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Big Black River at West

Highest listed crest 26.08 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft171 crests since 1926

The Big Black River at West crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 171 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1926 to 2021. The highest, 26.08 ft on May 21, 1983, was major flooding, 11.08 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Big Black River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.08 ft
May 21, 1983; 71,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
6
12th of 74 gauges in Mississippi
Most recent flood crest
March 1, 2021
20.20 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Holmes County
Mississippi

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Big Black River at West
Action stage12.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.058Mar 8, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.0107Mar 1, 2021Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.06Jan 13, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

171 crests from 1926 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Black River at West, 1926 to 2021 1015202530ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Dec 1, 1926: 26.00 ft, major flooding; 67,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1930: 26.00 ft, major flooding; 67,000 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1940: 21.20 ft, moderate flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1944: 22.36 ft, moderate flooding; 33,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1946: 22.60 ft, moderate flooding; 35,000 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1947: 22.64 ft, moderate flooding; 35,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 22.33 ft, moderate flooding; 33,000 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1949: 23.81 ft, moderate flooding; 44,500 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1950: 21.35 ft, moderate flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1951: 24.09 ft, moderate flooding; 47,000 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1951: 20.10 ft, moderate flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1954: 20.61 ft, moderate flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1955: 21.16 ft, moderate flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 1957: 21.86 ft, moderate flooding; 29,000 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1960: 20.00 ft, moderate flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1961: 20.60 ft, moderate flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 1961: 24.03 ft, moderate flooding; 45,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1965: 22.77 ft, moderate flooding; 36,000 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1966: 20.20 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1967: 22.25 ft, moderate flooding; 33,000 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 1968: 21.80 ft, moderate flooding; 29,000 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 22.10 ft, moderate flooding; 31,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1971: 21.48 ft, moderate flooding; 28,000 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1972: 23.08 ft, moderate flooding; 33,800 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1973: 25.11 ft, major flooding; 57,700 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1973: 21.20 ft, moderate flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1975: 22.12 ft, moderate flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1976: 20.00 ft, moderate flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1977: 22.36 ft, moderate flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1978: 22.04 ft, moderate flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1979: 22.54 ft, moderate flooding; 29,600 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1979: 19.75 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1979: 24.27 ft, moderate flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1979: 19.42 ft, minor flooding; 10,300 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1979: 23.13 ft, moderate flooding; 35,300 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1980: 21.77 ft, moderate flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1980: 21.14 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1980: 21.44 ft, moderate flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1980: 21.93 ft, moderate flooding; 24,400 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1980: 21.15 ft, moderate flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1980: 19.71 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1981: 19.03 ft, minor flooding; 8,800 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1982: 21.14 ft, moderate flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1982: 19.38 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1982: 21.15 ft, moderate flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1982: 19.47 ft, minor flooding; 11,100 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 1982: 21.63 ft, moderate flooding; 23,800 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 1982: 19.94 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1982: 23.34 ft, moderate flooding; 38,300 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1983: 19.75 ft, minor flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1983: 20.31 ft, moderate flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1983: 20.60 ft, moderate flooding; 17,000 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1983: 20.26 ft, moderate flooding; 15,100 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1983: 21.15 ft, moderate flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1983: 20.39 ft, moderate flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1983: 20.53 ft, moderate flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1983: 26.08 ft, major flooding; 71,200 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1983: 24.48 ft, moderate flooding; 50,500 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1984: 20.12 ft, moderate