White River at Indianapolis water level

Name: White River at Indianapolis 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, White River, Indiana, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.98ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:45 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 594 cfs
Water temperature: 63 °F

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 rise to 3.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:51 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The White River at Indianapolis is at 2.98 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.04 ft below the median of 3.02 ft for mid-October, based on 19 years of readings. It is 13.02 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.62 ft (+0.36 ft).

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.56 ft and 3.63 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 63 °F.

Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.02 ft0.04 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.51 ft – 5.10 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (19 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.62 ft+0.36 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.56 ft – 3.63 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.56 ft – 18.96 ft
Highest on record: 20.51 ftAugust 16, 2026
Forecast peak: 3.10 ftSunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near White River at Indianapolis

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

Flood stage here is 16.00 ft, 13.02 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

40.00 ft: Approximate low steel of Raymond Street Bridge. This height is well above the record flood of the White River at this site.
30.00 ft: Record flood is in progress. Unprotected areas of Marion County wash away. Water is at critical levels on levee protecting IUPUI, downtown Indianapolis, Haughville area, and levees in southern Marion County. The levee on the east side of the White River immediately south of Southport Road will likely fail. Failure floods residential areas along Southport Road and eastward to SR 37.
25.00 ft: Major flood in progress. Flood waters approaching S West Street.
21.30 ft: Flood waters threaten levees particularly in southwest portions of Marion County.
20.50 ft: Flooding of residential areas near I-465 on the south side occurs, including Hoosier Acres and High Acre Manor.
19.00 ft: Flood waters possibly threaten Broad Ripple. Troy Avenue floods from backwater. Other areas that flood are Rocky Ripple and Ravenswood.
18.50 ft: Levee at Mann Road may overtop. Flooding affects area known as High Acre Manor on the southwest side.
17.50 ft: Hoosier Acres and High Acre Manor on the city's south and west side begins to flood.
16.00 ft: Extensive flooding occurs in unprotected areas of Marion County, particularly southwest portions. Water extremely high and swift between the levees from 10th Street to Harding Street. Normal river side locations flooded by six to ten feet of water.
14.00 ft: Lowland flooding begins in central and southern Marion County. Riverside Golf Course may begin to flood.
10.00 ft: Little, if any, flooding in the central part of the city. Numerous flap gates close. Flooding begins outside of protected areas.
2.98 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: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.51 ft	August 16, 2026
2	19.65 ft	September 1, 2003
3	18.87 ft	June 15, 1958
4	18.65 ft	January 5, 1950
5	18.60 ft	November 17, 1993
6	18.53 ft	January 6, 2005
7	18.43 ft	January 14, 2005
8	18.28 ft	April 17, 1939
9	17.97 ft	April 20, 2013
10	17.91 ft	April 9, 1938

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:59 AM Sunset 07:02 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the White River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
White River at NoblesvilleRiver gauge, White River	3.91 ft	Below flood stage	+0.07 ft	23 mi
White River at Conner Prairie near NoblesvilleRiver gauge, White River	3.48 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	18 mi
White River near NoraRiver gauge, White River	2.50 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
White River at RavenswoodRiver gauge, White River	2.80 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	11 mi
White River at Broad RippleRiver gauge, White River	3.10 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	9 mi
White River below Dam at Broad RippleRiver gauge, White River	1.58 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	10 mi
White River at Indianapolis Museum of ArtRiver gauge, White River	3.66 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	7 mi
White River at 16th Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, White River	6.56 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	3.9 mi
White River at Michigan Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, White River	7.15 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	2.8 mi
White River at Stout Gen. Stn. at IndianapolisRiver gauge, White River	1.80 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	2.3 mi
White River at Southport Road at IndianapolisRiver gauge, White River	4.89 ft	No reference yet	−0.07 ft	6 mi
White River near CentertonRiver gauge, White River	1.19 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	21 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Eagle Creek at Raymond St at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Eagle Creek	1.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	1.4 mi
Pogues Run at Vermont Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Pogues Run	1.49 ft	Below flood stage	−0.26 ft	2.9 mi
Fall Creek at 16th Street at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Fall Creek	6.84 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	3.6 mi
Lick Creek at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Lick Creek	1.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	4.1 mi
Little Eagle Creek at SpeedwayRiver gauge, Little Eagle Creek	−0.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	4.7 mi
Eagle Creek at IndianapolisRiver gauge, Eagle Creek	1.02 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	5.1 mi
Little Buck Creek at Tibbs Av near IndianapolisRiver gauge, Little Buck Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	5.3 mi

Questions and answers

How does the White River at Indianapolis compare with last year?

It is 0.36 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.62 ft.

What is flood stage for the White River at Indianapolis?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 13.02 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the White River at Indianapolis in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.02 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.51 ft and 5.10 ft, based on 19 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 White River at Indianapolis today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:45 AM EDT, the water level was 2.98 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is White River at Indianapolis rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.39 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of White River at Indianapolis normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 19 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:03353000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.73714, -86.16969 (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	2.98 ft	2026-10-18 08:45	Provisional
Flow	594 cfs	2026-10-18 08:45	Provisional
Water temperature	63 °F	2026-10-18 08:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: White River at Indianapolis (usgs:03353000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/indiana/white-river-at-indianapolis

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