Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota water level

Name: Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota 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, Myakka River, Florida, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

6.63ft Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT (23 min ago)

Flow: 641 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 08:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 09:34 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota shows 6.63 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.54 ft, based on 88 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.09 ft above typical. It is 0.37 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.58 ft, a difference of +4.05 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.16 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.90 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.01 ft and 7.21 ft.

Compared with 88 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.54 ft1.09 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.85 ft – 6.70 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (88 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.58 ft+4.05 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.01 ft – 7.21 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.08 ft – 7.21 ft
Highest on record: 12.84 ftOctober 1, 2022
Forecast peak: 6.60 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM

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 7.00 ft, still 0.37 ft away.

What happens at each level

11.90 ft: Water is on State Road 72.
11.00 ft: Homes and bogs flood, water approaches State Road 72.
10.60 ft: The walkway to the river gage floods.
8.50 ft: Water across most of the park drive above the Myakka River Bridge. Myakka State Park is closed above the Myakka River.
8.00 ft: The main road at Myakka State Park floods.
7.60 ft: Park concession areas and adjacent parking lots flood.
7.30 ft: Picnic areas and adjacent parking lots flood.
7.00 ft: Park Nature Trail floods. Water approaching porch steps of cabins.
6.63 ft: Right now
6.50 ft: Water approaching Fisherman's Loop parking area.

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 12 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.84 ft	October 1, 2022
2	12.46 ft	June 24, 2003
3	11.73 ft	June 29, 1992
4	11.60 ft	September 23, 1962
5	11.58 ft	August 1, 1960
6	11.15 ft	September 10, 1988
7	11.03 ft	September 14, 1960
8	10.78 ft	September 21, 1947
9	10.57 ft	March 22, 1998
10	10.22 ft	August 9, 2024

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.13 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 82° 64° – Wind 16 mph

19 Mon 77° 64° – Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 80° 58° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 80° 63° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 81° 65° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 82° 66° 0.00 in Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 81° 67° 0.02 in Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:32 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 11 hr, 24 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Myakka River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Myakka River near Myakka CityRiver gauge, Myakka River	9.69 ft	Very high	−0.21 ft	13 mi
Myakka River at Myakka CityRiver gauge, Myakka River	7.75 ft	High	−0.48 ft	12 mi
Myakka River at Control near LaurelRiver gauge, Myakka River	9.10 ft	Very high	−0.21 ft	4.4 mi
Myakka River at North Port CharlotteRiver gauge, Myakka River	0.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.19 ft	13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Howard Creek near SarasotaRiver gauge, Howard Creek	12.13 ft	Very high	−0.42 ft	7 mi
Big Slough Canal near Myakka CityCanal gauge, Big Slough Canal	26.81 ft	Very high	−0.17 ft	11 mi
Big Slough at Tropicaire Blvd near North PortRiver gauge, Big Slough	18.29 ft	Very high	−0.31 ft	11 mi
Donna Bay at Highway 41 at NokomisEstuary gauge, Donna Bay	0.30 ft	Below flood stage	+0.36 ft	12 mi
Curry Creek at Highway 41 at NokomisRiver gauge, Curry Creek	0.39 ft	Below flood stage	+0.38 ft	12 mi
Big Slough at West Price Blvd near North PortRiver gauge, Big Slough	5.70 ft	Very high	+0.11 ft	13 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota higher than last year?

Yes, it is 4.05 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.58 ft.

What is flood stage for the Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 0.37 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.54 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.85 ft and 6.70 ft, based on 88 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 Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT, the water level was 6.63 ft. Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota rising or falling?

Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.51 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 88 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:02298830 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 27.23522, -82.31189 (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	6.63 ft	2026-10-20 14:00	Provisional
Flow	641 cfs	2026-10-20 14:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Myakka River near SR 72 near Sarasota (usgs:02298830). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/myakka-river-near-sr-72-near-sarasota

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