Mississippi River at Helena
Arkansas — Water Level & Flood Stage
Located in Phillips County, Arkansas on the Mississippi River. Live water level data from USGS, updated every 15 minutes.
Current Water Level
Gage Height
Loading...
Streamflow
Loading...
Last Reading
Loading...
This is an NWS forecast point (LID: HEEA4). Live data may be limited. View on NWS AHPS →
Flood Stages
Major Flood
55 ft
Moderate Flood
50 ft
1,990,000 cfs
Minor Flood
44 ft
1,460,000 cfs
Action Stage
40 ft
1,204,000 cfs
Flood stages defined by the National Weather Service. Gage height data from USGS Water Resources.
What Floods at Each Level
65.3 ft
Water tops the floodwall at Helena, Arkansas.
60 ft
In Mississippi, all locations on the southeast side of Desoto Lake on the old levee are flooded.
59 ft
Water is touching the bottom of the floodwall at Helena, Arkansas.
58 ft
Places on the south bank of Desoto Lake in Mississippi are flooded.
53 ft
In Mississippi, all locations along the southwest bank of Desoto Lake are flooded.
51 ft
Loading docks at Helena not protected by levees are flooded.
48 ft
In Mississippi, locations on the southeast side of Desoto Lake are being flooded.
47 ft
In Mississippi, almost all of Island Number 67 is covered by water.
46 ft
In Mississippi, houses at Robson Towhead are being flooded. The settlement by Old River Chutes is going underwater. All locations on the northeast side of Desoto Lake are underwater.
45 ft
In Mississippi, road to houses by the river at Robson Towhead and the settlement by Old River Chute is flooded. Settlement just east of Sunflower Cutoff is flooding. Businesses on the south end of Slackwater Harbor are flooding.
44 ft
In Arkansas, the road to the landing east of downtown Helena is flooded. In Mississippi, the cabin areas east of Desoto Lake are flooding. Industries north of Friars Point, Mississippi, are flooding.
43 ft
In Arkansas, the road to the landing east of downtown Helena, Arkansas, begins to flood. In Mississippi, places along the bank of the southwest side of Desoto Lake are flooding. Facilities along the river north of Friars Point, Mississippi, are flooding.
42 ft
Fields between Jackson Point and Jug Harris Towhead begin to go underwater. In Mississippi, water is near or on the toe of the Mississippi Levee south of Highway 49 past mile 658. The road to the terminal at Long Lake Bayou is flooding.
41 ft
In Mississippi, farm buildings inside the levee southwest of Friars Point are beginning to flood.
40 ft
Homes on the northeast side of Desoto Lake, Mississippi are flooding.
39 ft
In Mississippi, the cabin area inside the levee southwest of Sherard is flooding. In Arkansas, the road to aggregate business near the Highway 49 bridge is flooding.
38 ft
In Mississippi, the lowest roads in the Robson Towhead area are beginning to flood. The road to cabins near Ward Lake is flooded near the levee. The settlement near Ward Lake is being flooded. The road to cabins inside the levee southwest of Sherard, Mississippi, is covered near the levee. The road from Rena Lara to houses east of Desoto Lake is covered in many places.
37 ft
In Arkansas, water is near or against the levee from mile 657 south past mile 655. The lowest section of trail going to Island 66 is covered. In Mississippi, west sections of the road going to Miller Point are flooding. The road to the hunting club on Island 61 is going underwater. The road to Island 67 is covered at the lowest spot.
36 ft
In Arkansas, the settlement east of Mellwood inside the levee along Phillips County Road 524 is being inundated.
35 ft
In Mississippi, the road to the river landing west of Delta, Mississippi, is flooded. Fields, pastures, and game food plots begin to flood on Island 67.
34 ft
In Mississippi, the road to houses west of Horseshoe Lake is beginning to flood near the levee. Fields near mile 658 are beginning to flood. The road to houses on the southwest side of Desoto Lake is underwater near the bridge.
33 ft
In Mississippi, the road to fields north of Highway 49 bridge is flooding. Pastures and fields inside the levee west of Farrell, Mississippi, are starting to flood. In Arkansas, fields north of the river from mile 647 to mile 650 are beginning to flood.
32 ft
In Arkansas, fields and pastures inside the levee east of Elaine, Arkansas, are starting to flood. Pastures and fields on Island 64 are being covered by water. In Mississippi, open areas near Big Eddy Lake are beginning to flood. Fields, pastures, and game flood plots begin to flood on Island 67.
31 ft
In Arkansas, the lowest roads inside the levee east of Helena, Arkansas, are beginning to flood. Pastures and fields on Island 64 are starting to go underwater.
29 ft
In Mississippi, fields along the Highway 49 bridge are beginning to flood.
Impact statements from the National Weather Service, describing what typically happens at each water level.
7-Day Water Level Chart
Loading chart data...
Historic Crests
| Date | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 11, 1937 | 60.21 ft | — |
| Feb 11, 1937 | 60.21 ft | — |
| Apr 26, 1927 | 56.75 ft | — |
| Apr 26, 1927 | 56.75 ft | — |
| May 11, 2011 | 56.59 ft | — |
About This Gauge
NWS LID
HEEA4
River
Mississippi River
County
Phillips, AR
Coordinates
34.5158°N, 90.5842°W
Get Flood Alerts for Mississippi River
StormCast monitors this gauge and sends a push notification to your phone when the water level crosses into a new flood category — even at 3 AM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current water level of Mississippi River at Helena?
The Mississippi River at Helena gauge is maintained by USGS and reports water levels every 15 minutes. Visit this page to see the latest reading updated live, or download StormCast to get push alerts when levels rise.
What is flood stage for Mississippi River at Helena?
The NWS-defined flood stage for Mississippi River at Helena is 44 feet. Action stage begins at 40 feet. Moderate flooding starts at 50 feet, and major flooding at 55 feet.
How do I get alerts when Mississippi River rises?
Download StormCast free on Google Play, go to River Gauges, and add Mississippi River at Helena to your watchlist. StormCast will send a push notification to your phone whenever the water level crosses into a new NWS flood category — even when your screen is off.
Where is the Mississippi River at Helena gauge located?
The gauge is located in Phillips County, Arkansas at coordinates 34.5158°N, 90.5842°W. Data is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service.
More Gauges on Mississippi River
On This River
More Resources
Source & Notes
Data provided by: US Army Corps of Engineers, Observations courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- 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.