Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville water level

Name: Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville 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, Potomac River, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.55ft Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.90 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 02:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville, where the gauge shows 4.55 ft.

It is 10.45 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.18 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.90 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 02:00 PM. The 30-day range is 4.55 ft – 6.09 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 22.45 ftJune 5, 2018
Forecast peak: 4.50 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 15.00 ft.

What happens at each level

28.00 ft: Tchiffely Mill Road begins to flood due to backwater effects. Most of the C&O Canal towpath is flooded.
26.00 ft: Water covers the lock at Edwards Ferry. The access road to Violettes Lock is flooded.
24.00 ft: Water reaches the first floor ceiling at Whites Ferry store. Significant portions of the C&O Canal towpath are flooded. Backwater flooding is affecting homes on the Loudoun County side of the river near Broad Run in Sterling.
20.00 ft: The basements of the Edwards Ferry Lockhouse and Rileys Lockhouse are flooded. Backwater flooding may affect homes on the Loudoun County side of the river near Broad Run in Sterling.
18.50 ft: The parking lot at Edwards Ferry is completely covered by water. The parking lot at Seneca is partially flooded.
17.00 ft: Floodwaters begin to enter the store at Whites Ferry.
15.00 ft: Water reaches the boat ramp and lower parking area at Edwards Ferry, and begins to inundate areas near Whites Ferry.
14.70 ft: The Chisel Branch Hiker/Biker Campsite near the C&O Canal trail starts flooding.
12.25 ft: Water reaches the Whites Ferry area. Ferry service may be suspended.
4.55 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	22.45 ft	June 5, 2018
2	21.80 ft	September 29, 2018
3	21.57 ft	September 29, 2018
4	21.25 ft	May 15, 2025
5	21.09 ft	May 17, 2014
6	20.98 ft	December 17, 2018
7	20.31 ft	September 11, 2018
8	19.77 ft	October 31, 2012
9	18.45 ft	May 8, 2022
10	17.87 ft	May 20, 2018

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 67° 42° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 63° 42° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 67° 42° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 62° 43° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 62° 39° – Wind 6 mph

25 Sun 65° 41° – Wind 7 mph

26 Mon 69° 44° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:26 PM Daylight 11 hr Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Potomac River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Potomac River at Paw PawRiver gauge, Potomac River	5.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.30 ft	61 mi
Potomac River at HancockRiver gauge, Potomac River	4.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.27 ft	56 mi
Potomac River at ShepherdstownRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.16 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	29 mi
Potomac River at Harpers FerryRiver gauge, Potomac River	2.08 ft	No reference yet	−0.27 ft	21 mi
Potomac River at Burkittsville Road at BrunswickRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.20 ft	No reference yet	−0.16 ft	17 mi
Potomac River at Point of RocksRiver gauge, Potomac River	2.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.22 ft	13 mi
Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump StationRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	21 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	1.95 ft	Below flood stage	+0.09 ft	26 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Broad Run near LeesburgRiver gauge, Broad Run	2.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	4.2 mi
Limestone Branch near LeesburgRiver gauge, Limestone Branch	0.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.9 mi
Seneca Creek at DawsonvilleRiver gauge, Seneca Creek	2.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	8 mi
Goose Creek near LeesburgRiver gauge, Goose Creek	1.67 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	8 mi
South F Catoctin Creek at RT 698 near WaterfordRiver gauge, South F Catoctin Creek	0.70 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	10 mi
North F Catoctin Creek at RT 681 near WaterfordRiver gauge, North F Catoctin Creek	1.91 ft	Below flood stage	+0.06 ft	11 mi
North F Goose Creek at RT 729 near LincolnRiver gauge, North F Goose Creek	1.55 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
Tenmile Creek near BoydsRiver gauge, Tenmile Creek	2.17 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 10.45 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 Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 PM EDT, the water level was 4.55 ft. Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville rising or falling?

Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville?

The highest level on record is 22.45 ft on June 5, 2018.

Is Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.90 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 02:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01644148 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.09864, -77.47125 (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	4.55 ft	2026-10-20 18:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville (usgs:01644148). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/potomac-river-at-edwards-ferry-near-poolesville

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