Rivers in Missouri
Mississippi River at New Madrid
Below flood stage
8.37ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 4:00 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 34.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 16.20 ftTue, Sep 29, 1:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 48.35 ft2011
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 44.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 40.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 34.00 ft |
| Action | 30.00 ft |
- 48.00 ftThis flood will exceed the highest stage on record. Large amounts of property damage can be expected. Evacuation of many homes and businesses becomes necessary.
- 38.00 ftHeavy agricultural damage begins.
- 34.00 ftMinor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas.
- 30.00 ftBottomland begins to flood.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 16, 2026.
Crest history
35 crests on NOAA’s list since 1879.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 6, 2011 | 48.35 ft |
| 2 | February 3, 1937 | 48.00 ft |
| 3 | April 29, 2011 | 45.27 ft |
| 4 | April 9, 1913 | 44.60 ft |
| 5 | April 4, 1975 | 43.60 ft |
| 6 | February 16, 1950 | 43.50 ft |
| 7 | January 4, 2016 | 43.05 ft |
| 8 | March 2, 2019 | 42.99 ft |
| 9 | March 17, 1997 | 42.94 ft |
| 10 | May 28, 1995 | 42.80 ft |
| 11 | April 19, 1979 | 42.80 ft |
| 12 | May 20, 2002 | 42.60 ft |
| 13 | May 9, 1983 | 42.10 ft |
| 14 | March 27, 2008 | 41.44 ft |
| 15 | March 5, 2018 | 41.41 ft |
| 16 | April 18, 1994 | 41.20 ft |
| 17 | May 19, 1996 | 41.00 ft |
| 18 | January 18, 2005 | 40.45 ft |
| 19 | March 29, 1879 | 40.30 ft |
| 20 | April 1, 2020 | 40.17 ft |
| 21 | April 13, 2025 | 39.94 ft |
| 22 | March 29, 1955 | 39.90 ft |
| 23 | May 9, 2017 | 39.72 ft |
| 24 | May 15, 2009 | 39.11 ft |
| 25 | April 23, 1998 | 38.58 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 13, 2025: 39.94 ft
- March 9, 2022: 35.20 ft
- April 4, 2021: 35.09 ft
- April 1, 2020: 40.17 ft
- March 2, 2019: 42.99 ft
- March 5, 2018: 41.41 ft
- May 9, 2017: 39.72 ft
- January 4, 2016: 43.05 ft
- July 8, 2015: 36.48 ft
- May 10, 2013: 37.50 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.