Sandy River near Madrid, Maine water level

Name: Sandy River near Madrid, 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, Sandy River, Maine, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.06ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 07:00 PM EDT (14 min ago)

Flow: 15.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Sandy River near Madrid, Maine is at 5.06 ft, in the normal range.

It is 4.44 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft.

It has dropped 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.99 ft and 5.29 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: 12.79 ftDecember 18, 2023

Floating and fishing near Sandy River near Madrid, Maine

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 9.50 ft, 4.44 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.79 ft: Flood comparable to December 2023. Considerable flood damage to numerous buildings and roads throughout the upper Sandy River.
11.00 ft: Major flooding occurs. Widespread severe flooding in Phillips, Avon, Madrid, and Strong. Route 4 inundated, cutting off access in and out of the area.
10.00 ft: Moderate flooding occurs. Water reaches Route 4 between Strong and Farmington by the locally referred to Devil's Elbow. Water up to homes in Phillips.
9.50 ft: Bridge Street in Phillips flooded.
9.00 ft: Water up to River Road in Madrid.
5.06 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.79 ft	December 18, 2023
2	10.90 ft	August 28, 2011
3	10.64 ft	May 1, 2023
4	9.89 ft	October 30, 2017
5	9.84 ft	July 1, 2017
6	8.33 ft	April 27, 2019
7	8.12 ft	January 10, 2016

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.29 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 50° 28° – Wind 6 mph

19 Mon 58° 37° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 57° 38° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 54° 33° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 52° 36° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 43° 29° – Wind 15 mph

24 Sat 53° 28° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:03 AM Sunset 05:52 PM Daylight 10 hr, 49 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Sandy River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sandy River near FarmingtonRiver gauge, Sandy River	3.12 ft	No reference yet	−0.11 ft	19 mi
Sandy River near Mercer, MaineRiver gauge, Sandy River	3.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	29 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Swift River near Roxbury, MaineRiver gauge, Swift River	1.42 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	16 mi
Androscoggin River at Rumford, MaineRiver gauge, Androscoggin River	3.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	21 mi
Ellis River at South Andover, MaineRiver gauge, Ellis River	5.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	22 mi
Carrabassett River near North Anson, MaineRiver gauge, Carrabassett River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	26 mi
Diamond River near Wentworth LocationRiver gauge, Diamond River	176 cfs	Normal	−87.0 cfs	28 mi
Dead River near Dead River, MaineRiver gauge, Dead River	357 cfs	Normal	±0	29 mi
Kennebec River near Madison, MaineRiver gauge, Kennebec River	3,630 cfs	Normal	+1,660 cfs	30 mi
Androscoggin River at ErrolRiver gauge, Androscoggin River	1,060 cfs	Low	±0	32 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Sandy River near Madrid, Maine?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 4.44 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 Sandy River near Madrid, Maine today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:00 PM EDT, the water level was 5.06 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Sandy River near Madrid, Maine rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Sandy River near Madrid, Maine normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Sandy River near Madrid, Maine?

The highest level on record is 12.79 ft on December 18, 2023.

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:01047200 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.85778, -70.48528 (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	5.06 ft	2026-10-19 23:00	Provisional
Flow	15.5 cfs	2026-10-19 23:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sandy River near Madrid, Maine (usgs:01047200). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maine/sandy-river-near-madrid-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