River stage
Bluffton, Wabash River
- River level
- 2.02 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.35 ft
- Recent high
- 15.50 ft
- Recent low
- 1.28 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS BLFI3
- 30-day change
- -1.46 ft
- Average
- 3.81 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 21.00 ft
In brief
The Wabash River at Bluffton, IN read 2.02 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 4.98 ft below action stage. That is 1.46 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge BLFI3
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21.00 ft | 1913-03-25 |
| 2 | 18.43 ft | 2003-07-09 |
| 3 | 17.17 ft | 2005-01-14 |
| 4 | 16.74 ft | 2015-06-19 |
| 5 | 16.70 ft | 1904-03-01 |
| 6 | 16.43 ft | 2008-02-07 |
| 7 | 16.20 ft | 1985-02-25 |
| 8 | 16.12 ft | 2011-03-02 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 10.00 ft
The river is at flood stage. Flooding of agricultural land begins.
- 11.00 ft
River Road at Bluffton begins to flood. Flood waters isolate the amphitheater at Kehoe Park in Bluffton.
- 12.00 ft
Water reaching the bottom of the bridge at East River Road and 450 East. River Road and a few county roads are closed by high water.
- 13.00 ft
Access road to Bluffton wastewater treatment plant is flooded.
- 13.30 ft
River Road in Bluffton is flooded and closed along the River Green Way.
- 14.00 ft
Flooding begins to affect residential areas in northern Bluffton. Low areas near the wastewater treatment plant begin to flood. Portions of Elm Grove Road and County Road 450 begin to flood.
- 16.00 ft
The outlying portion of West Washington Street becomes impassible and SR 116 west of Bluffton begins to flood.
- 18.00 ft
Water approaches the power plant. Rural residences along Elm Road begin to flood and the railroad is threatened. A major flood is in progress. Commercial and municipal property along SR 1 begins to flood. Evacuations are necessary in northern parts of Bluffton. Water is at a critical level on the levee protecting the wastewater treatment plant.
- 20.00 ft
Water is at the top of the levee protecting the wastewater treatment plant. The power plant area is affected by high water with extensive flooding of rural areas. Homes are flooded and some county and state roads are closed. Flood water may stop rail traffic. A record flood is in progress at this stage. There is extensive flooding or northern parts of Bluffton. The commercial area in northwest Bluffton along SR 1 is affected by flood water. Some evacutations are necessary.
- 20.50 ft
Flood water hits the highest point of the bottom of the bridge at the gage site.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Wabash River flooding at Bluffton?
No. The Wabash River at Bluffton is at 2.02 ft, 4.98 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Bluffton?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 7 ft, minor flooding 10 ft, moderate flooding 14 ft and major flooding 18 ft.
What is the highest the Wabash River has been at Bluffton?
The highest crest on record is 21.0 ft, on 1913-03-25.
Is the Wabash River high or low right now at Bluffton?
At 2.02 ft it is higher than 32% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge BLFI3); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 03323000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.