National Weather Service St. Louis River Summary
Observed stages, 24-hour changes, and forecast information for Mississippi River points including Alton and Melvin Price Lock and Dam.
Open official sourceOFFICIAL RIVER INFORMATION
River Watch
A practical starting point for current Mississippi River information near Alton, Illinois.
CHECK THE SOURCE
Current information changes on its own schedule.
River conditions, channel activity, and notices can change independently. This page points to the official sources that crews, dispatchers, and shoreside teams can check before confirming a handoff window or discussing a current condition.
USACE St. Louis Weekly Status Report
A weekly overview of channel conditions, dredge status, marker status, stages, forecasts, navigation notices, and reported risks.
Open official sourceUSACE Notices to Navigation Interests
Active Corps notices for maintenance projects, hazards, restrictions, and other events affecting waterway navigation.
Open official sourceBroadcast Notices to Mariners
Searchable Coast Guard notices for navigation hazards and events, with District 8 coverage for the inland river system.
Open official sourceUSACE E-Hydro Survey Map
USACE's map-based archive for available hydrographic surveys. A survey is a dated snapshot, not a vessel arrival schedule or navigation instruction.
Open official sourceDAILY WATCH NOTES
Short updates. Clear sources.
Morning check: October 15, 2026 at 6:28 AM CDT. The latest NWS River Summary is dated October 14: Alton 17.1 feet (down 2.0), Mel Price 11.1 feet (up 0.8), and St. Louis 13.6 feet (up 1.5). USACE's October 6 Lock 25 notice listed an October 13 construction-related closure; the listed date is now past, so later official updates control. These are dated planning context before the next issuance.
Sources reviewed:
- NWS St. Louis River Summary: Reviewed October 15, 2026 at 6:28 AM CDT. The latest published River Summary is dated October 14, 2026; its observations are dated planning context rather than a current October 15 reading.
- USACE St. Louis Weekly Status Report: Reviewed October 15, 2026 at 6:28 AM CDT. The status-report page did not permit a current listing review during this check, so no newer weekly channel-condition report was confirmed. Previously published reports remain dated planning context; the report itself controls.
- USACE St. Louis Survey Pages / E-Hydro postings: Reviewed October 15, 2026 at 6:28 AM CDT. The survey page did not permit a current listing review during this check, so no newer local survey posting was confirmed. Surveys are dated context, not current conditions.
- USACE Notices to Navigation Interests: Reviewed October 15, 2026 at 6:28 AM CDT. No newer local navigation-condition item was confirmed during this review. The official notices control.
- Coast Guard District 8 Upper Mississippi Broadcast Notices to Mariners: Reviewed October 15, 2026 at 6:28 AM CDT. No newer local Alton/Melvin Price condition item was confirmed during this review. The official notice controls.
Planning context for October 15: the October 14 NWS River Summary is the latest published summary during this morning's review. Review the NWS river summary, USACE status and survey pages, and District 8 notice listings. The status and survey pages did not permit a current listing review, and no additional local condition item was confirmed in the official source listings reviewed. The October 14 NWS observations remain dated context. Those reported details belong to their official sources. River stages alone do not establish vessel access or a delivery window. The NWS defines river stage as the water-surface level above an established datum at a given location, so preserve the gauge name and issuance date when using it as planning context.
This page receives a dated morning check every day. If no material official update is available, the page says that directly instead of treating older conditions as new. If a source has a newer update, the source itself controls.
River Watch is general information, not navigation advice, a safety directive, or a promise about vessel access, timing, or delivery availability.
ROLLING 14-DAY LOG
Recent daily checks, kept in view.
The newest fourteen published checks stay here in reverse chronological order. Entries are dated snapshots of the source review, not live navigation directions or delivery commitments.
6:28 AM CDT
The latest NWS River Summary is dated October 14: Alton 17.1 feet (down 2.0), Mel Price 11.1 feet (up 0.8), and St. Louis 13.6 feet (up 1.5). For upstream planning context, USACE’s October 6 Lock 25 notice listed an October 13 construction-related closure; its stated date is now past, so later official updates control.
