Chattahoochee River at Helen water level

Name: Chattahoochee River at Helen 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, Chattahoochee River, Georgia, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

0.40ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT (42 min ago)

Flow: 41.1 cfs
Water temperature: 56 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

At 0.40 ft, the Chattahoochee River at Helen is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.20 ft below the median of 0.60 ft for mid-October, based on 25 years of readings. It is 5.60 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 0.50 ft (−0.10 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.39 ft and 0.79 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 56 °F.

Compared with 25 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 0.60 ft0.20 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.21 ft – 1.00 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (25 years of records)
Same day last year: 0.50 ft−0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.39 ft – 0.79 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.39 ft – 2.42 ft
Highest on record: 12.00 ftAugust 23, 1967

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 6.00 ft, still 5.60 ft away.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Record flooding never seen before will affect Helen. A catastrophic and massive flood event will continue to affect numerous homes...businesses...motels and roads in Helen. The flood waters will be 3 to 5 feet deep in many structures and cause widespread inundation of the infrastructure. The Hamby Street...Edelweiss Strasse and Brucken Strasse bridges will be under 1 to 2 feet of water. Transportation in and out of Helen will be almost impossible due to road closures.
12.00 ft: Near record flooding occurs. A catastrophic and massive flood event will affect numerous homes...businesses...motels and roads in Helen. The flood waters will be 2 to 4 feet deep in many structures and cause widespread inundation of the infrastructure. The Hamby Street...Edelweiss Strasse and Brucken Strasse bridges will be under water. Transportation in and out of Helen will be extremely difficult due to road closures.
11.00 ft: Major flooding begins in the Helen area with numerous homes...businesses...motels and roads affected. The water will be around two feet deep in the restaurant at Castle Inn and over portions of Edelweiss Strasse. The Helendorf River Inn will be flooded with 3 feet of water. The Hamby Street...Edelweiss Strasse and Brucken Strasse bridges form obstacles and act like dams causing some backwater and erosion eddies to the sides of the bridges. County officials will have them closed.
10.00 ft: Significant flooding expands in Helen. The water will be around one foot deep in the restaurant building at Castle Inn and over portions of Edelweiss Strasse. The Helendorf River Inn will be flooded with two feet of water. The Hamby Street...Edelweiss Strasse and Brucken Strasse bridges begin to form obstacles and act like dams causing some backwater and erosion eddies to the sides of the bridges. County officials will likely have them closed. Several homes near the river will begin to flood.
9.00 ft: Significant flooding continues upstream and downstream from the gage on Main Street. The water level reaches the floor of the restaurant building at Castle Inn and will be around one foot deep in the Helendorf River Inn and over the concrete foundation of the condominiums on Edelweiss Strasse. The landing area adjacent to the Tubing Company off of Edelweiss Strasse will be under 3 feet of water. The water level will reach the bottom of the first Brucken Strasse bridge downstream from the gage.
8.00 ft: Moderate flooding begins upstream and downstream from the gage on Main Street. The water level will be around two feet deep on the concrete patio of the restaurant at Castle Inn and the parking lot behind it. The water level reaches the bottom of the Edelweiss Strasse bridge...the floors of the Helendorf River Inn...and the concrete foundation of the condominiums on Edelweiss Strasse. The landing area adjacent to the Tubing Company off of Edelweiss Strasse will be under two feet of water.
7.00 ft: Minor flooding continues in the yards of some homes on the left bank downstream from the gage on Main Street. The water level will be around one foot deep on the concrete patio of the restaurant at Castle Inn and the parking lot behind it. Portions of the sidewalk under the bridge and the parking lot behind a Tubing Company off of Poplar Stump Road upstream from the gage will be under 3 feet of water. The landing area adjacent to the Tubing Company off of Edelweiss Strasse will be under one foot of water.
6.00 ft: Flood stage is reached. Minor flooding will occur of yards of some homes on the left bank downstream from the gage on Main Street. The water level will reach the concrete patio of the restaurant at Castle Inn and the parking lot behind it. Portions of the sidewalk under the bridge and the parking lot behind a Tubing Company off of Poplar Stump Road upstream from the gage will be under one to two feet of water. The landing area adjacent to the Tubing Company off of Edelweiss Strasse will begin to flood.
5.00 ft: Bankfull conditions expand along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on Main Street. The water level will be around one foot deep on a portion of the sidewalk under the bridge in front of the concrete patio of the restaurant at Castle Inn. A portion of the rock parking lot behind a Tubing Company off of Poplar Stump Road upstream from the gage will be under one foot of water.
4.00 ft: Bankfull conditions are reached in low lying areas of the river upstream and downstream from the gage on Main Street. The water level will reach the sidewalk under the bridge in front of the concrete patio of the restaurant at Castle Inn on the left bank adjacent to the gage. The rock parking lot behind a Tubing Company off of Poplar Stump Road upstream from the gage will begin to flood.
0.40 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.00 ft	August 23, 1967
2	11.00 ft	April 16, 1946
3	10.00 ft	March 11, 1952
4	10.00 ft	March 12, 1963
5	7.30 ft	May 28, 1973
6	6.75 ft	September 17, 2004
7	6.44 ft	May 30, 2018
8	6.01 ft	August 26, 2008
9	5.94 ft	March 17, 1990
10	5.90 ft	March 17, 1996

