Patapsco River near Catonsville water level

Name: Patapsco River near Catonsville 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, Patapsco River, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

10.49ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT (32 min ago)

Flow: 72.9 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Patapsco River near Catonsville is at 10.49 ft, in the normal range.

It is 9.51 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 10.49 ft and 11.28 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: 27.15 ftMay 27, 2018

Floating and fishing near Patapsco River near Catonsville

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

Flood stage here is 20.00 ft, 9.51 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: Significant flooding is occurring along the river.
20.00 ft: River Road begins to flood.
10.49 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	27.15 ft	May 27, 2018
2	27.14 ft	July 31, 2016
3	25.17 ft	September 7, 2011
4	23.83 ft	April 30, 2014
5	22.17 ft	June 4, 2018
6	22.17 ft	August 4, 2018
7	21.20 ft	July 24, 2018
8	20.72 ft	July 26, 2018
9	20.39 ft	September 10, 2018
10	20.39 ft	July 23, 2018

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 68° 49° – Wind 14 mph

21 Wed 62° 46° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 65° 48° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 62° 50° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 59° 47° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 64° 46° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 67° 50° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 11 hr Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Patapsco River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Patapsco River at HollofieldRiver gauge, Patapsco River	1.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	4.4 mi
Patapsco River near ElkridgeRiver gauge, Patapsco River	5.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	2.7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Dead Run near CatonsvilleRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.3 mi
East Branch Herbert Run at ArbutusRiver gauge, East Branch Herbert Run	0.86 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.9 mi
Dead Run at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.29 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	4.6 mi
Dead Run Tributary near WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run Tributary	0.15 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.7 mi
Dead Run at FranklintownRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	4.9 mi
Dead Run Tributary at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run Tributary	2.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	4.9 mi
Tributary to Dead Run Tributary at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Tributary to Dead Run Tributary	0.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.3 mi
Gwynns Falls at Washington Blvd at BaltimoreRiver gauge, Gwynns Falls	2.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Patapsco River near Catonsville?

The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 9.51 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 Patapsco River near Catonsville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT, the water level was 10.49 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Patapsco River near Catonsville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Patapsco River near Catonsville normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Patapsco River near Catonsville?

The highest level on record is 27.15 ft on May 27, 2018.

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:01589025 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.25125, -76.76378 (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	10.49 ft	2026-10-20 16:30	Provisional
Flow	72.9 cfs	2026-10-20 16:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Patapsco River near Catonsville (usgs:01589025). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/patapsco-river-near-catonsville

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