Rainbow River at Dunnellon water level

Name: Rainbow River at Dunnellon 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, Rainbow River, Florida, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.25ft Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 03:45 PM EDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 494 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Rainbow River at Dunnellon, where the gauge shows 4.25 ft.

That puts it 0.35 ft above the median of 3.90 ft for mid-October, based on 20 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 3.38 ft (+0.87 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.25 ft – 5.12 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.90 ft0.35 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.39 ft – 5.07 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.38 ft+0.87 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.25 ft – 5.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.23 ft – 5.12 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 73° 55° – Wind 18 mph

19 Mon 77° 58° – Wind 16 mph

20 Tue 76° 55° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 79° 58° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 79° 61° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 80° 61° – Wind 13 mph

24 Sat 78° 63° – Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:58 PM Daylight 11 hr, 24 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Rainbow River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rainbow River below Rainbow Springs State ParkRiver gauge, Rainbow River	6.82 ft	No reference yet	−0.02 ft	3.4 mi
Rainbow River near DunnellonRiver gauge, Rainbow River	6.16 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	2.0 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Withlacoochee River at US 41 at DunnellonRiver gauge, Withlacoochee River	28.40 ft	Flooding	−0.14 ft	1.0 mi
Withlacoochee River at SR 200 near HolderRiver gauge, Withlacoochee River	1.92 ft	Low	−0.13 ft	7 mi
Withlacoochee River below Inglis Dam near DunnellonRiver gauge, Withlacoochee River	−1.59 ft	Very low	−2.15 ft	11 mi
Withlacoochee River at Inglis Dam near DunnellonRiver gauge, Withlacoochee River	27.32 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	11 mi
Withlacoochee R Bypass Channel near Inglis FlaRiver gauge, Withlacoochee R Bypass Channel	27.15 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	12 mi
Gum Springs near HolderRiver gauge, Gum Springs	8.97 ft	Low	±0	14 mi
Withlacoochee River near InvernessRiver gauge, Withlacoochee River	21.41 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Saragassa Canal at Crystal RiverCanal gauge, Saragassa Canal	285 cfs	Very high	+252 cfs	14 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Rainbow River at Dunnellon compare with last year?

It is 0.87 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.38 ft.

What is a normal level for the Rainbow River at Dunnellon in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.90 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.39 ft and 5.07 ft, based on 20 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 Rainbow River at Dunnellon today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 03:45 PM EDT, the water level was 4.25 ft. Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rainbow River at Dunnellon rising or falling?

Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.60 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Rainbow River at Dunnellon normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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:02313100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.04917, -82.44778 (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	4.25 ft	2026-10-18 19:45	Provisional
Flow	494 cfs	2026-10-18 19:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rainbow River at Dunnellon (usgs:02313100). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/rainbow-river-at-dunnellon

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