flooding; 14,300 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 1984: 21.20 ft, moderate flooding; 20,800 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1986: 18.28 ft, minor flooding; 6,520 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1986: 19.52 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1987: 19.36 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1987: 21.82 ft, moderate flooding; 25,200 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1988: 18.22 ft, minor flooding; 6,330 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1989: 22.44 ft, moderate flooding; 30,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1989: 20.31 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1989: 20.36 ft, moderate flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1989: 20.32 ft, moderate flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1989: 19.85 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1989: 21.30 ft, moderate flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1989: 19.92 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1990: 20.15 ft, moderate flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1990: 22.87 ft, moderate flooding; 33,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1991: 22.90 ft, moderate flooding; 29,900 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1991: 19.65 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1991: 20.33 ft, moderate flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1991: 22.13 ft, moderate flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1991: 24.39 ft, moderate flooding; 49,400 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1991: 19.53 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1991: 23.42 ft, moderate flooding; 39,100 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1991: 22.42 ft, moderate flooding; 30,000 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1993: 19.23 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1994: 19.74 ft, minor flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1994: 22.83 ft, moderate flooding; 29,700 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1994: 19.89 ft, minor flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1995: 20.34 ft, moderate flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1995: 19.58 ft, minor flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1995: 20.49 ft, moderate flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1995: 24.76 ft, moderate flooding; 47,500 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1996: 21.17 ft, moderate flooding; 20,600 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1997: 22.87 ft, moderate flooding; 30,400 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1998: 19.69 ft, minor flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1998: 19.81 ft, minor flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1999: 21.16 ft, moderate flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1999: 20.91 ft, moderate flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1999: 20.92 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 1999: 19.66 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2000: 25.80 ft, major flooding; 54,700 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2001: 23.32 ft, moderate flooding; 38,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2001: 20.65 ft, moderate flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2001: 19.98 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2001: 20.23 ft, moderate flooding; 149,000 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2001: 22.27 ft, moderate flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2001: 22.24 ft, moderate flooding; 26,300 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2002: 21.21 ft, moderate flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2002: 20.00 ft, moderate flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2002: 19.88 ft, minor flooding; 13,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2003: 21.14 ft, moderate flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2003: 20.02 ft, moderate flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2004: 20.39 ft, moderate flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2004: 20.96 ft, moderate flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2004: 21.67 ft, moderate flooding; 24,100 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 2004: 20.52 ft, moderate flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2006: 20.51 ft, moderate flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2007: 20.49 ft, moderate flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 2008: 18.48 ft, minor flooding; 8,120 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2008: 19.17 ft, minor flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 2008: 20.84 ft, moderate flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2009: 21.67 ft, moderate flooding; 22,100 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2009: 20.91 ft, moderate flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2009: 20.52 ft, moderate flooding; 15,700 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2009: 19.98 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2009: 20.80 ft, moderate flooding; 17,100 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2009: 20.45 ft, moderate flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2009: 22.02 ft, moderate flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 2009: 18.47 ft, minor flooding; 8,090 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 2010: 18.38 ft, minor flooding; 7,850 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2010: 19.53 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2010: 20.62 ft, moderate flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2011: 19.62 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2011: 20.90 ft, moderate flooding; 17,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2012: 18.26 ft, minor flooding; 7,530 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2012: 17.39 ft, minor flooding; 5,540 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2012: 