Apalachicola River near Blountstown
Florida — Water Level & Flood Stage
Located in Calhoun County, Florida on the Apalachicola River. Live water level data from USGS gauge 02358700, updated every 15 minutes.
Current Water Level
Gage Height
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Streamflow
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Last Reading
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Flood Stages
Major Flood
26 ft
Moderate Flood
23.5 ft
Minor Flood
17 ft
Action Stage
13 ft
Flood stages defined by the National Weather Service. Gage height data from USGS Water Resources.
What Floods at Each Level
29 ft
Record flooding in Blountstown. Water crosses North Main Street at NW Folsom Avenue. State Road 69 at NE Pear Street floods. In Pine Island, NE Hickory Street floods, affecting a few homes on NE Gum Street and NE Bay Street.
28 ft
A few homes north of Blountstown on NE Pear Street will flood. Flood waters approach North Main Street. Along SE River Street, significant residential flooding continues.
27 ft
Flooding continues to expand along SE River Street. Many homes are flooded south of SE Ray Street. In Liberty County, all residences downstream of the Bristol Boat Ramp are flooded.
26 ft
Major flooding in Blountstown. Numerous homes flooded along SE River Street south of SE Ray Avenue. North of Downtown Blountstown, NE Pear Street floods and water approaches two homes on the west side of NE Pear Street.
25 ft
The road to the Bristol Boat Ramp at NW River Park Road is closed in Liberty County. Homes west of the boat ramp begin to flood. In Blountstown, flooding expands around homes near SE River Street.
24.8 ft
Water will reach the foundations of two houses east on highway 20. Flooding will also occur in Blountstown on Mayhaw.
24.5 ft
In Blountstown, the area from the boat landing to Tupelo Street will be underwater. Lake Grove Road to the Chipola Cutoff area will flood in Gulf County. Water will approach homes at Red Bull Island and the Dalkeith and Howard Creek areas in Gulf County. The 24.5 foot level at Blountstown may at times not be representative of river levels in these areas due to tidal effects, winds, or local rainfall and should be used with caution.
24.1 ft
Water begins to flood NE Magnolia Street in Pine Island east of NE Hickory Street. In Blountstown, water begins to surround homes east of SE Pear Street to SE River Street. In Liberty County, flooding expands at the Bristol Boat Ramp affecting more residences.
24 ft
The Wewahitchka area in Gulf County will be affected downstream of Blountstown. Minor house flooding will occur at Kentucky Landing, Chipola Cutoff, Red Bull Island, Douglas Landing, Brants Landing, Willis Landing and Howards Creek area. The 24.0 ft level at Blountstown may at time not be representative of river levels in these areas due to tidal effects, winds or local rainfall and should be used with caution.
23.5 ft
Water will reach the walkway to Neal Lumber Office in Blountstown. Houses downstream at the Chipola Cutoff in the Wewahitchka area will begin to flood. The 23.5 foot level at Blountstown may at times not be representative of river levels in these areas due to tidal effects, winds, or local rainfall and should be used with caution.
23 ft
Water crosses the low water crossing on Parrish Lake East 3 miles before the end of the road in Calhoun County.
22 ft
Minor lowland flooding will occur on many roads including Byrd Parker Road, Warmouth Drive, Gaskin Park, the end of Lake Grove Road, Elm Street on Red Bull Island, and Lower Landing on Howards Creek in Gulf County. The 22.0 ft level at Blountstown may at times not be representative of river levels in the these areas due to tidal effects, winds, or local rainfall and should be used with caution. In Liberty County, a home on River Road downstream of the Bristol Boat Ramp begins to flood on the lower level.
21 ft
Ocheessee Landing in Calhoun County is flooded, restricting access to the boat ramp and parking area. Kennedy Creek at Forest Road 115 in Liberty County floods.
20 ft
The boat ramp at Estiffanulga in Liberty County floods.
19 ft
Minor lowland flooding will occur at Douglas Landing and Willis Landing Campgrounds in Gulf County. The 19.0 ft level at Blountstown may at times not be representative of river levels in these areas due to tidal effects, winds, or local rainfall and should be used with caution.
