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

“Significant falls are occurring on the lower Mississippi River and forecasts are showing river levels approaching 2022 levels in late September to early October.  

The long range forecasts are not showing much rainfall over the Mississippi River drainage during the next couple of weeks. 

The lower Ohio River at Cairo, IL was at 6.5ft this morning and it is expected to fall 1 to 2 feet over the next month.  

The 16 day future rainfall model is showing continued falls for September into early October.  The forecast is showing Cairo, IL approaching 5.0ft by the end of the month. 

Stage fluctuations are occurring on the lower Ohio River due to lock/dam operations and power generation.”(Emphasis supplied)

The Carrolton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1200 hours today was 3.28 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.01 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 fall to 3.0 feet on October 6 (2023).

*The forecasts keep the stage between 3.5 feet tomorrow with a low of 2.6 feet for several non-consecutive days over the forecast time period September 9 through October 6 (2023).
Long-range forecasts only include precipitation expected to fall in the next 48-hours.

However, precipitation projected over the next 72-hours could lead to another small rise in the 28-day predictionsover the next few days.

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.