property just off Flag Road and along View Lane near the Knoxville area will flood. Areas along River Beach Road near Moundville will flood. Areas along River Bend Road will flood.
125.00 ft: Flooding of some roads leading into homes in the Hemphill Bend area southwest of Tuscaloosa occurs.
122.00 ft: Cattle in low lands begin to be cut off and may need to be moved to higher ground.
95.67 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	149.00 ft	February 22, 1961
2	148.30 ft	March 29, 1951
3	148.00 ft	April 13, 1979
4	146.70 ft	January 6, 1949
5	145.80 ft	February 11, 1946
6	144.20 ft	March 20, 1970
7	143.10 ft	February 16, 1990
8	143.10 ft	December 4, 1983
9	142.87 ft	September 6, 2011
10	142.49 ft	April 4, 2000

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 78° 40° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 81° 47° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 80° 52° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 81° 56° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 78° 55° – Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 77° 54° – Wind 8 mph

26 Mon 80° 56° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:59 AM Sunset 06:12 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 at Bankhead L&d near BessemerRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	254.57 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	22 mi
Black Warrior River below Bankhead L&d near BessemerRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	186.50 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	22 mi
Black Warrior River at Holt L&d near HoltRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	186.48 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	9 mi
Black Warrior River below Holt L&d near HoltRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	123.08 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	9 mi
Black Warrior River at NorthportRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	123.15 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	0.2 mi
Black Warrior River at Selden L & D near EutawRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	95.84 ft	Normal	+0.08 ft	33 mi
Black Warrior River below Selden Dam near EutawRiver gauge, Black Warrior River	73.67 ft	Low	+0.03 ft	33 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cribbs Mill Creek at Ww Plant at TuscaloosaRiver gauge, Cribbs Mill Creek	6.9 cfs	Normal	±0	2.8 mi
Lake Tuscaloosa near Tuscaloosa, AlabamaLake, Lake Tuscaloosa	221.01 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Sipsey River near ElrodRiver gauge, Sipsey River	4.83 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	11 mi
Elliotts Creek at MoundvilleRiver gauge, Elliotts Creek	1.68 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	15 mi
North River near SamanthaRiver gauge, North River	1.66 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	19 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa compare with last year?

It is 0.08 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 95.75 ft.

What is flood stage for the Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa?

The official flood stage is 129.00 ft. The level is currently 33.33 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 95.65 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 13.17 ft and 98.95 ft, based on 41 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 Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:30 PM CDT, the water level was 95.67 ft. Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa rising or falling?

Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.27 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 41 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:02465005 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.20790, -87.59334 (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	95.67 ft	2026-10-20 22:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black Warrior River below Oliver L&d near Tuscaloosa (usgs:02465005). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/black-warrior-river-below-oliver-l-and-d-near-tuscaloosa

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