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SwedenMad River near Arcata water level
River gauge, Mad River, California, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 44.0 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.64 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 06:39 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Mad River near Arcata, where the gauge shows 5.65 ft.
It is 16.35 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft.
It is on the way up, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.64 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. There is still 16.35 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 5.59 ft – 5.70 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 32.70 ftDecember 22, 1964
- Forecast peak
- 5.66 ftSaturday, October 24 at 04:00 AM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 22.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 33.00 ft
- Disastrous flooding of all areas near the river from Blue Lake to the mouth. The river is forecast to exceed record levels. All roads in the vicinity of the river are likely to be inundated and travel will be severely restricted. Residents should be prepared to take appropriate action to protect lives and property. This would include homes in Blue Lake, Tyee City and the Arcata Bottoms, as well as US Highway 101 between Arcata and Mckinleyville.
- 32.00 ft
- Disastrous flooding of all areas near the river from Blue Lake to the mouth. The river is forecast to exceed record levels. All roads in the vicinity of the river are likely to be inundated and travel will be severely restricted. Residents should be prepared to take appropriate action to protect lives and property. This would include homes in Blue Lake, Tyee City and the Arcata Bottoms, as well as US Highway 101 between Arcata and Mckinleyville.
- 30.00 ft
- Extensive, severe flooding of all low lying areas near the river from Blue Lake downstream to the mouth. Residents in these areas should be prepared to take appropriate action to protect lives and property. Critical locations include residential areas of Blue Lake, Tyee City, and the Arcata Bottoms, as well as US Highway 101 near Janes Road and areas near Giuntoli Lane.
- 28.00 ft
- Severe flooding of all low lying areas near the river from Blue Lake downstream to the mouth. Residents in these areas should be prepared to take appropriate action to protect lives and property. This includes residential areas of Tyee City and the Arcata Bottoms, US Highway 101 near Janes Road, areas near Giuntoli Lane, and Mad River Beach Road.
- 26.00 ft
- Severe flooding along Mad River Beach Road and extensive flooding of farmlands and other roads in the area. Flooding of residential areas around Tyee City is likely. Any low lying areas near the river could be flooded. Residents in these areas should be prepared to take appropriate action to protect lives and property.
- 24.00 ft
- Extensive flooding along Mad River Beach Road and adjacent farmlands. Some homes along the river could be threatened. Flooding of roads to Tyee City. High tides and strong onshore winds will enhance flood impacts.
- 23.00 ft
- Significant flooding of portions of Mad River Beach Road and adjacent farmlands is likely. May cause water to flow across roads to Tyee City. High tides and strong, onshore winds will aggravate flood impacts.
- 22.00 ft
- Significant flooding of portions of Mad River Beach Road. Water may flow across roads to Tyee City. Flood impacts will be aggravated by high tides and strong, onshore winds.
- 21.00 ft
- Flooding of Mad River Beach Road. Water may be flowing over roads to Tyee City. Flooding will be enhanced if the time of the crest is coincident with high tides and strong onshore winds.
- 18.00 ft
- Minor flooding of Mad River Beach Road near Tyee City.
- 15.00 ft
- Minor flooding begins on the Mad River Beach Road near Tyee City.
- 5.65 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: 14 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32.70 ft | December 22, 1964 |
| 2 | 28.43 ft | December 22, 1955 |
| 3 | 27.26 ft | January 13, 2024 |
| 4 | 25.46 ft | January 1, 1997 |
| 5 | 25.40 ft | March 2, 1972 |
| 6 | 24.90 ft | February 8, 1960 |
| 7 | 24.76 ft | December 21, 2025 |
| 8 | 24.60 ft | November 13, 1957 |
| 9 | 24.17 ft | December 30, 1995 |
| 10 | 24.00 ft | January 17, 1953 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Mad River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mad River above Ruth Reservoir near Forest GlenRiver gauge, Mad River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 58 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little River near TrinidadRiver gauge, Little River | 3.8 cfs | Low | ±0 | 7 mi |
| Redwood Creek near Blue LakeRiver gauge, Redwood Creek | 4.7 cfs | Low | +1.6 cfs | 13 mi |
| Eel R A FernbridgeRiver gauge | −0.48 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 22 mi |
| Trinity R A HoopaRiver gauge | 11.10 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 22 mi |
| Redwood C A OrickRiver gauge | 10.14 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 27 mi |
| Eel R A ScotiaRiver gauge | 8.73 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 29 mi |
| Van Duzen River near BridgevilleRiver gauge, Van Duzen River | −0.31 ft | Below flood stage | +0.03 ft | 31 mi |
| Sf Trinity River below HyampomRiver gauge, Sf Trinity River | 66.0 cfs | Normal | +1.4 cfs | 35 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Mad River near Arcata?
The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 16.35 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 Mad River near Arcata today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 AM PDT, the water level was 5.65 ft. Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Mad River near Arcata rising or falling?
Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Mad River near Arcata normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Mad River near Arcata?
The highest level on record is 32.70 ft on December 22, 1964.
Is Mad River near Arcata expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.64 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:11481000(Agency page)- Coordinates
40.90982, -124.06058(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 | 5.65 ft | 2026-10-20 13:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 44.0 cfs | 2026-10-20 13:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Mad River near Arcata (usgs:11481000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/mad-river-near-arcata
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