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Blackwater River near Blue Lick

Highest listed crest 41.53 ftFlood stage 24.0 ft196 crests since 1986

The Blackwater River near Blue Lick crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 196 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1986 to 2026. The highest, 41.53 ft on October 3, 1986, was major flooding, 17.53 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
41.53 ft
October 3, 1986; 44,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
24.0 ft
Major flooding from 37.0 ft
Crests at major
1
94th of 173 gauges in Missouri
Most recent flood crest
June 14, 2026
27.31 ft, minor flooding
Location
Saline County
Near Marshall (8.5 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Blackwater River near Blue Lick
Action stage19.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)24.0123Jun 14, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage29.072May 1, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage37.01Oct 3, 1986Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

196 crests from 1986 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Blackwater River near Blue Lick, 1986 to 2026 202530354045ft Flood stage 24.0 ftMajor 37.0 ft Oct 3, 1986: 41.53 ft, major flooding; 44,800 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1987: 25.10 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 1988: 25.78 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1990: 36.25 ft, moderate flooding; 31,000 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1991: 26.84 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 1992: 25.24 ft, minor floodingJul 9, 1993: 33.07 ft, moderate floodingApr 13, 1994: 35.15 ft, moderate flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1994: 25.59 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1995: 26.24 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 1995: 28.75 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1995: 35.36 ft, moderate flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1995: 25.08 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 1995: 28.60 ft, minor floodingJul 7, 1995: 26.25 ft, minor floodingAug 4, 1995: 29.80 ft, moderate floodingMay 5, 1996: 25.84 ft, minor floodingJul 23, 1996: 32.87 ft, moderate floodingFeb 23, 1997: 32.85 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1997: 31.07 ft, moderate floodingMay 30, 1997: 27.02 ft, minor floodingJan 9, 1998: 25.46 ft, minor floodingFeb 12, 1998: 24.26 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1998: 30.23 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1998: 25.61 ft, minor floodingApr 3, 1998: 29.98 ft, moderate floodingApr 30, 1998: 25.72 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 1998: 28.19 ft, minor floodingAug 2, 1998: 30.57 ft, moderate floodingSep 17, 1998: 34.52 ft, moderate flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 1998: 31.19 ft, moderate floodingOct 21, 1998: 30.30 ft, moderate floodingNov 6, 1998: 29.24 ft, moderate floodingNov 11, 1998: 24.38 ft, minor floodingDec 10, 1998: 26.49 ft, minor floodingJan 23, 1999: 24.43 ft, minor floodingFeb 3, 1999: 29.87 ft, moderate floodingFeb 8, 1999: 24.38 ft, minor floodingMar 12, 1999: 27.68 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1999: 26.94 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 1999: 28.85 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1999: 27.73 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 1999: 24.44 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 1999: 26.21 ft, minor floodingJul 2, 1999: 28.53 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 2000: 29.90 ft, moderate floodingFeb 10, 2001: 25.16 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 2001: 28.95 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 2001: 28.80 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 2001: 29.71 ft, moderate floodingMay 11, 2001: 24.17 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 2001: 25.07 ft, minor floodingJun 8, 2001: 34.84 ft, moderate flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2001: 29.77 ft, moderate floodingJul 14, 2001: 24.45 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 2002: 24.18 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 2002: 34.84 ft, moderate flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2002: 25.21 ft, minor floodingJun 12, 2002: 26.50 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 2003: 27.85 ft, minor flooding; 8,550 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 2003: 26.06 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 2004: 27.41 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 2004: 25.05 ft, minor floodingNov 25, 2004: 25.62 ft, minor flooding; 6,401 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2005: 32.38 