Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma water level

Name: Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma 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, Little Manatee River, Florida, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

5.10ft Down 0.31 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT (57 min ago)

Flow: 144 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma is above normal at 5.10 ft.

The median for mid-October is 3.47 ft, based on 52 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.62 ft above typical. It is 5.90 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.85 ft, a difference of +1.25 ft.

It has dropped 0.31 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.98 ft and 10.51 ft.

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

Compared with 52 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.47 ft1.62 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.29 ft – 5.26 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (52 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.85 ft+1.25 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.98 ft – 10.51 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.37 ft – 10.51 ft
Highest on record: 20.14 ftSeptember 8, 1988

Floating and fishing near Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 5.90 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

28.90 ft: Water overtops the guardrail of the U.S. 301 bridge.
25.90 ft: Water reaches the road surface of U.S. 301 bridge.
23.90 ft: Water reaches the base of U.S. 301 bridge.
19.50 ft: Canoe rental office floods up to 4 feet deep.
17.10 ft: Canoe rental office floods up to 18 inches deep.
15.80 ft: Water reaches cabin steps west of the canoe rental office.
15.00 ft: Water reaches the base of the canoe office.
14.50 ft: Flooding of several houses begins near 32nd and 33rd streets in Ruskin.
13.00 ft: The canoe parking area east of the canoe rental office floods.
11.60 ft: Water reaches the top of the bank.
5.10 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: 15 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.14 ft	September 8, 1988
2	19.93 ft	September 15, 2001
3	19.76 ft	September 11, 1960
4	19.47 ft	August 6, 2024
5	18.79 ft	September 21, 1962
6	18.70 ft	March 20, 1998
7	18.31 ft	June 27, 1992
8	17.85 ft	September 17, 1959
9	17.69 ft	September 12, 2017
10	17.67 ft	June 22, 2003

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.13 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 77° 61° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 79° 59° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 80° 61° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 80° 64° – Wind 16 mph

24 Sat 83° 66° 0.00 in Wind 20 mph

25 Sun 83° 71° – Wind 23 mph

26 Mon 84° 71° – Wind 20 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 11 hr, 24 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Manatee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Manatee River near Fort LonesomeRiver gauge, Little Manatee River	3.45 ft	Normal	−0.14 ft	10 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Fork Little Manatee River near WimaumaRiver gauge, South Fork Little Manatee River	10.22 ft	High	−0.16 ft	3.9 mi
Gamble Creek at County Road 675 near ParrishRiver gauge, Gamble Creek	10.65 ft	High	−0.37 ft	7 mi
Bullfrog Creek near WimaumaRiver gauge, Bullfrog Creek	20.63 ft	Very high	−0.05 ft	8 mi
Gamble Creek near ParrishRiver gauge, Gamble Creek	5.50 ft	High	−0.30 ft	8 mi
South Fork Little Manatee River near ParrishRiver gauge, South Fork Little Manatee River	13.96 ft	High	−0.11 ft	10 mi
Manatee River at RyeRiver gauge, Manatee River	1.46 ft	Below flood stage	+0.49 ft	11 mi
Frog Creek at Buffalo Road near RuboniaRiver gauge, Frog Creek	7.66 ft	High	−0.08 ft	12 mi
Frog Creek near RuboniaTidal gauge, Frog Creek	17.1 cfs	High	−4.4 cfs	13 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.25 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.85 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 5.90 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.47 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.29 ft and 5.26 ft, based on 52 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 Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT, the water level was 5.10 ft. Down 0.31 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma rising or falling?

Down 0.31 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 3.96 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 52 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:02300500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 27.67114, -82.35259 (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	5.10 ft	2026-10-20 16:00	Provisional
Flow	144 cfs	2026-10-20 16:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Manatee River at US 301 near Wimauma (usgs:02300500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/little-manatee-river-at-us-301-near-wimauma

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