Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington water level

Name: Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington 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, Rock Creek, District of Columbia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.30ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:35 AM EDT (48 min ago)

Flow: 19.3 cfs
Water temperature: 55 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington, where the gauge shows 1.30 ft.

It is 5.70 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.30 ft – 2.25 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 55 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 12.33 ftJune 22, 1972

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 7.00 ft.

What happens at each level

13.40 ft: Water starts flowing over the Joyce Road Bridge.
11.83 ft: Water from Rock Creek starts flowing over the intersection of Joyce Road and Beach Drive.
9.50 ft: Water from Rock Creek starts entering the Rock Creek Park Police D3 building on Beach Drive near Joyce Road.
7.00 ft: Water starts covering the Park Police D3 parking area. Parts of Beach Drive starts flooding below Joyce Road.
4.90 ft: Picnic Area #5 off of Beach Drive starts flooding.
1.30 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.33 ft	June 22, 1972
2	11.70 ft	September 26, 1975
3	10.47 ft	June 27, 2006
4	10.20 ft	January 24, 1979
5	10.18 ft	October 9, 1976
6	8.55 ft	November 25, 1950
7	7.87 ft	July 29, 1970
8	7.62 ft	July 19, 2025
9	7.62 ft	April 28, 2011
10	7.53 ft	April 17, 2011

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sligo Creek near Takoma ParkRiver gauge, Sligo Creek	0.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	2.7 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	2.60 ft	Below flood stage	+1.30 ft	4.2 mi
Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump StationRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	4.7 mi
Hickey Run at National Arboretum at WashingtonRiver gauge, Hickey Run	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	5.0 mi
Northeast Branch Anacostia River at RiverdaleRiver gauge, Northeast Branch Anacostia River	0.42 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	6 mi
Paint Branch near College ParkRiver gauge, Paint Branch	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Watts Branch at WashingtonRiver gauge, Watts Branch	4.14 ft	Below flood stage	±0	7 mi
Dead Run at Whann Avenue near McLeanRiver gauge, Dead Run	1.15 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 5.70 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 Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:35 AM EDT, the water level was 1.30 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.15 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington?

The highest level on record is 12.33 ft on June 22, 1972.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01648010 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.96017, -77.04206 (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	1.30 ft	2026-10-21 09:35	Provisional
Flow	19.3 cfs	2026-10-21 09:35	Provisional
Water temperature	55 °F	2026-10-21 09:35	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rock Creek at Joyce Rd Washington (usgs:01648010). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/district-of-columbia/rock-creek-at-joyce-rd-washington

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