The Lower Mississippi River Water Trail
Vicksburg Gage
At this point in the Rivergator we’ll leave the Greenville gage and switch over to the Vicksburg Gage, which is about 40 miles downstream. We’ll denote the Vicksburg Gage as “VG.” For daily river levels and weekly forecasts, go to
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/?n=lmrfc-mississippiandohioriverforecast
Water levels according to the Vicksburg Gage
Low Water = 0 to 20 VG
Medium Water = 20 to 33 VG
High Water = 33 to 43 VG
Flood Stage = 43 VG and above
VG = Vicksburg Gage
Flood Stage Warning: above 43 VG paddlers are advised to stay off the river. Limited access. Most landings and approach roads will be underwater. Most islands will be gone. No easy camping. All sandbars will be covered. Fast waters with many hazards. All islands and landings will be surrounded by flooded forests full of snags, strainers, sawyers and all other dangerous conditions associated with floodwater moving through trees. Docks, wharves, dikes and any other man-made objects will create strong whirlpools, violent boils, and fast eddies. Towboats will create large waves. The Rivergator will not describe the river and its islands at any levels above flood stage.
Water Levels and Dikes
In the Vicksburg area you can use the following scale to gage water flowing over dikes, although some dikes vary in height. Also some have been “notched” in recent years as result there will be a middle notch that you can paddle through at much lower levels of water, some places down to 0 Vicksburg gage.
Using the Vicksburg gage:
5-14 VG water flowing through notches only
15 VG – rocks still exposed on all dikes
16-17 VG dikes starting to go under, some flow through breaks & low spots
18 VG dikes completely under, but little flow
20-25 VG good flow and lots of boils & turbulence
25 VG strong flow, some turbulence, no dikes exposed anywhere
35 VG river bank full
>43 VG Flood Stage.
Warning: above 43 VG paddlers are advised to stay off the river. Limited access. Most landings and approach roads will be underwater. Most islands will be gone. No easy camping. All sandbars will be covered. Fast waters with many hazards. All islands and landings will be surrounded by flooded forests full of snags, strainers, sawyers and all other dangerous conditions associated with floodwater moving through trees. Docks,
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