Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills water level

Name: Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills 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, Hillsborough River, Florida, United States

Directions

Very high for late October

Water level

53.59ft Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 12:15 AM EDT (26 min ago)

Flow: 122 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills shows 53.59 ft, well above normal for late October.

The median for late October is 52.34 ft, based on 54 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.26 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 52.18 ft, a difference of +1.41 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.16 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 52.46 ft and 54.73 ft.

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

Compared with 54 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 52.34 ft1.26 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 51.99 ft – 53.31 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (54 years of records)
Same day last year: 52.18 ft+1.41 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 52.46 ft – 54.73 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 51.79 ft – 54.73 ft

High water at Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 80° 58° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 77° 57° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 80° 61° 0.00 in Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 82° 63° 0.00 in Wind 19 mph

25 Sun 79° 71° 0.00 in Wind 22 mph

26 Mon 80° 69° – Wind 18 mph

27 Tue 82° 68° – Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 11 hr, 21 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Hillsborough River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hillsborough River below Crystal Spr near ZephyrhillsRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	51.31 ft	High	−0.33 ft	0.6 mi
Hillsborough River at State Park near ZephyrhillsRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	2.31 ft	High	−0.24 ft	3.8 mi
Hillsborough River at Morris Branch near ThonotosassaRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	26.95 ft	Very high	−0.17 ft	10 mi
Hillsborough River at Fowler Av near Temple TerraceRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	22.29 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	14 mi
Hillsborough River near TampaRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	21.71 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	19 mi
Hillsborough River at Rowlett Park Drain near TampaTidal gauge, Hillsborough River	373 cfs	Normal	−55.0 cfs	19 mi
Hillsborough River at I-275 Bridge at Sulphur SpringsRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	1.42 ft	No reference yet	+0.53 ft	20 mi
Hillsborough River at Platt Street at TampaRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	12.37 ft	No reference yet	+0.41 ft	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Crystal Springs near ZephyrhillsRiver gauge, Crystal Springs	53.81 ft	Low	−0.09 ft	0.3 mi
Blackwater Creek near KnightsRiver gauge, Blackwater Creek	72.44 ft	Very high	−0.19 ft	3.8 mi
Withlacoochee-Hillsborough Ovflo near RichlandRiver gauge, Withlacoochee-Hillsborough Ovflo	3.25 ft	High	−0.12 ft	8 mi
Trout Creek at Chancey Road at Wesley ChapelRiver gauge, Trout Creek	61.41 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	10 mi
Fox Branch near SocrumRiver gauge, Fox Branch	4.20 ft	Very high	−0.03 ft	10 mi
Trout Creek at Wesley ChapelRiver gauge, Trout Creek	44.96 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	11 mi
Trout Creek near Sulphur SpringsRiver gauge, Trout Creek	36.81 ft	High	−0.17 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.41 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 52.18 ft.

What is a normal level for the Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills in late October?

The median for late October is 52.34 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 51.99 ft and 53.31 ft, based on 54 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 Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 12:15 AM EDT, the water level was 53.59 ft. Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills rising or falling?

Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.87 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills normal?

Very high for late October. Compared with 54 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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02301990 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 28.18556, -82.18417 (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	53.59 ft	2026-10-21 04:15	Provisional
Flow	122 cfs	2026-10-21 04:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near Zephyrhills (usgs:02301990). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/hillsborough-river-above-crystal-spr-near-zephyrhills

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