North Prong Alafia River near Nichols water level

Name: North Prong Alafia River near Nichols 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, North Prong Alafia River, Florida, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

78.66ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT (47 min ago)

Flow: 50.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

High water at North Prong Alafia River near Nichols: the latest reading is 78.66 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 77.80 ft, based on 18 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.86 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 77.94 ft, a difference of +0.72 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 78.26 ft – 78.91 ft.

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

Compared with 18 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 77.80 ft0.86 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 76.33 ft – 78.93 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 77.94 ft+0.72 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 78.26 ft – 78.91 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 77.43 ft – 79.79 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

Above-normal flows push fish to the edges and make wading risky. Wait for the river to drop and clear.

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.04 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 76° 62° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 78° 59° – Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 79° 61° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 80° 62° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 82° 64° 0.01 in Wind 20 mph

25 Sun 81° 70° – Wind 24 mph

26 Mon 83° 70° – Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:32 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 11 hr, 23 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Other gauges on the North Prong Alafia River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Prong Alafia River at KeysvilleRiver gauge, North Prong Alafia River	3.50 ft	Normal	−0.22 ft	5.3 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Thirtymile Creek near NicholsRiver gauge, Thirtymile Creek	10.90 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	2.3 mi
South Prong Alafia River near LithiaRiver gauge, South Prong Alafia River	12.72 ft	Normal	−0.15 ft	9 mi
Banana-Hancock Canal near Highland CityCanal gauge, Banana-Hancock Canal	2.80 ft	High	−0.03 ft	10 mi
Saddle Creek at Structure P-11 near BartowRiver gauge, Saddle Creek	10.49 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	10 mi
South Prong Alafia River near Fort LonesomeRiver gauge, South Prong Alafia River	76.40 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	12 mi
Peace River at SR 60 at BartowRiver gauge, Peace River	5.09 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	12 mi
Alafia River at Lithia Pinecrest Road at LithiaRiver gauge, Alafia River	5.33 ft	High	−0.28 ft	12 mi
Sixmile Creek at BartowRiver gauge, Sixmile Creek	11.66 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	13 mi

Questions and answers

Is the North Prong Alafia River near Nichols higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.72 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 77.94 ft.

What is a normal level for the North Prong Alafia River near Nichols in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 77.80 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 76.33 ft and 78.93 ft, based on 18 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 North Prong Alafia River near Nichols today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT, the water level was 78.66 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is North Prong Alafia River near Nichols rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Prong Alafia River near Nichols normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 18 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:02300882 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 27.89060, -82.01297 (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	78.66 ft	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional
Flow	50.7 cfs	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Prong Alafia River near Nichols (usgs:02300882). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/north-prong-alafia-river-near-nichols

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