Around here
Around Big Blue River
Source: USGS GNIS · Public land: USGS PAD-US · Forest roads: USDA Forest Service MVUM · BLM routes and areas: Bureau of Land Management (simplified for web display)
About this river
Big Blue River is a 62.1 mile river near Canoe Country in Indiana. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Big Blue River at Shelbyville, IN (site 03361500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 7. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1944 to 2025
Big Blue River typically runs highest in March, at a median 559 cfs, and lowest in September, at 93 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 19,200 cfs, in 2025.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 353 | 195 to 657 |
| February | 398 | 249 to 771 |
| March | 559 | 347 to 960 |
| April | 519 | 343 to 900 |
| May | 392 | 276 to 658 |
| June | 303 | 184 to 540 |
| July | 193 | 142 to 373 |
| August | 117 | 86 to 174 |
| September | 93 | 67 to 145 |
| October | 102 | 74 to 173 |
| November | 154 | 102 to 297 |
| December | 268 | 141 to 560 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 82 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Big Blue River at Shelbyville, IN (site 03361500). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
3 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Big Blue River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Irwin Park Public Access SiteBig Blue RiverPublic
- Flat Rock River Public Access SouthFlatrock RiverPublic
- Wilbur Wright Fish & Wildlife AreaProvince PondPublic
Made to print
Put Big Blue River on your wall
This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Big Blue River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
