The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center (LMRFC) released the update below (today) to document the low river stage conditions. The LMRFC provided the following text along with this update that details low water stage predictions from Cairo (IL) to Baton Rouge (LA). 

“No rainfall and no changes from Monday’s update.

The lower Ohio River continues to have stage fluctuations due to lock/dam operations.  Cairo, IL was at 7.3ft this morning and it is expected to rise a few more tenths by tomorrow morning. 

The 7 day forecast doesn’t show much rainfall over the basin.  Some of the long range models are hinting at better chances of rainfall over the lower Missouri and middle Mississippi Valleys by next weekend.  Right now, the long range river models are not picking up on any additional runoff from this potential rainfall event.

The 16 day future rainfall model continues to show falls on the lower Ohio and lower Mississippi Rivers through the rest of September into mid October.  The forecast for Cairo, IL still shows river levels approaching the 5.0ft level by the end of the month.  The forecast levels for the end of the month would be similar to 2022 levels.” (Emphasis supplied)

The Carrolton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1200 hours today was 2.31 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.49 feet. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts stages will continue a slow rise to 3.1 feet by September 21 and then begin a steady fall to 2.5 feet on October 13 (2023). *The forecasts keep the stage between 2.3 feet and 3.1 feet from September 16 through October 13 (2023). 

Long-range forecasts only include precipitation expected to fall in the next 48-hours.

The highest crest in 2023 recorded on the Carrollton Gage was recorded April 13 at 14.10 feet and the lowest stage of the year was recorded at 1.47 feet on July 5, 2023.