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 40° – Wind 5 mph

20 Tue 73° 51° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 74° 53° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 76° 50° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 70° 51° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 66° 47° – Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 66° 44° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 11 hr, 12 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Chattahoochee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chattahoochee River near LeafRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	1.36 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Chattahoochee River near CorneliaRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	0.16 ft	Very low	+0.04 ft	13 mi
Chattahoochee River at Buford Dam, near BufordRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	−0.56 ft	Very low	±0	43 mi
Chattahoochee River near BufordRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	5.68 ft	No reference yet	−0.01 ft	45 mi
Chattahoochee River near NorcrossRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	1.85 ft	Very low	−2.09 ft	56 mi
Chattahoochee River above RoswellRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	2.74 ft	Very low	−1.02 ft	60 mi
Chattahoochee River at Morgan Falls DamReservoir, Chattahoochee River	864.77 ft	Normal	+0.42 ft	63 mi
Chattahoochee River below Morgan Falls DamRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	811.30 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	63 mi
Chattahoochee River at US 41, at AtlantaRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	4.42 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	71 mi
Chattahoochee River at AtlantaRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	3.05 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	71 mi
Chattahoochee River at GA 280, near AtlantaRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	4.37 ft	Low	+0.05 ft	75 mi
Chattahoochee River near FairburnRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	0.40 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	90 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hiwassee River at Riverside Drain, near HiawasseeRiver gauge, Hiwassee River	2.43 ft	Low	±0	13 mi
Soque River at GA 197, near ClarkesvilleRiver gauge, Soque River	3.51 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	13 mi
Nottely River near BlairsvilleRiver gauge, Nottely River	1.59 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Chestatee River near DahlonegaRiver gauge, Chestatee River	0.71 ft	Normal	±0	17 mi
Tallulah River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Tallulah River	1.79 ft	Low	±0	17 mi
Tallulah River at Terrora Pwrhse, near Tallulah FallsRiver gauge, Tallulah River	1.89 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	19 mi
Tiger Creek near LakemontRiver gauge, Tiger Creek	0.34 ft	Normal	±0	19 mi
Tallulah River above Powerhouse, near Tallulah FallsRiver gauge, Tallulah River	5.17 ft	Normal	±0	20 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Chattahoochee River at Helen compare with last year?

It is 0.10 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.50 ft.

What is flood stage for the Chattahoochee River at Helen?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 5.60 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Chattahoochee River at Helen in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 0.60 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.21 ft and 1.00 ft, based on 25 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 Chattahoochee River at Helen today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT, the water level was 0.40 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Chattahoochee River at Helen rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.18 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Chattahoochee River at Helen normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 25 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:02330450 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.70097, -83.72925 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	0.40 ft	2026-10-19 22:00	Provisional
Flow	41.1 cfs	2026-10-19 22:00	Provisional
Water temperature	56 °F	2026-10-19 22:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Chattahoochee River at Helen (usgs:02330450). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/chattahoochee-river-at-helen

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