East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus water level

Name: East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus 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, East Branch Herbert Run, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

0.86ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:40 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 0.7 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus is at 0.86 ft, in the normal range.

It is 6.14 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 0.85 ft and 1.67 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 13.25 ftAugust 26, 1999

Floating and fishing near East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus

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

Flood stage here is 7.00 ft, 6.14 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Widespread flooding is occurring with water approaching the intersection of Route 1 and Tom Day Boulevard.
9.00 ft: Backyards of homes are flooded with water approaching some homes.
8.00 ft: Water approaches structures along the creek, and approaches the top of the culvert at Sulphur Spring Road.
7.00 ft: Water covers yards near Tom Day Boulevard.
6.00 ft: Water begins to flow over the retaining wall just downstream of Tom Day Boulevard.
5.70 ft: Water overflows the right bank.
0.86 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.25 ft	August 26, 1999
2	10.12 ft	July 22, 2018
3	9.27 ft	August 12, 2014
4	9.21 ft	May 27, 2018
5	8.35 ft	August 12, 2020
6	8.13 ft	July 31, 2016
7	8.11 ft	September 1, 2018
8	8.02 ft	September 18, 2018
9	7.68 ft	July 29, 2017
10	7.51 ft	August 11, 1984

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.05 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 70° 47° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 64° 44° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 68° 50° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 62° 51° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 63° 49° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 67° 48° – Wind 6 mph

26 Mon 71° 51° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 11 hr Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Patapsco River near ElkridgeRiver gauge, Patapsco River	5.54 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	1.9 mi
Gwynns Falls at Washington Blvd at BaltimoreRiver gauge, Gwynns Falls	2.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	3.1 mi
Patapsco River near CatonsvilleRiver gauge, Patapsco River	10.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	3.9 mi
Dead Run near CatonsvilleRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.7 mi
Dead Run at FranklintownRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.41 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.1 mi
Dead Run at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.31 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	5.5 mi
Dead Run Tributary at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run Tributary	2.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	5.9 mi
Sawmill Creek at Glen BurnieRiver gauge, Sawmill Creek	1.88 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 6.14 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 East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:40 PM EDT, the water level was 0.86 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus?

The highest level on record is 13.25 ft on August 26, 1999.

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:01589100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.24028, -76.69206 (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	0.86 ft	2026-10-20 17:40	Provisional
Flow	0.7 cfs	2026-10-20 17:40	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus (usgs:01589100). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/east-branch-herbert-run-at-arbutus

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