Sligo Creek near Takoma Park water level

Name: Sligo Creek near Takoma Park 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, Sligo Creek, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

0.60ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 03:45 AM EDT (27 min ago)

Flow: 1.3 cfs
Water temperature: 55 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Sligo Creek near Takoma Park reads 0.60 ft, a normal level.

It is 4.90 ft below the flood stage of 5.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.59 ft and 1.36 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 55 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 7.52 ftJuly 19, 2025

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 5.50 ft, still 4.90 ft away.

What happens at each level

11.00 ft: Widespread flooding is occurring adjacent to Sligo Creek, affecting roads, parking lots, trails, footbridges, and vehicular bridges.
8.00 ft: Several sections of Sligo Creek Parkway are flooded, along with multiple trails and footbridges. A parking lot near Dallas Avenue also begins to flood.
7.00 ft: Footbridges and trails begin to flood, along with a portion of Sligo Creek Parkway near Maple Avenue.
6.00 ft: Sligo Creek Parkway begins to flood near the gauge location, just north of Maple Avenue.
0.60 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	7.52 ft	July 19, 2025
2	7.26 ft	July 3, 2022
3	6.79 ft	May 26, 2009
4	6.75 ft	July 25, 2018
5	6.70 ft	August 12, 2010
6	6.58 ft	August 12, 2014
7	6.13 ft	July 29, 2017
8	6.04 ft	September 1, 2021
9	5.83 ft	July 28, 2017
10	5.75 ft	June 3, 2018

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° 49° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 65° 46° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 67° 45° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 62° 49° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 64° 47° – Wind 6 mph

25 Sun 66° 48° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 69° 49° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rock Creek at Joyce Rd WashingtonRiver gauge, Rock Creek	1.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	2.7 mi
Paint Branch near College ParkRiver gauge, Paint Branch	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.9 mi
Northeast Branch Anacostia River at RiverdaleRiver gauge, Northeast Branch Anacostia River	0.42 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	4.6 mi
Hickey Run at National Arboretum at WashingtonRiver gauge, Hickey Run	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	5.2 mi
Northwest Branch Anacostia River near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Northwest Branch Anacostia River	1.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	5.6 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	2.70 ft	Below flood stage	+0.50 ft	7 mi
Watts Branch at WashingtonRiver gauge, Watts Branch	4.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Turkey Branch near RockvilleRiver gauge, Turkey Branch	4.29 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Sligo Creek near Takoma Park?

The official flood stage is 5.50 ft. The level is currently 4.90 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 Sligo Creek near Takoma Park today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:45 AM EDT, the water level was 0.60 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sligo Creek near Takoma Park rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sligo Creek near Takoma Park normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Sligo Creek near Takoma Park?

The highest level on record is 7.52 ft on July 19, 2025.

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:01650800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.98622, -77.00486 (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	0.60 ft	2026-10-21 07:45	Provisional
Flow	1.3 cfs	2026-10-21 07:45	Provisional
Water temperature	55 °F	2026-10-21 07:35	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sligo Creek near Takoma Park (usgs:01650800). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/sligo-creek-near-takoma-park

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