Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Meramec River at Arnold

Highest listed crest 47.26 ftFlood stage 24.0 ft89 crests since 1973

The Meramec River at Arnold crested at major flood stage 12 times among the 89 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1973 to 2026. The highest, 47.26 ft on December 31, 2015, was major flooding, 23.26 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Meramec River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
47.26 ft
December 31, 2015
Flood stage
24.0 ft
Major flooding from 38.0 ft
Crests at major
12
10th of 173 gauges in Missouri
Most recent flood crest
May 1, 2026
27.36 ft, minor flooding
Location
Jefferson County
Near Arnold (2.2 mi), Crestwood (7.0 mi), Columbia (7.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Meramec River at Arnold
Action stage22.02May 9, 2003The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)24.068May 1, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage35.07Jun 23, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage38.012Jun 9, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

89 crests from 1973 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Meramec River at Arnold, 1973 to 2026 20304050ft Flood stage 24.0 ftMajor 38.0 ft Apr 28, 1973: 38.90 ft, major floodingApr 16, 1979: 38.00 ft, major floodingMay 22, 1981: 30.20 ft, minor floodingDec 6, 1982: 43.90 ft, major floodingMay 4, 1983: 39.80 ft, major floodingApr 25, 1984: 31.90 ft, minor floodingNov 5, 1984: 26.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 1985: 35.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 3, 1985: 29.50 ft, minor floodingNov 22, 1985: 36.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1986: 28.30 ft, minor floodingOct 9, 1986: 36.40 ft, moderate floodingDec 30, 1987: 26.80 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1990: 32.90 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 1992: 26.00 ft, minor floodingJan 8, 1993: 25.90 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1993: 34.30 ft, minor floodingAug 1, 1993: 45.30 ft, major floodingNov 18, 1993: 33.90 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 1994: 41.70 ft, major floodingMay 21, 1995: 41.10 ft, major floodingJun 2, 1996: 32.90 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1997: 31.90 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 2000: 22.93 ft, action stageFeb 28, 2001: 25.70 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 2001: 27.90 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 2001: 31.60 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 2001: 24.70 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 2001: 25.20 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 2002: 36.70 ft, moderate floodingMay 9, 2003: 23.15 ft, action stage; 52,400 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2004: 24.14 ft, minor flooding; 55,300 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2004: 26.39 ft, minor flooding; 62,400 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2005: 28.56 ft, minor flooding; 70,000 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2005: 26.08 ft, minor flooding; 61,400 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2007: 26.57 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2008: 39.35 ft, major flooding; 133,200 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2008: 26.57 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2008: 31.69 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 2008: 28.96 ft, minor floodingJul 1, 2008: 35.35 ft, moderate floodingAug 2, 2008: 27.54 ft, minor floodingSep 19, 2008: 34.40 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 2009: 25.95 ft, minor flooding; 61,000 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2009: 30.24 ft, minor flooding; 76,900 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2009: 28.26 ft, minor flooding; 68,600 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 2009: 34.04 ft, minor floodingNov 21, 2009: 27.31 ft, minor floodingJan 27, 2010: 26.14 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 2010: 30.51 ft, minor floodingApr 29, 2010: 27.48 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2010: 31.90 ft, minor floodingJun 11, 2010: 25.16 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 2010: 31.90 ft, minor floodingAug 23, 2010: 24.02 ft, minor floodingMar 3, 2011: 25.05 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 2011: 35.48 ft, moderate floodingJul 2, 2011: 30.56 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 2013: 33.70 ft, minor floodingJun 4, 2013: 39.05 ft, major floodingJul 12, 2014: 28.03 ft, minor floodingSep 15, 2014: 24.01 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 2015: 26.94 ft, minor floodingJun 23, 2015: 35.65 ft, moderate floodingDec 31, 2015: 47.26 ft, major floodingApr 8, 2017: 26.58 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 2017: 45.62 ft, major floodingFeb 28, 2018: 24.87 ft, minor floodingOct 16, 2018: 29.68 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 2019: 24.34 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 2019: 42.35 ft, major floodingOct 13, 2019: 28.75 ft, minor floodingNov 2, 2019: 24.77 ft, minor floodingJan 14, 2020: 30.23 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2020: 29.04 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 2020: 26.99 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 2020: 26.79 ft, minor floodingJun 1, 2020: 29.18 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 2021: 30.01 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2021: 26.61 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 2021: 27.21 ft, minor floodingApr 3, 2022: 24.38 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 2022: 29.37 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 2023: 26.50 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 2024: 27.81 ft, minor floodingNov 9, 2024: 32.17 ft, minor floodingApr 9, 2025: 30.08 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 2025: 24.21 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 2026: 27.36 ft, minor flooding Highest, 47.26 ft, Dec 31, 2015 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Meramec River at Arnold 1970s: 2 1980s: 11 1990s: 10 2000s: 23 2010s: 25 25 2020s: 16 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 89 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Meramec River at Arnold
1Dec 31, 201547.26+23.26Major—
2May 3, 201745.62+21.62Major—
3Aug 1, 199345.30+21.30Major—
4Dec 6, 198243.90+19.90Major—
5Jun 9, 201942.35+18.35Major—
6Apr 14, 199441.70+17.70Major—
7May 21, 199541.10+17.10Major—
8May 4, 198339.80+15.80Major—
9Mar 22, 200839.35+15.35Major133,200
10Jun 4, 201339.05+15.05Major—
11Apr 28, 197338.90+14.90Major—
12Apr 16, 197938.00+14.00Major—
13May 18, 200236.70+12.70Moderate—
14Oct 9, 198636.40+12.40Moderate—
15Nov 22, 198536.20+12.20Moderate—
16Feb 27, 198535.70+11.70Moderate—
17Jun 23, 201535.65+11.65Moderate—
18Apr 30, 201135.48+11.48Moderate—
19Jul 1, 200835.35+11.35Moderate—
20Sep 19, 200834.40+10.40Minor—
21Apr 18, 199334.30+10.30Minor—
22Nov 3, 200934.04+10.04Minor—
23Nov 18, 199333.90+9.90Minor—
24Apr 25, 201333.70+9.70Minor—
25May 20, 199032.90+8.90Minor—
26Jun 2, 199632.90+8.90Minor—
27Nov 9, 202432.17+8.17Minor—
28Apr 25, 198431.90+7.90Minor—
29Mar 2, 199731.90+7.90Minor—
30May 23, 201031.90+7.90Minor—
31Jun 28, 201031.90+7.90Minor—
32Apr 14, 200831.69+7.69Minor—
33Jun 9, 200131.60+7.60Minor—
34Jul 2, 201130.56+6.56Minor—
35Mar 30, 201030.51+6.51Minor—
36May 12, 200930.24+6.24Minor76,900
37Jan 14, 202030.23+6.23Minor—
38May 22, 198130.20+6.20Minor—
39Apr 9, 202530.08+6.08Minor—
40Mar 21, 202130.01+6.01Minor—
41Oct 16, 201829.68+5.68Minor—
42Apr 3, 198529.50+5.50Minor—
43May 8, 202229.37+5.37Minor—
44Jun 1, 202029.18+5.18Minor—
45Mar 22, 202029.04+5.04Minor—
46May 11, 200828.96+4.96Minor—
47Oct 13, 201928.75+4.75Minor—
48Jan 7, 200528.56+4.56Minor70,000
49May 24, 198628.30+4.30Minor—
50Jun 20, 200928.26+4.26Minor68,600

