Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale water level

Name: Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale 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, Northeast Branch Anacostia River, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

0.42ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:35 AM EDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 10.4 cfs
Water temperature: 56 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale reads 0.42 ft, a normal level.

It is 7.58 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.42 ft and 0.92 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 56 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 13.37 ftJuly 3, 2022

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 8.00 ft, still 7.58 ft away.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: Numerous roads and structures are flooded.
14.00 ft: Much of Tanglewood Drive is flooded, along with some structures.
13.00 ft: Water approaches homes and businesses.
12.00 ft: Water reaches Tanglewood Drive in spots, as well as a parking lot near Riverdale.
11.00 ft: Athletic fields off Tanglewood Drive are fully flooded.
8.00 ft: The Northeast Branch Trail begins to flood in spots.
7.00 ft: Water leaves the banks and begins to cover an athletic field off Tanglewood Drive. No other impacts are noted.
0.42 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.37 ft	July 3, 2022
2	11.19 ft	July 4, 2004
3	10.85 ft	October 16, 1942
4	10.83 ft	June 26, 2006
5	10.64 ft	July 18, 1945
6	10.57 ft	September 26, 1975
7	10.20 ft	June 3, 2018
8	10.16 ft	September 5, 1979
9	9.97 ft	August 10, 2022
10	9.56 ft	May 6, 1989

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.09 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 71° 45° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 67° 44° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 68° 41° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 63° 49° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 63° 45° – Wind 6 mph

25 Sun 66° 46° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 69° 47° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min Waxing gibbous 76%

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	3.8 mi
Watts Branch at WashingtonRiver gauge, Watts Branch	4.14 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.2 mi
Sligo Creek near Takoma ParkRiver gauge, Sligo Creek	0.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	4.6 mi
Paint Branch near College ParkRiver gauge, Paint Branch	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	5.4 mi
Rock Creek at Joyce Rd WashingtonRiver gauge, Rock Creek	1.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	6 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	2.76 ft	Below flood stage	+0.99 ft	9 mi
Northwest Branch Anacostia River near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Northwest Branch Anacostia River	1.42 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	9 mi
Paint Branch Tributary near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Paint Branch Tributary	1.60 ft	Below flood stage	±0	9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 7.58 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 Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:35 AM EDT, the water level was 0.42 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale?

The highest level on record is 13.37 ft on July 3, 2022.

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:01649500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.96025, -76.92597 (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	0.42 ft	2026-10-21 09:35	Provisional
Flow	10.4 cfs	2026-10-21 09:35	Provisional
Water temperature	56 °F	2026-10-21 09:35	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale (usgs:01649500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/northeast-branch-anacostia-river-at-riverdale

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