Watts Branch at Washington water level

Name: Watts Branch at 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, Watts Branch, District of Columbia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.15ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:08 PM EDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 0.9 cfs
Water temperature: 58 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Watts Branch at Washington reads 4.15 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.85 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.14 ft and 4.68 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 58 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 11.19 ftSeptember 10, 2020

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 10.00 ft, still 5.85 ft away.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	11.19 ft	September 10, 2020
2	10.42 ft	July 8, 2019
3	10.36 ft	September 26, 1994
4	10.26 ft	May 22, 2001
5	9.95 ft	June 1, 2012
6	9.72 ft	August 2, 2018
7	9.71 ft	February 24, 2016
8	9.65 ft	March 9, 1998
9	9.58 ft	January 19, 1996
10	9.53 ft	July 1, 2015

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hickey Run at National Arboretum at WashingtonRiver gauge, Hickey Run	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	1.7 mi
Northeast Branch Anacostia River at RiverdaleRiver gauge, Northeast Branch Anacostia River	0.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	4.2 mi
Rock Creek at Joyce Rd WashingtonRiver gauge, Rock Creek	1.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	7 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	0.65 ft	Below flood stage	+0.40 ft	7 mi
Sligo Creek near Takoma ParkRiver gauge, Sligo Creek	0.59 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Fourmile Run at AlexandriaRiver gauge, Fourmile Run	4.08 ft	Below flood stage	±0	9 mi
Paint Branch near College ParkRiver gauge, Paint Branch	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	±0	9 mi
Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump StationRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Watts Branch at Washington?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 5.85 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 Watts Branch at Washington today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:08 PM EDT, the water level was 4.15 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Watts Branch at Washington rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Watts Branch at Washington normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Watts Branch at Washington?

The highest level on record is 11.19 ft on September 10, 2020.

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:01651800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.90128, -76.94328 (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	4.15 ft	2026-10-21 01:08	Provisional
Flow	0.9 cfs	2026-10-21 01:08	Provisional
Water temperature	58 °F	2026-10-21 01:08	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Watts Branch at Washington (usgs:01651800). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/district-of-columbia/watts-branch-at-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