Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross water level

Name: Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross 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, Satilla River, Georgia, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

12.54ft Down 0.61 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,720 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

High water at Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross: the latest reading is 12.54 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 9.40 ft above the median of 3.14 ft for mid-October, based on 17 years of readings. It is 1.46 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 7.35 ft (+5.19 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.61 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.69 ft – 15.33 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.14 ft9.40 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.44 ft – 7.81 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.35 ft+5.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.69 ft – 15.33 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.52 ft – 17.44 ft
Highest on record: 26.60 ftApril 4, 1948

Staying safe in high water

Flood stage is only the first threshold. Above it the National Weather Service sets moderate and major flood stages, and the forecast crest tells you which of those the river is expected to reach.

Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: The bridge upstream over the Satilla at Duncan Bridge Road is flooded.
14.00 ft: Low lying areas and bottomlands along the river begin to flood, including campgrounds, docks and property.
12.54 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	26.60 ft	April 4, 1948
2	26.60 ft	April 15, 1928
3	19.78 ft	February 28, 2013
4	19.33 ft	April 27, 2021
5	19.00 ft	March 8, 2020
6	18.88 ft	February 7, 2016
7	17.91 ft	August 7, 2024
8	17.64 ft	February 14, 2023
9	17.58 ft	September 3, 2023
10	17.54 ft	June 23, 2026

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 74° 44° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 76° 45° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 79° 48° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 76° 56° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 76° 56° – Wind 16 mph

25 Sun 76° 57° – Wind 15 mph

26 Mon 80° 59° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:54 PM Daylight 11 hr, 17 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Satilla River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Satilla River near WaycrossRiver gauge, Satilla River	14.29 ft	Very high	−0.26 ft	15 mi
Satilla River at AtkinsonRiver gauge, Satilla River	14.14 ft	Flooding	−0.05 ft	41 mi
Satilla River at US 17, at WoodbineTidal gauge, Satilla River	3.48 ft	Flooding	−0.12 ft	54 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Alabaha River at GA 203, near BlackshearRiver gauge, Alabaha River	8.10 ft	Very high	−0.17 ft	17 mi
Little Satilla River near OffermanRiver gauge, Little Satilla River	8.24 ft	Very high	−0.21 ft	32 mi
Alapaha River near AlapahaRiver gauge, Alapaha River	8.63 ft	Very high	−0.57 ft	38 mi
Suwannee River above FargoRiver gauge, Suwannee River	9.12 ft	Normal	−0.38 ft	41 mi
St Marys River at Ferry Landing near FolkstonRiver gauge, St Marys River	3.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.96 ft	48 mi
Alapaha River at StatenvilleRiver gauge, Alapaha River	14.45 ft	Very high	−0.13 ft	50 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross compare with last year?

It is 5.19 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.35 ft.

What is flood stage for the Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 1.46 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.14 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.44 ft and 7.81 ft, based on 17 years of records.

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 Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM EDT, the water level was 12.54 ft. Down 0.61 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross rising or falling?

Down 0.61 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.79 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02226362 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 31.30275, -82.56111 (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	12.54 ft	2026-10-20 20:30	Provisional
Flow	1,720 cfs	2026-10-20 20:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Satilla River at GA 158, near Waycross (usgs:02226362). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/satilla-river-at-ga-158-near-waycross

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