Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville water level

Name: Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Reservoir, Bayou Darbonne Lake, Louisiana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Surface elevation

78.82ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM CDT (19 min ago)

Water level: 38.62 ft

History

7 days

Surface elevation Minor flood stage

What this means

The lake level at Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville reads 78.82 ft, about where it usually sits at this time of year.

It is 4.18 ft below the flood stage of 83.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 78.80 ft – 78.97 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 90.78 ftApril 30, 1991

Boating and fishing at Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville

A lake in its usual range is what most ramps, docks and swimming areas are built for.

Conditions at the shore change with the level, so check with the agency that runs the lake before a trip.

What happens at each level

90.00 ft: Expect near record flooding with nearly all homes suffering from flooding in and around the lake. Travel by boat will be the only effective means of travel as all secondary roadways will be flooded and impassable.
86.00 ft: Expect severe flooding of a few unstilted cabins on the lake with nearly all roads around the lake suffering flooding in low areas.
84.00 ft: Expect significant flooding of several secondary roadways that will result in several residents being cutoff from major highways. Several homes in low areas will be in danger of flooding and homeowners should take steps to protect property. Nearly all camps will suffer from flooding.
83.00 ft: Expect flooding of secondary roadways with some camps suffering overflow. Boats should be moved from boathouses to prevent damage to boats and boathouses, otherwise boats may actually rise through the roofs of boathouses with the high water.
78.82 ft: Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 73° 43° – Wind 6 mph

19 Mon 77° 47° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 80° 50° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 84° 52° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 86° 55° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 87° 56° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 87° 56° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:18 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 11 hr, 14 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ouachita River at SterlingtonRiver gauge, Ouachita River	49.89 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	15 mi
Bayou D'Arbonne near DubachRiver gauge, Bayou D'Arbonne	5.90 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	18 mi
Chauvin Bayou near MonroeRiver gauge, Chauvin Bayou	31.12 ft	Normal	±0	19 mi
Middle Fk Bayou D'Arbonne near BerniceRiver gauge, Middle Fk Bayou D'Arbonne	0.59 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	19 mi
Ouachita River at West MonroeRiver gauge, Ouachita River	18.26 ft	Very low	+0.03 ft	20 mi
Bayou DeSiard at NE Drive at MonroeRiver gauge, Bayou DeSiard	6.99 ft	Very low	−0.13 ft	20 mi
Little Corney Bayou near LillieRiver gauge, Little Corney Bayou	0.0 cfs	Very low	±0	23 mi
Youngs Bayou near MonroeRiver gauge, Youngs Bayou	1.00 ft	Very low	±0	24 mi

Questions and answers

Is Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville really 78.82 ft deep?

No. 78.82 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM CDT, the surface elevation was 78.82 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville?

The highest level on record is 90.78 ft on April 30, 1991.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07366364 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.71329, -92.34076 (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
Surface elevation	78.82 ft	2026-10-20 22:45	Provisional
Water level	38.62 ft	2026-10-20 22:45	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/4868?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bayou Darbonne Lake at Dam near Downsville (usgs:07366364). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/louisiana/bayou-darbonne-lake-at-dam-near-downsville

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