ft, moderate flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2005: 29.08 ft, moderate floodingAug 26, 2005: 30.47 ft, moderate floodingMay 7, 2007: 26.78 ft, minor flooding; 7,699 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2007: 34.42 ft, moderate flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 2007: 24.57 ft, minor flooding; 5,878 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2008: 26.34 ft, minor floodingFeb 18, 2008: 24.74 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 2008: 24.05 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 2008: 30.55 ft, moderate floodingApr 13, 2008: 30.22 ft, moderate floodingApr 26, 2008: 28.10 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 2008: 29.03 ft, moderate floodingJun 23, 2008: 29.11 ft, moderate floodingJul 5, 2008: 24.65 ft, minor floodingJul 30, 2008: 29.12 ft, moderate floodingSep 4, 2008: 27.61 ft, minor floodingSep 14, 2008: 31.51 ft, moderate flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 2008: 24.83 ft, minor floodingOct 25, 2008: 25.11 ft, minor floodingNov 6, 2008: 26.74 ft, minor floodingDec 30, 2008: 28.95 ft, minor floodingMar 13, 2009: 29.59 ft, moderate floodingMar 31, 2009: 29.28 ft, moderate floodingMay 1, 2009: 32.20 ft, moderate flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2009: 30.04 ft, moderate floodingMay 27, 2009: 28.72 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 2009: 30.72 ft, moderate floodingJul 4, 2009: 25.02 ft, minor floodingJul 11, 2009: 25.43 ft, minor floodingOct 12, 2009: 28.50 ft, minor floodingOct 24, 2009: 25.61 ft, minor floodingNov 1, 2009: 27.50 ft, minor floodingNov 18, 2009: 25.94 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2009: 28.45 ft, minor floodingJan 22, 2010: 26.73 ft, minor floodingFeb 24, 2010: 26.96 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 2010: 25.34 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 2010: 26.79 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 2010: 31.52 ft, moderate floodingMay 16, 2010: 30.04 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 2010: 29.37 ft, moderate floodingJun 15, 2010: 24.83 ft, minor floodingJul 8, 2010: 25.11 ft, minor floodingJul 21, 2010: 24.03 ft, minor floodingAug 21, 2010: 26.75 ft, minor floodingSep 14, 2010: 28.77 ft, minor floodingSep 22, 2010: 32.50 ft, moderate flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2011: 28.06 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 2011: 30.01 ft, moderate flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2011: 25.17 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 2011: 28.49 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 2011: 24.77 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 2011: 24.46 ft, minor floodingMay 26, 2011: 27.83 ft, minor floodingDec 21, 2011: 25.91 ft, minor floodingMar 24, 2012: 29.53 ft, moderate flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2012: 24.94 ft, minor floodingMar 13, 2013: 29.48 ft, moderate floodingApr 12, 2013: 24.65 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 2013: 30.37 ft, moderate floodingMay 5, 2013: 25.33 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 2013: 28.14 ft, minor floodingJun 3, 2013: 34.09 ft, moderate flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2014: 31.45 ft, moderate flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2014: 25.36 ft, minor flooding; 5,160 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2014: 24.00 ft, minor flooding; 4,570 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 2014: 26.33 ft, minor floodingOct 3, 2014: 24.41 ft, minor floodingOct 10, 2014: 24.77 ft, minor floodingOct 15, 2014: 25.54 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 2015: 25.65 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 2015: 29.29 ft, moderate floodingJun 8, 2015: 32.30 ft, moderate flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2015: 30.49 ft, moderate floodingJul 5, 2015: 29.69 ft, moderate floodingJul 12, 2015: 31.19 ft, moderate floodingDec 1, 2015: 28.31 ft, minor floodingDec 17, 2015: 29.57 ft, moderate floodingDec 31, 2015: 29.99 ft, moderate floodingJan 10, 2016: 25.86 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 2016: 24.22 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 2016: 26.62 ft, minor floodingJul 5, 2016: 33.39 ft, moderate floodingJul 13, 2016: 27.85 ft, minor floodingAug 1, 2016: 31.41 ft, moderate floodingSep 10, 2016: 27.32 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 2017: 24.32 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 2017: 34.41 ft, moderate flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2017: 27.88 ft, minor floodingJul 31, 2017: 30.22 ft, moderate floodingAug 10, 2017: 32.24 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 2018: 25.18 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 