Black River at Poplar Bluff water level

Name: Black River at Poplar Bluff 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 River, Missouri, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

-0.31ft Down 0.29 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 07:15 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 331 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to −0.20 ft by Saturday, October 17 at 07:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 08:47 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Black River at Poplar Bluff, where the gauge shows −0.31 ft.

It is 16.31 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.29 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to −0.20 ft by Saturday, October 17 at 07:00 PM. The 30-day range is −0.31 ft – 0.33 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 22.15 ftMarch 20, 2008
Forecast peak: −0.20 ftSaturday, October 17 at 07:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: U.S. Highway 60 begins to flood heading toward Baskey.
17.00 ft: Farmland south of Poplar Bluff floods.
16.00 ft: Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas. If the water continues to rise, Hillcrest Park will be affected.
13.00 ft: The Black River enters the Palmer Slough flood plain.
−0.31 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	22.15 ft	March 20, 2008
2	21.96 ft	May 1, 2017
3	21.68 ft	December 4, 1982
4	21.41 ft	April 26, 2011
5	21.10 ft	March 12, 1935
6	20.80 ft	June 10, 1945
7	20.77 ft	May 12, 1943
8	20.60 ft	May 16, 1933
9	20.30 ft	April 16, 1927
10	20.21 ft	August 16, 2016

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:12 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 11 hr, 10 min First quarter 45%

Map

Other gauges on the Black River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black River near AnnapolisRiver gauge, Black River	3.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	46 mi
Black River at LeeperRiver gauge, Black River	226 cfs	Very low	−6.0 cfs	26 mi
Black River above WilliamsvilleRiver gauge, Black River	3.01 ft	No reference yet	−0.01 ft	19 mi
Black River near CorningRiver gauge, Black River	0.95 ft	Below flood stage	+0.43 ft	26 mi
Black River near Peach OrchardRiver gauge, Black River	261.76 ft	No reference yet	+0.30 ft	36 mi
Black River at PocahontasRiver gauge, Black River	0.25 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	48 mi
Black River at Black RockRiver gauge, Black River	0.85 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	60 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
St. Francis River at WappapelloRiver gauge, St. Francis River	171 cfs	Normal	+2.0 cfs	13 mi
Little Black River below FairdealingRiver gauge, Little Black River	46.5 cfs	Normal	−1.6 cfs	14 mi
Current River at DoniphanRiver gauge, Current River	−0.66 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	27 mi
St. Francis River near PattersonRiver gauge, St. Francis River	4.55 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	31 mi
Castor River at ZalmaRiver gauge, Castor River	80.1 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	32 mi
Big Creek at Sam A Baker State ParkRiver gauge, Big Creek	26.4 cfs	Very low	±0	35 mi
Big Spring near Van BurenRiver gauge, Big Spring	272 cfs	Very low	±0	36 mi
Little River Ditch No. 1 near MorehouseRiver gauge, Little River Ditch No. 1	71.9 cfs	Normal	+4.2 cfs	37 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Black River at Poplar Bluff?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 16.31 ft below it.

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 River at Poplar Bluff today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 07:15 PM CDT, the water level was −0.31 ft. Down 0.29 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Black River at Poplar Bluff rising or falling?

Down 0.29 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Black River at Poplar Bluff normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Black River at Poplar Bluff?

The highest level on record is 22.15 ft on March 20, 2008.

Is Black River at Poplar Bluff expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to −0.20 ft by Saturday, October 17 at 07:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07063000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.75975, -90.38783 (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	−0.31 ft	2026-10-18 00:15	Provisional
Flow	331 cfs	2026-10-18 00:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black River at Poplar Bluff (usgs:07063000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/missouri/black-river-at-poplar-bluff

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