Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville water level

Name: Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville 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, Etowah River, Georgia, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

4.03ft Up 2.82 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:15 PM EDT (26 min ago)

Flow: 4,340 cfs
Water temperature: 73 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville is well above normal at 4.03 ft.

The median for mid-October is 1.48 ft, based on 27 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.55 ft above typical. It is 4.97 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.25 ft, a difference of +2.78 ft.

It has risen 2.82 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The water temperature at the gauge is 73 °F.

Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.48 ft2.55 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.15 ft – 2.59 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.25 ft+2.78 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.20 ft – 4.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.20 ft – 5.70 ft
Highest on record: 20.80 ftJanuary 1, 1946

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: Significant flooding expands further along the river downstream from the Allatoona Dam. The flood waters surrounding the base of the USGS concrete gage structure will be around 5 feet deep. Large portions of Old River Road will be flooded with water up to 3 feet deep. The significant releases from the dam will cause moderate flooding well downstream in the Cartersville area. A commerical complex off Old Mill Farm Road and homes on Waterford...Galway...Hastings and Oxford Drives will begin to flood.
12.00 ft: Moderate flooding begins. Significant flooding occurs in the woodlands along the river downstream from the Allatoona Dam. The flood waters surrounding the base of the USGS concrete gage structure will be around 3 feet deep. Portions of Old River Road will be flooded with water near one foot deep. The significant releases from the dam will likely cause moderate flooding well downstream in the Cartersville area. A commerical complex off Old Mill Farm Road will begin to flood.
11.00 ft: Minor flooding expands further into the woodlands along the river downstream from the Allatoona Dam. The flood waters surrounding the base of the USGS concrete gage structure will be around two feet deep. Low portions of Old River Road will begin to flood. The significant releases from the dam will cause minor flooding well downstream in the Cartersville area.
10.00 ft: Minor flooding continues in the woodlands along the river downstream from the Allatoona Dam. The flood waters surrounding the base of the USGS concrete gage structure will be around one foot deep. The significant releases from the dam will likely cause minor flooding well downstream in the Cartersville area.
9.00 ft: Flood stage is reached. Minor flooding begins in the woodlands along the river downstream from the Allatoona Dam. The flood waters will begin to surround the base of the USGS concrete gage structure. The significant releases from the dam will likely cause bankfull conditions well downstream in the Cartersville area.
7.00 ft: Bankfull conditions occur along the river downstream from the Allatoona Dam.
4.03 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.80 ft	January 1, 1946
2	20.00 ft	December 11, 1919
3	16.90 ft	November 29, 1948
4	16.50 ft	April 9, 1938
5	15.30 ft	January 20, 1947
6	15.00 ft	March 22, 1964
7	9.10 ft	March 27, 1952

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:59 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on the Etowah River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Etowah River at GA 136, near LanddrumRiver gauge, Etowah River	1.37 ft	Low	±0	45 mi
Etowah River at GA 9, near DawsonvilleRiver gauge, Etowah River	3.57 ft	Low	+0.06 ft	38 mi
Etowah River at Kelly Bridge Road, near MattRiver gauge, Etowah River	1.01 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	33 mi
Etowah River at CantonRiver gauge, Etowah River	1.16 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	15 mi
Etowah River at GA 61, near CartersvilleRiver gauge, Etowah River	4.79 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	5.8 mi
Etowah River near KingstonRiver gauge, Etowah River	3.33 ft	Very low	−1.97 ft	14 mi
Etowah River at GA 1 Loop, near RomeRiver gauge, Etowah River	12.75 ft	Very low	±0	22 mi
Etowah River at Coosa Valley F.g., at RomeRiver gauge, Etowah River	4.24 ft	Low	+0.12 ft	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Etowah River Allatoona Dam Tw, above CartersvilleRiver gauge, Etowah River Allatoona Dam Tw	689.88 ft	Very low	±0	0.7 mi
Allatoona Lake near CartersvilleLake, Allatoona Lake	834.72 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	0.8 mi
Richland Creek at Old Dallas Road, near DallasRiver gauge, Richland Creek	0.91 ft	Low	±0	9 mi
Two Run Creek near KingstonRiver gauge, Two Run Creek	1.15 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	10 mi
Shoal Creek at GA 108, near WaleskaRiver gauge, Shoal Creek	2.09 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	11 mi
Butler Creek at Mack Dobbs Road, near KennesawRiver gauge, Butler Creek	2.24 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	12 mi
Allatoona Creek at Stilesboro Road, near AcworthRiver gauge, Allatoona Creek	4.86 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	12 mi
Noonday Creek at Shallowford Road, near WoodstockRiver gauge, Noonday Creek	1.28 ft	Low	±0	13 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville higher than last year?

Yes, it is 2.78 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.25 ft.

What is flood stage for the Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 4.97 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.48 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.15 ft and 2.59 ft, based on 27 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 Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:15 PM EDT, the water level was 4.03 ft. Up 2.82 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville rising or falling?

Up 2.82 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 2.20 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 27 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:02394000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.16297, -84.74108 (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	4.03 ft	2026-10-21 00:15	Provisional
Flow	4,340 cfs	2026-10-21 00:15	Provisional
Water temperature	73 °F	2026-10-21 00:15	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/11905?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Etowah River at Allatoona Dam, above Cartersville (usgs:02394000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/etowah-river-at-allatoona-dam-above-cartersville

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