South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine water level

Name: South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine 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, South F South Branch Potomac River, West Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.71ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 04:00 AM EDT (36 min ago)

Flow: 44.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine is at 1.71 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.29 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.71 ft and 2.15 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: 18.42 ftNovember 4, 1985

Floating and fishing near South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine

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

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 8.29 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Water reaches the intersection of US route 33 and county route 21.
16.00 ft: Numerous roads are flooded, including county roads 21/2, 21/4, and 21/6.
12.00 ft: Water approaches structures near Brandywine. Additionally, the bridges at County Road 21/2 and County Road 21/4 are both flooded.
10.00 ft: Agricultural flooding is occurring north of Brandywine. Water covers roads paralleling the river near Brandywine.
5.50 ft: Water completely covers the low water crossing on Cassell Run Road.
1.71 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	18.42 ft	November 4, 1985
2	14.60 ft	June 17, 1949
3	12.45 ft	October 5, 1972
4	11.61 ft	September 6, 1996
5	10.75 ft	October 15, 1954
6	9.61 ft	June 2, 1974
7	9.60 ft	March 7, 1967
8	9.46 ft	March 1, 1954
9	9.24 ft	May 30, 1971
10	9.07 ft	September 19, 2003

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 63° 44° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 65° 44° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 62° 41° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 63° 39° – Wind 4 mph

25 Sun 67° 41° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 72° 44° – Wind 5 mph

27 Tue 67° 47° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Other gauges on the South F South Branch Potomac River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South F South Branch Potomac River near MoorefieldRiver gauge, South F South Branch Potomac River	3.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	31 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Branch Potomac River at FranklinRiver gauge, South Branch Potomac River	2.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	5.1 mi
Muddy Creek at Mount ClintonRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	2.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	18 mi
North River near StokesvilleRiver gauge, North River	29.6 cfs	High	−3.8 cfs	20 mi
Linville Creek at BroadwayRiver gauge, Linville Creek	1.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	24 mi
North F South Branch Potomac River at CabinsRiver gauge, North F South Branch Potomac River	306 cfs	High	−54.0 cfs	24 mi
South Branch Potomac River near PetersburgRiver gauge, South Branch Potomac River	5.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	25 mi
North River near BurketownRiver gauge, North River	2.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	27 mi
Shavers Fork at BemisRiver gauge, Shavers Fork	4.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	29 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.29 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 South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 04:00 AM EDT, the water level was 1.71 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.41 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine?

The highest level on record is 18.42 ft on November 4, 1985.

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:01607500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.63151, -79.24365 (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	1.71 ft	2026-10-21 08:00	Provisional
Flow	44.5 cfs	2026-10-21 08:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South F South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine (usgs:01607500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/south-f-south-branch-potomac-river-at-brandywine

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