Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine water level

Name: Kennebec River at North Sidney, 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, Kennebec River, Maine, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.93ft Up 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 05:15 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 3,130 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.60 ft by Monday, October 19 at 02:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:40 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine, where the gauge shows 5.93 ft.

It is 14.07 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft.

It is on the way up, by 0.35 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.60 ft by Monday, October 19 at 02:00 PM. There is still 14.07 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 5.49 ft – 5.95 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 39.31 ftApril 2, 1987
Forecast peak: 5.60 ftMonday, October 19 at 02:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 20.00 ft.

What happens at each level

39.00 ft: The river is nearing or exceeding flood levels seen during the historic 1987 flood. Follow the directions of local officials if you are asked to evacuate.
34.00 ft: Many homes and businesses are severely flooded or are totally isolated for an extended duration between Waterville and North Sidney. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation. Roadways will remain unsafe during and after the storm and driving will be extremely hazardous.
31.50 ft: Extensive flooding with major damage to roads, bridges and structures from Fairfield to Sidney. Flood levels are comparable with the severe December 2023 flooding. Several main thruways flooded making travel very difficult. Don’t put first responders at risk, follow local officials’ instructions on evacuation and safety precautions.
29.00 ft: Major flooding occurs. Closure of Route 201 is possible near Davis Street in Fairfield and Halifax Street in Winslow. In Fairfield, impacts expand to multiple properties along Upper Main Street, Water Street, and Bunker Island. Follow the directions of local officials if you are asked to evacuate.
25.00 ft: Moderate flooding occurs. In Fairfield, water surrounds properties and inundates basements of low lying properties off Upper Main Street and Water Street. Impacts expand to buildings on Mill Road and Lithgow Street in Winslow. Impacts along Route 201 in Winslow are possible if concurrent with high flows along the Sebasticook River.
22.50 ft: In Fairfield, floodwaters expand from Water Street to Dyer Court cutting off access to properties. Floodwaters reach Lithgow Street in Winslow.
20.00 ft: Lowest portions of Winslow and Fairfield begin to flood. The most flood prone areas include Lithgow Street in Winslow and Water Street in Fairfield. Residents along the river in low lying areas should prepare for flooding if additional rises occur.
17.00 ft: The river is at bankfull in low lying areas, and high flows could cause some erosion.
5.93 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	39.31 ft	April 2, 1987
2	32.32 ft	December 19, 2023
3	26.60 ft	June 1, 1984
4	26.40 ft	April 28, 1979
5	25.69 ft	April 26, 1983
6	25.56 ft	January 28, 1986
7	24.90 ft	May 2, 2023
8	23.61 ft	April 12, 1993
9	22.29 ft	April 4, 2005
10	22.23 ft	December 19, 2003

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.05 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 51° 28° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 57° 37° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 60° 40° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 55° 34° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 61° 34° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 51° 32° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 54° 28° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:59 AM Sunset 05:49 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on the Kennebec River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kennebec River at The Forks, MaineRiver gauge, Kennebec River	474 cfs	Very low	−7.0 cfs	61 mi
Kennebec River at Bingham, MaineRiver gauge, Kennebec River	1,650 cfs	Very low	+20.0 cfs	41 mi
Kennebec River near Madison, MaineRiver gauge, Kennebec River	3,490 cfs	Normal	+1,520 cfs	23 mi
Kennebec River at Calumet Bridge at Augusta, MaineTidal gauge, Kennebec River	−0.02 ft	Below flood stage	−1.71 ft	11 mi
Kennebec River at Hallowell, MaineTidal gauge, Kennebec River	−0.01 ft	Below flood stage	−2.01 ft	14 mi
Kennebec River at Gardiner, MaineTidal gauge, Kennebec River	1.15 ft	Below flood stage	−1.11 ft	17 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cobbosseecontee Stream at Gardiner, MaineRiver gauge, Cobbosseecontee Stream	7.9 cfs	Very low	±0	17 mi
Sheepscot River at North Whitefield, MaineRiver gauge, Sheepscot River	1.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	18 mi
Sandy River near Mercer, MaineRiver gauge, Sandy River	3.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	21 mi
Carrabassett River near North Anson, MaineRiver gauge, Carrabassett River	3.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	30 mi
Ducktrap River near Lincolnville, MaineRiver gauge, Ducktrap River	0.6 cfs	Low	−0.2 cfs	32 mi
East Branch Wesserunsett Stream near Athens, MaineRiver gauge, East Branch Wesserunsett Stream	16.1 cfs	Normal	−2.4 cfs	33 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine?

The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 14.07 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 Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:15 PM EDT, the water level was 5.93 ft. Up 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine rising or falling?

Up 0.35 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine?

The highest level on record is 39.31 ft on April 2, 1987.

Is Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.60 ft by Monday, October 19 at 02:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01049265 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.47222, -69.68389 (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	5.93 ft	2026-10-19 21:15	Provisional
Flow	3,130 cfs	2026-10-19 21:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kennebec River at North Sidney, Maine (usgs:01049265). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maine/kennebec-river-at-north-sidney-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