18 ft
Forest Road 115 in Liberty County at River Styx Campground will flood, isolating access to the site.
17 ft
John Redd Road in Calhoun County will begin to flood one half mile west of the boat landing, restricting access to the area. The lower portion of the boat ramp in Blountstown floods at this level.
Impact statements from the National Weather Service, describing what typically happens at each water level.
Low-Water Impacts
7 ft
Most Tupelo-Cypress swamps in nontidal reaches of the annual floodplain are exposed and no longer inundated at 7 ft. Inundation in wetland forests March-May is important habitat for the primary fish spawning season, and also maintains healthy forest structure and species composition in swamps. Extent/reach: Approx. 19,000 acres of Tupelo-Cypress swamps bordering 57 miles of river (mile 21-78).
6 ft
Barges and large boats cannot navigate the river (at Blountstown gage of 6 feet or lower, which is approximately equivalent to 13,000 cfs at Chattahoochee gage). Reach: Upper 86 miles (mile 21-107),especially at problems reaches (e.g. near Corley Slough).
4 ft
Essentially all (>99%) tupelo-cypress swamps in nontidal reaches of the annual floodplain are exposed and no longer inundated at 4 ft. Inundated wetland forests provide important habitat in March-May for the primary fish spawning season, and in June-Sept for the secondary spawning season and primary nursery season. Extent/reach: Approx. 19,000 acres of Tupelo-Cypress swamps bordering 57 miles of river (mile 21-78). About half of all streams and sloughs in nontidal floodplain become impassable at 4 ft, blocking access from main stem to floodplain for fish, fisherman, and hunters. Extent/reach: Floodplain streams, sloughs, and lakes along 86 river miles (mile 21-107).
3.5 ft
In some areas of the estuary, salinity levels increase to intolerable or lethal levels for estuarine biota (oysters, submerged aquatic vegetations, benthic invertebrates, etc). Extent/reach: Nearly 100 miles of brackish-water streams in the lower Apalachicola River and distributaries, plus approx. 110,000 acres of bays and sounds in the Apalachicola Bay system.
.3 ft
More than 85% of all streams and sloughs in nontidal floodplain become impassable at 0.3 ft, blocking access from main stem to floodplain for fish, fisherman, and hunters. Extent/reach: Floodplain streams, sloughs, and lakes along 86 river miles (mile 20-106). In many areas of the estuary, salinity levels increase to intolerable or lethal levels for estuarine biota (oysters, submerged aquatic vegetations, benthic invertebrates, etc). Extent/reach: Nearly 100 miles of brackish-water streams in the lower Apalachicola River and distributaries, plus approx. 110,000 acres of bays and sounds in the Apalachicola Bay system.
What happens as water levels drop, per the National Weather Service.
7-Day Water Level Chart
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Historic Crests
| Date | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1929 | 28.6 ft | — |
| Mar 20, 1929 | 28.6 ft | — |
| Jan 26, 1925 | 27.9 ft | — |
| Jan 26, 1925 | 27.9 ft | — |
| Mar 12, 1998 | 27.23 ft | — |
Flood Inundation Map
NOAA has mapped what areas flood at different water levels for this gauge. View the interactive flood inundation map →
About This Gauge
USGS Site
NWS LID
BLOF1
River
Apalachicola River
County
Calhoun, FL
Coordinates
30.4250°N, 85.0314°W
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current water level of Apalachicola River near Blountstown?
The Apalachicola River near Blountstown gauge is maintained by USGS (site 02358700) 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 Apalachicola River near Blountstown?
The NWS-defined flood stage for Apalachicola River near Blountstown is 17 feet. Action stage begins at 13 feet. Moderate flooding starts at 23.5 feet, and major flooding at 26 feet.
How do I get alerts when Apalachicola River rises?
Download StormCast free on Google Play, go to River Gauges, and add Apalachicola River near Blountstown 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 Apalachicola River near Blountstown gauge located?
The gauge is located in Calhoun County, Florida at coordinates 30.4250°N, 85.0314°W. USGS site number: 02358700. Data is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service.
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Source & Notes
Data provided by: Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey
- 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.