South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ water level

Name: South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ 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, South Branch Raritan River, New Jersey, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.52ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 92.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.40 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:26 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ is at 2.52 ft, in the normal range.

It is 5.48 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.40 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.52 ft and 2.78 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.22 ftAugust 19, 1955
Forecast peak: 2.50 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ

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

Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 5.48 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

13.50 ft: Bridge is completely submerged under water.
10.00 ft: Houses downstream begin to take on water.
8.00 ft: Right bank and approach to bridge is flooded.
5.00 ft: Minor low land flooding downstream of gauge.
2.52 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: 7 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.22 ft	August 19, 1955
2	15.16 ft	September 2, 2021
3	13.90 ft	September 16, 1999
4	13.61 ft	August 28, 2011
5	12.72 ft	January 25, 1979
6	12.55 ft	October 14, 1955
7	12.51 ft	January 7, 1905
8	12.27 ft	April 16, 2007
9	12.24 ft	January 10, 2024
10	12.22 ft	July 19, 1945

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:16 AM Sunset 06:13 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the South Branch Raritan River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Branch Raritan River near High Bridge NJRiver gauge, South Branch Raritan River	5.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi
South Branch Raritan River at South Branch NJRiver gauge, South Branch Raritan River	2.31 ft	No reference yet	−0.05 ft	9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Spruce Run at Clinton NJRiver gauge, Spruce Run	1.54 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	5.3 mi
South B Rockaway Creek at Whitehouse Station NJRiver gauge, South B Rockaway Creek	5.5 cfs	Low	−0.3 cfs	5.9 mi
Neshanic River at Reaville NJRiver gauge, Neshanic River	2.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Mulhockaway Creek at Van Syckel NJRiver gauge, Mulhockaway Creek	0.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Spruce Run at Main Street at Glen Gardner NJRiver gauge, Spruce Run	2.81 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	9 mi
North Branch Raritan River at South Branch NJRiver gauge, North Branch Raritan River	1.57 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	10 mi
North Branch Raritan River near Raritan NJRiver gauge, North Branch Raritan River	2.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	10 mi
North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJRiver gauge, North Branch Raritan River	3.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.48 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 South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.52 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ?

The highest level on record is 15.22 ft on August 19, 1955.

Is South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.40 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01397000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.57222, -74.86806 (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	2.52 ft	2026-10-20 10:00	Provisional
Flow	92.5 cfs	2026-10-20 10:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Branch Raritan River at Stanton NJ (usgs:01397000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-jersey/south-branch-raritan-river-at-stanton-nj

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