USACE Notice to Navigation Interests8:22 AM CDT
No material official local condition update was confirmed during this morning review of the NWS St. Louis River Summary, USACE St. Louis status and survey pages, USACE Notices to Navigation Interests, and Coast Guard District 8 notices. Previously published information remains dated context; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:34 AM CDT
Before the next NWS issuance, the latest River Summary is dated October 12: Alton 15.8 feet (down 0.4), Mel Price 11.6 feet (down 0.4), and St. Louis 14.5 feet (down 0.8). No newer local USACE or Coast Guard condition item was confirmed in the official source listings reviewed this morning; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:28 AM CDT
No material official local condition update was confirmed during this morning review of the NWS St. Louis River Summary, USACE St. Louis status and survey pages, USACE Notices to Navigation Interests, and Coast Guard District 8 notices. The latest NWS summary remains dated October 10; previously published information remains dated context, and official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:30 AM CDT
Before the next NWS issuance, the latest River Summary remains October 10: Alton 14.8 feet (up 0.4), Mel Price 13.4 feet (down 1.5), and St. Louis 17.4 feet (down 2.1). No additional local condition item was confirmed in the official source listings reviewed this morning; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:31 AM CDT
Before the next NWS issuance, the latest River Summary remains October 9: Alton 14.4 feet (up 0.2), Mel Price 14.8 feet (down 1.6), and St. Louis 19.5 feet (down 2.1). No newer local USACE or Coast Guard condition item was confirmed during this morning review; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:28 AM CDT
No material official local condition update was confirmed during this morning review of the NWS St. Louis River Summary, USACE St. Louis status and survey pages, USACE Notices to Navigation Interests, and Coast Guard District 8 notices. Previously published information remains dated context; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:33 AM CDT
Before the next NWS issuance, the latest published River Summary remains October 6: Alton 15.6 feet (up 0.2), Mel Price 18.5 feet (up 1.5), and St. Louis 24.0 feet (up 2.7). A new USACE update adds an October 13 Lock and Dam 25 construction-closure date upstream of the Alton/Melvin Price reach; the official notice controls.
USACE Notice to Navigation Interests10:42 AM CDT
The October 6 NWS River Summary reports Alton 15.6 feet (up 0.2), Mel Price 18.5 feet (up 1.5), and St. Louis 24.0 feet (up 2.7). No newer local USACE or Coast Guard condition item was confirmed during this review; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:31 AM CDT
The October 4 NWS River Summary reports Alton 16.5 feet (down 1.5), Mel Price 12.9 feet (up 2.9), and St. Louis 15.3 feet (up 4.2). No newer local USACE or Coast Guard condition item was confirmed during this morning review; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:31 AM CDT
No material official local condition update was confirmed during this morning review of the NWS St. Louis River Summary, USACE St. Louis status and survey pages, USACE Notices to Navigation Interests, and Coast Guard District 8 notices. Previously published information remains dated context; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:32 AM CDT
Before the next NWS issuance, the latest published River Summary remains October 2: Alton 15.4 feet (up 0.7), Mel Price 9.3 feet (down 0.8), and St. Louis 10.4 feet (down 1.3). A new USACE notice states that dredging begins at Melvin Price's Auxiliary Lock October 3 and that the Auxiliary Lock is closed for that work; the official notice controls.
USACE Notice to Navigation Interests1:47 PM CDT
The October 2 NWS River Summary reports Alton 15.4 feet (up 0.7), Mel Price 9.3 feet (down 0.8), and St. Louis 10.4 feet (down 1.3). No newer local USACE or Coast Guard condition item was confirmed during this afternoon review; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River Summary6:32 AM CDT
Before the next NWS issuance, the latest published River Summary remains September 30: Alton 14.3 feet (steady), Mel Price 11.3 feet (down 0.6), and St. Louis 13.5 feet (down 1.7). No newer local USACE or Coast Guard condition item was confirmed during this morning review; official sources control.
NWS St. Louis River SummaryPLANNING A HANDOFF?
Bring the river context into the request.
Include the vessel or tow name, intended meeting area, timing range, and a current contact. That gives everyone a clearer starting point if conditions or schedules change.
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