The worst floods along the Meramec River

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

December 31, 2015: 47.26 ft here, major flooding

  • EurekaMO · Dec 30, 2015 · 46.06 ft · Major
  • Valley ParkMO · Dec 31, 2015 · 44.11 ft · Major · its highest
  • FentonMO · Dec 31, 2015 · 42.86 ft · Major · its highest
  • PacificMO · Dec 30, 2015 · 33.42 ft · Major · its highest
  • SullivanMO · Dec 29, 2015 · 31.48 ft · Major
  • SteelvilleMO · Dec 29, 2015 · 24.87 ft · Moderate

May 3, 2017: 45.62 ft here, major flooding

  • EurekaMO · May 3, 2017 · 46.11 ft · Major · its highest
  • Valley ParkMO · May 3, 2017 · 43.31 ft · Major
  • FentonMO · May 3, 2017 · 41.88 ft · Major
  • SullivanMO · May 1, 2017 · 36.52 ft · Major · its highest
  • PacificMO · May 2, 2017 · 33.05 ft · Major
  • SteelvilleMO · May 1, 2017 · 28.71 ft · Major · its highest

August 1, 1993: 45.30 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Meramec River

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

Flood gauges on the Meramec River
SteelvilleMO12.028.71 ft, May 1, 20176
SullivanMO11.036.52 ft, May 1, 20178
PacificMO15.033.42 ft, Dec 30, 20155
EurekaMO19.046.11 ft, May 3, 201715
Valley ParkMO18.044.11 ft, Dec 31, 201528
FentonMO23.042.86 ft, Dec 31, 20153
Arnold this gaugeMO24.047.26 ft, Dec 31, 201512

Other gauges in Jefferson County

Flood gauges in Jefferson County
Byrnesville16.030.20 ft, Aug 21, 19153
DeSoto10.014.30 ft, Apr 13, 20131
Pacific15.033.42 ft, Dec 30, 20155
Herculaneum26.029.79 ft, Jul 10, 20240

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ARNM7, 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.