St. Francis River near Saco water level

Name: St. Francis River near Saco 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, St. Francis River, Missouri, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.77ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 02:00 PM CDT (25 min ago)

Flow: 17.8 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The St. Francis River near Saco is at 1.77 ft, in the normal range.

It is 19.23 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.72 ft and 1.79 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 36.10 ftNovember 14, 1993

Floating and fishing near St. Francis River near Saco

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

Flood stage here is 21.00 ft, 19.23 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

34.40 ft: The Highway C bridge roadway surface begins flooding at this height.
26.33 ft: Much of the agricultural field is along the left bank upstream of the Highway C bridge is surrounded by floodwaters at this height.
22.90 ft: Low spot on Highway C. Water begins covering the highway just south of the bridge.
21.00 ft: Agricultural fields begin flooding along the left bank upstream of the bridge. Height estimated.
1.77 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	36.10 ft	November 14, 1993
2	33.42 ft	April 30, 2017
3	28.93 ft	March 19, 2008
4	28.68 ft	April 5, 2025
5	27.94 ft	April 26, 2011
6	27.03 ft	April 24, 2011
7	26.50 ft	December 28, 2015
8	26.44 ft	January 4, 1993
9	25.80 ft	November 19, 1985
10	25.76 ft	January 11, 2020

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 65° 36° – Wind 6 mph

19 Mon 72° 42° – Wind 5 mph

20 Tue 74° 51° – Wind 4 mph

21 Wed 78° 51° – Wind 2 mph

22 Thu 81° 54° – Wind 2 mph

23 Fri 80° 56° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 80° 55° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:13 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the St. Francis River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
St. Francis River near Mill CreekRiver gauge, St. Francis River	0.61 ft	Below flood stage	+0.06 ft	8 mi
St. Francis River near PattersonRiver gauge, St. Francis River	4.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	13 mi
St. Francis River at WappapelloRiver gauge, St. Francis River	172 cfs	Normal	+1.0 cfs	34 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Creek at Sam A Baker State ParkRiver gauge, Big Creek	25.3 cfs	Very low	±0	9 mi
Black River near AnnapolisRiver gauge, Black River	3.78 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi
E. Fk. Black R. below Lower Taum Sauk ReservoirRiver gauge, E. Fk. Black R.	6.8 cfs	Low	+0.7 cfs	21 mi
East Fork Black River near LestervilleRiver gauge, East Fork Black River	3.6 cfs	Low	±0	23 mi
Black River at LeeperRiver gauge, Black River	229 cfs	Very low	+3.0 cfs	25 mi
Castor River at ZalmaRiver gauge, Castor River	80.1 cfs	Normal	±0	27 mi
Logan Creek at EllingtonRiver gauge, Logan Creek	2.3 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	29 mi
Big River at IrondaleRiver gauge, Big River	9.3 cfs	Very low	±0	33 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the St. Francis River near Saco?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 19.23 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 St. Francis River near Saco today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:00 PM CDT, the water level was 1.77 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is St. Francis River near Saco rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of St. Francis River near Saco normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at St. Francis River near Saco?

The highest level on record is 36.10 ft on November 14, 1993.

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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07036100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.38450, -90.47386 (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	1.77 ft	2026-10-18 19:00	Provisional
Flow	17.8 cfs	2026-10-18 19:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: St. Francis River near Saco (usgs:07036100). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/missouri/st-francis-river-near-saco

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