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This probabilistic forecast is issued by the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center.
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About this graph
Forecasts for the Missouri River at St. Charles are issued routinely year-round.

Vertical Datum updated from NGVD29 to NAVD88 by gauge owner.

Return to Area Map

Upstream Gauge - at Washington Upstream Gauge
Zoom Level:14
Flood Categories (in feet)
Major Flood Stage: 36
Moderate Flood Stage: 30
Flood Stage: 25
Action Stage: 23
Low Stage (in feet): -9999

Historic Crests
(1) 40.11 ft on 06/24/1844
(2) 40.04 ft on 08/02/1993
(3) 37.50 ft on 10/07/1986
(4) 37.30 ft on 07/20/1951
(5) 36.80 ft on 06/07/1903
(6) 36.60 ft on 05/22/1943
(7) 36.50 ft on 04/29/1944
(8) 36.50 ft on 05/21/1995
(9) 36.40 ft on 04/26/1973
(10) 35.91 ft on 05/05/2017
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 25.27 ft on 06/04/2022
(2) 26.84 ft on 05/06/2022
(3) 29.21 ft on 06/29/2021
(4) 26.42 ft on 04/13/2021
(5) 29.09 ft on 03/20/2021
(6) 25.88 ft on 06/07/2020
(7) 27.95 ft on 05/31/2020
(8) 27.11 ft on 03/21/2020
(9) 28.03 ft on 01/12/2020
(10) 27.88 ft on 10/12/2019
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
(1) 3.20 ft on 12/24/1963
(2) 3.45 ft on 12/26/1879
(3) 4.03 ft on 11/28/2006
(4) 4.17 ft on 12/15/2005
(5) 4.18 ft on 01/01/2023
Show More Low Water Records
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Gauge LocationGauge Map Marker
Disclaimer
Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.
Flood Impacts & Photos Collapse
If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
42.2 This is the approximate minimum level of protection provided by the Monarch levee protecting Chesterfield Valley. Since this gage is affected by Mississippi River backwater, the actual level of overtopping may be higher.
38 Floor of the gage house.
37 Residences north of St. Charles become cut off near this height.
36 Major flooding begins. The levee at the Highway 370 bridge is overtopped.
35 The levee at the Highway 370 bridge overtops near this height. Missouri State Route F northwest of Defiance along Femme Osage Creek will be closed near this height.
34.5 Missouri Highway 94 near Route H will be closed in both directions near this height.
33.5 Highway 94 floods downstream of St Charles.
33 Up to 7 non-Federal levees are overtopped. (USACE)
32.5 The west end of Greens Bottom Road floods. This road connects Pittman Hill Road and Jungs Station Road south of 94.
32 Near this height, Missouri Bottom Road begins flooding between Prouhet Farm Road and Aubuchon Road.
30.7 Near this height, the base of the Lewis and Clark Boat House will begin flooding.
28 Near this height, Aubuchon Road and Charbonier Road begin flooding between Teson Road and Riverwood Estates Boulevard.
27 The Katy Trail begins flooding near this height along Hawning Road, about 2 miles north northeast of the Highway 370 bridge.
25 Downstream near this stage, Missouri Route H at Island Road and agricultural bottomland may begin flooding, depending on Mississippi River flow and backwater.
21 An access road to farmland on Bonhomme Island gets cut off above this height.
Photos
(1) Aerial image of the St. Charles riverfront during the flood of 1993.
(2) Satellite image during the flood of 1993 with downtown St. Charles in the lower left hand corner.
(3) Train depot at Frontier Park on the St. Charles riverfront during the flood of 1993.
(4) Frontier Park on September 18, 2008 at a stage of 31.0 feet.
(5) Tecumseh Street on September 18, 2008 at 31.0 feet.
(6) Blanchette Landing benches on September 18, 2008 at 31.0 feet.
(7) Boat ramp at Blachette Landing on September 18, 2008 at 31.0 feet.
(8) Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Nature Center and parking lot on September 18, 2008 at 31.0 feet.
(9) Highway 94 westbound just northeast of Defiance on September 17, 2008 with St. Charles near 30.7 ft.
(10) Highway 94 eastbound on September 17, 2008 with the St. Charles gage near 30.7 feet.
(11) Boat ramp and roadside park on September 17, 2008 with the St. Charles gage at 30.7 ft.
(12) Upper sectional staff gage on the Missouri River at St. Charles, ranging from 29.0 to 33.9 feet.
(13) Middle sectional staff gage ranging from 17.0 to 33.2 ft, missing a section from 20.3 to 23.7 ft.
(14) Gaging shelter at the Missouri River at St. Charles, MO on September 30, 2009.
(15) Pressure transducer and data collection platform at the St. Chalres gage.
Low Water Impacts Collapse
If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
-1.0 ft. At the City of St. Louis Water Plant at Howard Bend, critical shutdown is possible with additional pumps needed to avoid shutdown as water drops below the top of these intakes.
0 - 1 ft. The Missouri American Water Central Plant may need to shut down as water levels fall below the top of these intakes.
1.0 feet The Missouri American Water North Plant may need to shut down the last treatment train as water drops below the top of the these intakes.
2.0 - 3.2 The Missouri American Water Central Plant begins monitoring a developing vortex in the intake pool to ensure adequate intake volume.
4.0 - 4.5 The first of two treatment train intakes at the Missouri American Water North plant may need to be shut down as water drops below the top of these intakes.
4.0 feet The City of St. Louis Water Plant at Howard Bend begins monitoring the potential loss of suction prime on the water pumps.
7.0 feet The City of St. Louis Water Plant at Howard Bend is on alert for potential operational issues with low water.

Other Real-time and/or Archive Data Sources:

Additional Information Collapse
How low could the river get?
Collaborative Agencies Collapse
The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.
NWS Information
National Weather Service
St. Louis Weather Forecast Office
12 Missouri Research Park Drive
St. Charles, MO 63304
(636) 441-8467
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Page last modified: 2-Nov-2020 7:29 PM
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