Mad River near Moretown water level

Name: Mad River near Moretown 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, Mad River, Vermont, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.69ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:00 AM EDT (31 min ago)

Flow: 83.6 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.60 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:40 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Mad River near Moretown is at 2.69 ft, in the normal range.

It is 6.31 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.60 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.69 ft and 3.22 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 19.40 ftNovember 3, 1927
Forecast peak: 2.70 ftMonday, October 19 at 08:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Mad River near Moretown

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

Flood stage here is 9.00 ft, 6.31 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

13.50 ft: About 4 feet of water will cover Route 100 south of Moretown, nearly reaching a trailer park.
12.00 ft: At 12 feet, Route 100 will be covered with water in Moretown, and Route 100B will be partially covered. Water will inundate Telephone Flats along Route 100 just north of Waitsfield.
9.00 ft: At 9 feet, the mad river begins to leave its banks. Field flooding occurs between Waitsfield and Moretown, and some local roads will flood.
2.69 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 22 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.40 ft	November 3, 1927
2	19.06 ft	August 29, 2011
3	16.34 ft	September 22, 1938
4	14.45 ft	February 11, 1981
5	14.13 ft	June 27, 1998
6	13.76 ft	March 6, 1979
7	13.72 ft	March 13, 1977
8	13.50 ft	March 15, 2007
9	13.49 ft	July 11, 2024
10	13.47 ft	August 10, 1976

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:13 AM Sunset 06:00 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min First quarter 65%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little River near WaterburyRiver gauge, Little River	86.5 cfs	Normal	−75.5 cfs	7 mi
Winooski River at MontpelierRiver gauge, Winooski River	3.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	8 mi
North Branch Winooski River at WrightsvilleRiver gauge, North Branch Winooski River	49.9 cfs	Normal	−19.3 cfs	8 mi
Dog River at Northfield FallsRiver gauge, Dog River	0.84 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	8 mi
Wrightsville Detention Reservoir @ WrightsvilleReservoir	634.35 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	9 mi
Little River near StoweRiver gauge, Little River	57.7 cfs	Normal	−15.0 cfs	11 mi
Ranch Brook at Ranch Camp, near StoweRiver gauge, Ranch Brook	5.1 cfs	Low	−1.8 cfs	16 mi
East Barre Detention Reservoir at East BarreReservoir, East Barre Detention Reservoir	1,135.33 ft	Very high	−0.17 ft	17 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Mad River near Moretown?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 6.31 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 Mad River near Moretown today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.69 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Mad River near Moretown rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Mad River near Moretown normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Mad River near Moretown?

The highest level on record is 19.40 ft on November 3, 1927.

Is Mad River near Moretown expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.60 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:04288000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.27728, -72.74262 (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	2.69 ft	2026-10-20 04:00	Provisional
Flow	83.6 cfs	2026-10-20 04:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Mad River near Moretown (usgs:04288000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/vermont/mad-river-near-moretown

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