18.93 ft, minor flooding; 9,450 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2012: 17.38 ft, minor flooding; 5,520 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2013: 20.36 ft, moderate flooding; 14,957 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2013: 18.76 ft, minor flooding; 8,930 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2013: 19.36 ft, minor flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2013: 18.89 ft, minor flooding; 9,353 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2014: 21.15 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2014: 20.25 ft, moderate flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2014: 19.04 ft, minor flooding; 9,800 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2015: 19.68 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2015: 19.35 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2015: 19.99 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2015: 19.61 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 2015: 20.61 ft, moderate flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2015: 19.08 ft, minor flooding; 8,990 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2016: 18.66 ft, minor flooding; 8,630 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2016: 17.54 ft, minor flooding; 5,840 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2016: 20.78 ft, moderate flooding; 17,000 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2016: 18.75 ft, minor flooding; 8,900 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2016: 19.64 ft, minor flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2017: 19.92 ft, minor flooding; 12,841 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2017: 18.59 ft, minor flooding; 6,930 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2018: 21.30 ft, moderate flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2018: 19.72 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2018: 18.57 ft, minor flooding; 6,860 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2018: 17.43 ft, minor flooding; 4,180 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2019: 20.50 ft, moderate flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 2019: 18.99 ft, minor flooding; 8,080 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2019: 24.15 ft, moderate flooding; 38,900 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2019: 18.30 ft, minor flooding; 6,150 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2019: 21.19 ft, moderate flooding; 17,851 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2019: 20.34 ft, moderate flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2019: 19.64 ft, minor flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2020: 25.41 ft, major floodingMar 8, 2020: 18.92 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 2020: 21.47 ft, moderate floodingMar 1, 2021: 20.20 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 26.08 ft, May 21, 1983 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Black River at West 1920s: 1 1930s: 1 1940s: 6 1950s: 6 1960s: 8 1970s: 13 1980s: 37 1990s: 26 2000s: 29 2010s: 40 40 2020s: 4 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 171 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Big Black River at West
1May 21, 198326.08+11.08Major71,200
2Dec 1, 192626.00+11.00Major67,000
3May 1, 193026.00+11.00Major67,000
4Apr 4, 200025.80+10.80Major54,700
5Jan 13, 202025.41+10.41Major—
6Mar 16, 197325.11+10.11Major57,700
7Apr 23, 199524.76+9.76Moderate47,500
8Dec 5, 198324.48+9.48Moderate50,500
9Apr 30, 199124.39+9.39Moderate49,400
10Apr 13, 197924.27+9.27Moderate48,000
11Feb 22, 201924.15+9.15Moderate38,900
12Mar 30, 195124.09+9.09Moderate47,000
13Dec 19, 196124.03+9.03Moderate45,000
14Jan 5, 194923.81+8.81Moderate44,500
15May 29, 199123.42+8.42Moderate39,100
16Dec 27, 198223.34+8.34Moderate38,300
17Jan 20, 200123.32+8.32Moderate38,100
18Nov 26, 197923.13+8.13Moderate35,300
19Jan 5, 197223.08+8.08Moderate33,800
20Feb 21, 199122.90+7.90Moderate29,900
21Dec 23, 199022.87+7.87Moderate33,900
22Mar 3, 199722.87+7.87Moderate30,400
23Feb 12, 199422.83+7.83Moderate29,700
24Feb 12, 196522.77+7.77Moderate36,000
25Apr 12, 194722.64+7.64Moderate35,500
26Feb 10, 194622.60+7.60Moderate35,000
27Jan 21, 197922.54+7.54Moderate29,600
28Jan 14, 198922.44+7.44Moderate30,100
29Dec 4, 199122.42+7.42Moderate30,000
30Mar 30, 194422.36+7.36Moderate33,500
31Mar 4, 197722.36+7.36Moderate26,400
32Feb 14, 194822.33+7.33Moderate33,000
33Nov 30, 200122.27+7.27Moderate26,400
34Jan 10, 196722.25+7.25Moderate33,000
35Dec 16, 200122.24+7.24Moderate26,300
36Apr 15, 199122.13+7.13Moderate27,600
37Mar 15, 197522.12+7.12Moderate24,300
38Dec 31, 196922.10+7.10Moderate31,000
39May 9, 197822.04+7.04Moderate23,600
40Oct 15, 200922.02+7.02Moderate24,500
41Apr 14, 198021.93+6.93Moderate24,400
42Nov 18, 195721.86+6.86Moderate29,000
43Mar 1, 198721.82+6.82Moderate25,200
44Dec 19, 196821.80+6.80Moderate29,000
45Mar 17, 198021.77+6.77Moderate23,200
46Jun 30, 200421.67+6.67Moderate24,100
47Jan 8, 200921.67+6.67Moderate22,100
48Dec 6, 198221.63+6.63Moderate23,800
49Feb 22, 197121.48+6.48Moderate28,000
50Apr 22, 202021.47+6.47Moderate—

The worst floods along the Big Black River

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

May 21, 1983: 26.08 ft here, major flooding

  • BovinaMS · May 24, 1983 · 40.77 ft · Major · its highest
  • BentoniaMS · May 23, 1983 · 32.48 ft · Major · its highest

April 4, 2000: 25.80 ft here, major flooding

  • BentoniaMS · Apr 7, 2000 · 29.76 ft · Major
  • BovinaMS · Apr 9, 2000 · 39.05 ft · Moderate

January 13, 2020: 25.41 ft here, major flooding

  • BovinaMS · Jan 18, 2020 · 38.91 ft · Moderate
  • BentoniaMS · Jan 17, 2020 · 28.51 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Big Black River

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

Flood gauges on the Big Black River
West this gaugeMS15.026.08 ft, May 21, 19836
BentoniaMS22.032.48 ft, May 23, 198313
BovinaMS28.040.77 ft, May 24, 19834

Holmes County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Mississippi

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WSTM6, 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.