North Branch Park River at Hartford water level

Name: North Branch Park River at Hartford 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, North Branch Park River, Connecticut, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.73ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT (44 min ago)

Flow: 15.2 cfs
Water temperature: 49 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The North Branch Park River at Hartford is at 1.73 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.11 ft above the median of 1.62 ft for mid-October, based on 15 years of readings. It is 6.27 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.73 ft as well.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.55 ft and 3.93 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 49 °F.

Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.62 ft0.11 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.45 ft – 2.58 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.73 ft0.00 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.55 ft – 3.93 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.40 ft – 6.78 ft
Highest on record: 18.80 ftAugust 19, 1955

Floating and fishing near North Branch Park River at Hartford

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

Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 6.27 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft: This is a life threatening flood. Significant flooding will occur along the river and will spread through much of westbrook village. Other flood prone locations at 17 feet include Albany Avenue and pembroke, thomaston and palm streets.
15.00 ft: Significant flooding to both business and residential areas along the north branch of the park river is likely. If you are urged to evacuate, do so immediately. Flooding will spread across elizabeth and asylum streets as well as woodside circle. Never venture into flooded areas. You will only hamper efforts of the local police and emergency management people.
13.00 ft: Anyone in a flood prone location must act quickly to escape flood waters. Flooding is likely to spread across portions of Capital Avenue, Willow Street and homestead aveneue. If you are asked to evacuate, do so immediately. Follow the directions provided by your local officials.
11.00 ft: Be ready to act quickly if you are in an area prone to flooding. Flooding is expected along sections of Forest Street, Framington Avenue, as well as portions of Untless Lane and the lowest lying section of westbrook village along mark Twain Drive.
8.00 ft: Lowland flooding will occur along the north branch of the park river. Portions of the university of hartford campus parking lots along the river will become flooded. Action must be taken now to protect cars in these lots. Never try to cross a flooded roadway. The Road may be damaged or washed out.
1.73 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	18.80 ft	August 19, 1955
2	12.43 ft	September 2, 2021
3	12.40 ft	October 16, 1955
4	12.22 ft	September 8, 2011
5	11.86 ft	June 6, 1982
6	11.81 ft	January 25, 1938
7	11.70 ft	September 17, 1999
8	11.20 ft	March 12, 1936
9	10.50 ft	June 6, 1992
10	10.43 ft	January 25, 2019

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:09 AM Sunset 06:03 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Connecticut River at HartfordTidal gauge, Connecticut River	3.45 ft	Normal	+0.39 ft	2.3 mi
Hockanum River near East HartfordRiver gauge, Hockanum River	2.14 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	6 mi
Farmington River at TariffvilleRiver gauge, Farmington River	1.50 ft	Normal	−0.12 ft	9 mi
Farmington River at UnionvilleRiver gauge, Farmington River	5.05 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	9 mi
Broad Brook at Broad BrookRiver gauge, Broad Brook	0.54 ft	Low	+0.04 ft	12 mi
Stony Brook near West SuffieldRiver gauge, Stony Brook	4.5 cfs	Normal	−0.7 cfs	12 mi
Bunnell Brook near BurlingtonRiver gauge, Bunnell Brook	2.15 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	13 mi
Nepaug River near NepaugRiver gauge, Nepaug River	15.5 cfs	Normal	+1.5 cfs	14 mi

Questions and answers

How does the North Branch Park River at Hartford compare with last year?

It is about the same as on this day last year, when the reading was 1.73 ft.

What is flood stage for the North Branch Park River at Hartford?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 6.27 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the North Branch Park River at Hartford in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.62 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.45 ft and 2.58 ft, based on 15 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 North Branch Park River at Hartford today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT, the water level was 1.73 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is North Branch Park River at Hartford rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.31 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Branch Park River at Hartford normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 15 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:01191000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.78444, -72.70806 (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	1.73 ft	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional
Flow	15.2 cfs	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional
Water temperature	49 °F	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Branch Park River at Hartford (usgs:01191000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/connecticut/north-branch-park-river-at-hartford

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