2018: 25.84 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 2018: 30.14 ft, moderate floodingDec 2, 2018: 24.09 ft, minor floodingJan 1, 2019: 24.58 ft, minor floodingJan 19, 2019: 25.02 ft, minor floodingFeb 24, 2019: 25.27 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 2019: 25.43 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 2019: 32.57 ft, moderate floodingMay 25, 2019: 33.82 ft, moderate flooding; 15,700 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2019: 27.41 ft, minor floodingJul 9, 2019: 29.36 ft, moderate floodingMar 22, 2020: 27.99 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 2020: 27.30 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 2020: 25.14 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 2020: 24.23 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2020: 25.88 ft, minor floodingAug 4, 2020: 34.14 ft, moderate floodingSep 11, 2020: 24.16 ft, minor floodingJan 31, 2021: 24.66 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 2021: 32.85 ft, moderate floodingApr 11, 2021: 28.30 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 2021: 30.55 ft, moderate floodingJun 25, 2021: 32.75 ft, moderate floodingMar 23, 2022: 25.28 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 2022: 26.01 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 2022: 30.05 ft, moderate floodingAug 1, 2023: 25.88 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 2024: 32.47 ft, moderate floodingJun 15, 2024: 25.01 ft, minor floodingJul 6, 2024: 30.87 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 2025: 32.75 ft, moderate floodingJul 18, 2025: 26.47 ft, minor floodingJul 28, 2025: 27.78 ft, minor floodingMar 12, 2026: 24.96 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 2026: 31.01 ft, moderate floodingMay 1, 2026: 29.67 ft, moderate floodingMay 20, 2026: 26.38 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2026: 25.04 ft, minor floodingJun 14, 2026: 27.31 ft, minor flooding Highest, 41.53 ft, Oct 3, 1986 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Blackwater River near Blue Lick 1980s: 3 1990s: 42 2000s: 54 2010s: 69 69 2020s: 28 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 196 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Blackwater River near Blue Lick
1Oct 3, 198641.53+17.53Major44,800
2May 18, 199036.25+12.25Moderate31,000
3May 20, 199535.36+11.36Moderate20,700
4Apr 13, 199435.15+11.15Moderate26,400
5Jun 8, 200134.84+10.84Moderate19,400
6May 11, 200234.84+10.84Moderate19,700
7Sep 17, 199834.52+10.52Moderate23,900
8Jul 3, 200734.42+10.42Moderate20,400
9May 3, 201734.41+10.41Moderate19,700
10Aug 4, 202034.14+10.14Moderate—
11Jun 3, 201334.09+10.09Moderate21,800
12May 25, 201933.82+9.82Moderate15,700
13Jul 5, 201633.39+9.39Moderate—
14Jul 9, 199333.07+9.07Moderate—
15Jul 23, 199632.87+8.87Moderate—
16Feb 23, 199732.85+8.85Moderate—
17Mar 20, 202132.85+8.85Moderate—
18Jun 25, 202132.75+8.75Moderate—
19Apr 21, 202532.75+8.75Moderate—
20May 4, 201932.57+8.57Moderate—
21Sep 22, 201032.50+8.50Moderate16,400
22May 1, 202432.47+8.47Moderate—
23Jan 8, 200532.38+8.38Moderate16,200
24Jun 8, 201532.30+8.30Moderate15,400
25Aug 10, 201732.24+8.24Moderate—
26May 1, 200932.20+8.20Moderate15,800
27Apr 27, 201031.52+7.52Moderate—
28Sep 14, 200831.51+7.51Moderate14,600
29Apr 6, 201431.45+7.45Moderate13,200
30Aug 1, 201631.41+7.41Moderate—
31Oct 8, 199831.19+7.19Moderate—
32Jul 12, 201531.19+7.19Moderate—
33Apr 14, 199731.07+7.07Moderate—
34Apr 5, 202631.01+7.01Moderate—
35Jul 6, 202430.87+6.87Moderate—
36Jun 19, 200930.72+6.72Moderate—
37Aug 2, 199830.57+6.57Moderate—
38Mar 20, 200830.55+6.55Moderate—
39May 21, 202130.55+6.55Moderate—
40Jun 26, 201530.49+6.49Moderate—
41Aug 26, 200530.47+6.47Moderate—
42Apr 21, 201330.37+6.37Moderate—
43Oct 21, 199830.30+6.30Moderate—
44Mar 11, 199830.23+6.23Moderate—
45Apr 13, 200830.22+6.22Moderate—
46Jul 31, 201730.22+6.22Moderate—
47Mar 29, 201830.14+6.14Moderate—
48Jun 2, 202230.05+6.05Moderate—
49May 16, 200930.04+6.04Moderate—
50May 16, 201030.04+6.04Moderate—

The worst floods along the Blackwater River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Blackwater River that crested above flood stage within a week.

May 20, 1995: 35.36 ft here, moderate flooding

April 13, 1994: 35.15 ft here, moderate flooding

June 8, 2001: 34.84 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Blackwater River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Blackwater River
Valley CityMO22.034.31 ft, Aug 1, 202015
Blue Lick this gaugeMO24.041.53 ft, Oct 3, 19861

Other gauges in Saline County

Flood gauges in Saline County
Miami18.032.60 ft, Jul 30, 19935

Saline County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Missouri

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BLVM7, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.