Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax water level

Name: Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax 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, Difficult Run, Virginia, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

0.95ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:25 AM EDT (60 min ago)

Flow: 2.1 cfs
Water temperature: 52 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The gauge at Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax reads 0.95 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.95 ft and 1.49 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 52 °F.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

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.

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.50 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

19 Mon 68° 36° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 69° 46° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 64° 43° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 67° 47° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 63° 48° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 61° 46° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 64° 45° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:25 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on Difficult Run

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Difficult Run near Great FallsRiver gauge, Difficult Run	2.79 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South F Little Difficult Run above Mouth near ViennaRiver gauge, South F Little Difficult Run	1.5 cfs	High	+0.4 cfs	1.7 mi
The Glade near Howland Drive at RestonRiver gauge, The Glade	0.3 cfs	High	±0	2.8 mi
Snakeden Branch above Lake Audubon at RestonRiver gauge, Snakeden Branch	0.8 cfs	High	+0.5 cfs	3.1 mi
Flatlick Branch above Frog Branch at ChantillyRiver gauge, Flatlick Branch	1.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.4 mi
Long Branch near AnnandaleRiver gauge, Long Branch	0.9 cfs	Normal	±0	7 mi
Accotink Creek near AnnandaleRiver gauge, Accotink Creek	1.61 ft	Below flood stage	±0	7 mi
Dead Run at Whann Avenue near McLeanRiver gauge, Dead Run	1.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump StationRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	12 mi

Questions and answers

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 Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:25 AM EDT, the water level was 0.95 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01645704 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.88470, -77.33243 (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	0.95 ft	2026-10-20 13:25	Provisional
Flow	2.1 cfs	2026-10-20 13:25	Provisional
Water temperature	52 °F	2026-10-20 13:15	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/10590?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Difficult Run above Fox Lake near Fairfax (usgs:01645704). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/difficult-run-above-fox-lake-near-fairfax

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