Cahaba River near Suttle water level

Name: Cahaba River near Suttle 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, Cahaba River, Alabama, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

3.22ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 02:00 AM CDT (54 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.00 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 07:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:54 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Cahaba River near Suttle is running below normal at 3.22 ft.

The median for mid-October is 3.80 ft, based on 37 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.58 ft below typical. It is 28.78 ft below the flood stage of 32.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.92 ft, a difference of +0.30 ft.

It has dropped 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.00 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 07:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 2.57 ft and 8.19 ft.

Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.80 ft0.58 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.81 ft – 5.94 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.92 ft+0.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.57 ft – 8.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.57 ft – 20.13 ft
Highest on record: 44.00 ftFebruary 25, 1961
Forecast peak: 3.20 ftMonday, October 19 at 01:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Cahaba River near Suttle

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 32.00 ft, 28.78 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

43.00 ft: Some flooding of homes in the area and Highway 14 occurs.
32.00 ft: Flooding of pasture lands and low-lying agricultural lands occurs in the Suttle area.
3.22 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	44.00 ft	February 25, 1961
2	42.80 ft	March 30, 1951
3	41.55 ft	April 15, 1979
4	41.09 ft	February 18, 1990
5	40.23 ft	March 18, 1976
6	40.00 ft	March 23, 1970
7	39.14 ft	April 1, 1977
8	38.20 ft	January 13, 1972
9	37.18 ft	April 10, 2014
10	36.79 ft	March 14, 2010

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 72° 46° – Wind 11 mph

19 Mon 73° 45° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 78° 47° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 79° 52° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 80° 53° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 78° 53° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 76° 51° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:56 AM Sunset 06:13 PM Daylight 11 hr, 16 min First quarter 57%

Map

Other gauges on the Cahaba River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cahaba River near TrussvilleRiver gauge, Cahaba River	0.50 ft	No reference yet	+0.01 ft	86 mi
Cahaba River at TrussvilleRiver gauge, Cahaba River	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	83 mi
Cahaba River near Whites ChapelRiver gauge, Cahaba River	1.15 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	83 mi
Cahaba River near Mountain BrookRiver gauge, Cahaba River	0.58 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	72 mi
Cahaba River near Cahaba HeightsRiver gauge, Cahaba River	1.40 ft	Normal	±0	67 mi
Cahaba River near HooverRiver gauge, Cahaba River	2.58 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	63 mi
Cahaba River near ActonRiver gauge, Cahaba River	1.77 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	62 mi
Cahaba River near HelenaRiver gauge, Cahaba River	1.44 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	55 mi
Cahaba River near West BloctonRiver gauge, Cahaba River	2.08 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	40 mi
Cahaba River at CentrevilleRiver gauge, Cahaba River	0.53 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	29 mi
Cahaba River near Marion JunctionRiver gauge, Cahaba River	2.03 ft	Normal	−0.12 ft	6.0 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Alabama River at SelmaRiver gauge, Alabama River	18.58 ft	Normal	−0.31 ft	14 mi
Mulberry Creek at JonesRiver gauge, Mulberry Creek	0.23 ft	Very low	±0	18 mi
Alabama River at Robert F Henry Lock and DamRiver gauge, Alabama River	125.56 ft	Very high	+0.40 ft	28 mi
Big Prairie Creek near GallionRiver gauge, Big Prairie Creek	15.5 cfs	Very high	±0	28 mi
Alabama River below Robert F Henry L&d near BentonRiver gauge, Alabama River	81.08 ft	Very low	−1.96 ft	28 mi
Alabama River at Millers Ferry Dam, near CamdenReservoir, Alabama River	80.15 ft	Normal	+0.37 ft	32 mi
Alabama River below Millers Ferry L&d near CamdenRiver gauge, Alabama River	34.71 ft	Low	−0.38 ft	32 mi
Pine Barren Creek near Snow HillRiver gauge, Pine Barren Creek	1.99 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	38 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Cahaba River near Suttle higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.30 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.92 ft.

What is flood stage for the Cahaba River near Suttle?

The official flood stage is 32.00 ft. The level is currently 28.78 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Cahaba River near Suttle in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.80 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.81 ft and 5.94 ft, based on 37 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 Cahaba River near Suttle today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 02:00 AM CDT, the water level was 3.22 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Cahaba River near Suttle rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 4.97 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Cahaba River near Suttle normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 37 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:02424590 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.52930, -87.19888 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	3.22 ft	2026-10-19 07:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cahaba River near Suttle (usgs:02424590). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/cahaba-river-near-suttle

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