Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine water level

Name: Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Big Black River, Maine, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.65ft Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT (37 min ago)

Flow: 90.1 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine reads 3.65 ft, a normal level.

It is 9.85 ft below the flood stage of 13.50 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.19 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.65 ft and 4.20 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.62 ftApril 1, 1987

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 13.50 ft, still 9.85 ft away.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft: The Depot Road bridge is fully inundated and likely damaged by debris. Extensive forest flooding occurs from the Maine and Quebec border downstream to Maibec Road. Remote sporting camps approximately 3 miles downstream of the Depot Road gage in T14 R15 WELS experience significant inundation.
16.00 ft: Extremely dangerous flood flows reach the lower bridge supports on Depot Road in T14 R16 WELS. Up to 2 feet of swiftly moving water overruns the south side of the Depot Road river crossing. Floodwaters surround and isolate remote sporting camps about 3 miles downstream of the gage in T14 R15 WELS. Remote wilderness forests downstream of the gage face widespread inundation of 2 to 5 feet. Overall flooding is similar to the April 1987 event.
15.00 ft: Floodwaters begin to isolate wilderness camps approximately 3 miles downstream of the Depot Road gage. Backwater flooding into forested areas may completely cut off these camps from the North Woods road network. Depot Road experiences up to 1 foot of dangerously fast-flowing water on the south side of the river crossing.
13.50 ft: Depot Road begins to flood on the right bank of the river due to constrictions at the Depot Road bridge. Floodwaters threaten remote wilderness camps approximately 3 miles downstream of the gage. Significant flooding occurs in low-lying forests from the Quebec border downstream to the Maibec Road bridge, alongside minor flooding of properties along the Maine and Quebec border.
12.50 ft: The river floods primarily rural, forested areas of the North Woods. Water begins to threaten remote wilderness camps downstream of the Depot Road gage.
12.00 ft: The river approaches bankfull and begins spilling into mainly rural forests, threatening low-lying property along the Maine and Quebec border.
3.65 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.62 ft	April 1, 1987
2	14.59 ft	April 17, 1994
3	14.17 ft	April 2, 1986
4	14.03 ft	April 21, 2019
5	13.88 ft	April 30, 2008
6	13.69 ft	April 10, 1991
7	13.41 ft	April 22, 1996
8	13.29 ft	April 23, 1992
9	12.95 ft	April 24, 2009
10	12.88 ft	May 17, 1997

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:04 AM Sunset 05:44 PM Daylight 10 hr, 40 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
St. John River at Ninemile Bridge, MaineRiver gauge, St. John River	1.91 ft	Below flood stage	−0.28 ft	13 mi
Allagash River near Allagash, MaineRiver gauge, Allagash River	2.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	34 mi
St. John River at Dickey, MaineRiver gauge, St. John River	4.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.24 ft	35 mi
St. Francis River at Outlet of Glasier LakeRiver gauge, St. Francis River	0.70 m	Low	+0.01 m	70 km

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine?

The official flood stage is 13.50 ft. The level is currently 9.85 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT, the water level was 3.65 ft. Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine rising or falling?

Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine?

The highest level on record is 15.62 ft on April 1, 1987.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01010070 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.89389, -69.75167 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	3.65 ft	2026-10-20 19:00	Provisional
Flow	90.1 cfs	2026-10-20 19:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Black River near Depot Mtn, Maine (usgs:01010070). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maine/big-black-river-near-depot-mtn-maine

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer