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SwedenBig Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne water level
River gauge, Big Wills Creek, Alabama, United States
Right now
Low for late October
Water level
- Flow
- 7.2 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
At 3.80 ft, Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne is below normal for late October.
That puts it 0.19 ft below the median of 3.99 ft for late October, based on 24 years of readings. It is 7.20 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.91 ft (−0.11 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.71 ft and 4.46 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.99 ft0.19 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.73 ft – 4.89 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (24 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.91 ft−0.11 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.71 ft – 4.46 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.71 ft – 7.29 ft
- Highest on record
- 17.94 ftApril 13, 2020
What the stage means on the water
Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 11.00 ft, still 7.20 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 20.00 ft
- Widespread flooding is occurring near Fort Payne.
- 13.00 ft
- Flooding of roads and businesses on the North side of Fort Payne...North of Interstate 59...is possible.
- 11.00 ft
- Lowland flooding occurrs near the creek between Fort Payne and Collinsville.
- 10.00 ft
- The River reaches bankfull.
- 3.80 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17.94 ft | April 13, 2020 |
| 2 | 14.43 ft | June 20, 2021 |
| 3 | 14.36 ft | January 7, 2009 |
| 4 | 14.19 ft | May 6, 2003 |
| 5 | 14.13 ft | February 6, 2020 |
| 6 | 14.09 ft | March 25, 2021 |
| 7 | 13.93 ft | April 29, 2014 |
| 8 | 13.88 ft | December 26, 2015 |
| 9 | 13.43 ft | September 17, 2004 |
| 10 | 13.12 ft | March 9, 2011 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on Big Wills Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Wills Creek near Reece CityRiver gauge, Big Wills Creek | 1.62 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 28 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Sauty Creek near RainsvilleRiver gauge, South Sauty Creek | 7.17 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 10 mi |
| Little River near Blue PondRiver gauge, Little River | 1.49 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 11 mi |
| Town Creek near GeraldineRiver gauge, Town Creek | 11.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 13 mi |
| Chattooga River above GaylesvilleRiver gauge, Chattooga River | 3.77 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 18 mi |
| Coosa River at LeesburgRiver gauge, Coosa River | 563.33 ft | Very high | −0.01 ft | 18 mi |
| Coosa River at State Line, Al/River gauge, Coosa River | 13.41 ft | High | −0.04 ft | 24 mi |
| Chattooga River at SummervilleRiver gauge, Chattooga River | 1.88 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 25 mi |
| Terrapin Creek at EllisvilleRiver gauge, Terrapin Creek | 7.03 ft | Normal | +0.04 ft | 27 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne compare with last year?
It is 0.11 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.91 ft.
What is flood stage for Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne?
The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 7.20 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne in late October?
The median for late October is 3.99 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.73 ft and 4.89 ft, based on 24 years of records.
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 Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 04:45 AM EDT, the water level was 3.80 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne normal?
Low for late October. Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:02400680(Agency page)- Coordinates
34.43814, -85.76719(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 | 3.80 ft | 2026-10-21 08:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 7.2 cfs | 2026-10-21 08:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort Payne (usgs:02400680). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/big-wills-creek-at-state-highway-35-near-fort-payne
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