Chattooga River at Summerville water level

Name: Chattooga River at Summerville 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, Chattooga River, Georgia, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.89ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 62.6 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:32 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Low water at Chattooga River at Summerville: the gauge reads 1.89 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 2.24 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.35 ft below typical. It is 12.11 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.01 ft, a difference of −0.12 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 1.81 ft – 2.42 ft.

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.24 ft0.35 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.99 ft – 2.77 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.01 ft−0.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.81 ft – 2.42 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.81 ft – 5.05 ft
Highest on record: 22.63 ftFebruary 16, 1990
Forecast peak: 1.90 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 14.00 ft.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: Record flooding never seen before will affect the infrastructure of Summerville. The water level will cover Rome Boulevard and approach The Summerville Times building. In Trion...most of the Mount Vernon Mills buildings...homes on First and Second Streets near the levee...homes and apartments on Park Avenue and Dalton and Cooper Streets are flooded with 5 to 8 feet of water. The water level will top the Dixie Highway bridge. Transportation in and out of the Summerville area will be difficult.
23.00 ft: Record flooding occurs in sections of Summerville due to tributaries backing up from the high flow on the river. The water level hits the Rome Boulevard bridge and affects The Summerville Times property. In Trion...portions of the Mount Vernon Mills buildings including the personnel office...yards and homes on First and Second Streets near the levee...and athletic fields and other structures off Dalton and Cooper Streets are flooded with 3 to 6 feet of water. The water floods portions of Dixie Highway.
22.00 ft: Major flooding expands into sections of Summerville due to tributaries backing up from near record high flow on the river. The water reaches the bottom of the Rome Boulevard bridge and affects The Summerville Times property. In Trion...the parking lot and portions of the Mount Vernon Mills buildings including the personnel office...yards and homes on First and Second Streets near the levee...and athletic fields and other structures off Dalton and Cooper Streets are flooded with 2 to 5 feet of water.
20.00 ft: Major flooding expands into woodlands and fields along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on Rome Boulevard. In Trion...portions of the parking lot at Mount Vernon Mills including the personnel office...yards and homes on First and Second Streets near the levee...and athletic fields and other structures off Dalton and Cooper Streets are flooded with up to 3 feet of water. Also near Lyerly...large portions of Lyerly Dam Road near the river are flooded with up to 3 feet of water.
19.00 ft: Significant flooding expands further into woodlands and fields along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on Rome Boulevard. In Trion...portions of the parking lot at Mount Vernon Mills...yards of homes on First and Second Streets near the levee...and athletic fields off Dalton Street are flooded with two feet of water. The water reaches the personnel office foundation at Mount Vernon Mills. Also near Lyerly...portions of Lyerly Dam Road near the river are flooded with two feet of water.
18.00 ft: Significant flooding expands further into the woodlands and fields along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 27 or Rome Boulevard. In Trion...portions of the parking lot by the river at Mount Vernon Mills...Second Street near the levee...and athletic fields off Dalton Street are flooded with a foot of water. Also near Lyerly...portions of Lyerly Dam Road near the river are flooded with around one foot of water.
17.00 ft: Moderate flooding begins. The flooding expands further into the woodlands and fields along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 27 or Rome Boulevard. The low portions of the parking lot by the river at Mount Vernon Mills in Trion begins to flood. Near Lyerly...portions of Lyerly Dam Road near the river begin to flood.
16.00 ft: Minor flooding continues and expands further into the woodlands and fields along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 27 or Rome Boulevard.
14.00 ft: Minor flooding of woodlands and fields begins along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 27 or Rome Boulevard.
12.00 ft: Bankfull conditions are reached along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 27 or Rome Boulevard.
1.89 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: 23 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	22.63 ft	February 16, 1990
2	21.48 ft	April 13, 2020
3	21.19 ft	September 21, 2009
4	21.00 ft	March 29, 1951
5	20.60 ft	November 28, 1948
6	20.51 ft	December 26, 2015
7	19.50 ft	March 4, 1966
8	19.43 ft	March 4, 1979
9	19.18 ft	February 7, 2020
10	18.36 ft	December 10, 2009

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 07:02 PM Daylight 11 hr, 11 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the Chattooga River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chattooga River at Burrells Ford, near Pine MountainRiver gauge, Chattooga River	0.79 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	131 mi
Chattooga River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Chattooga River	1.16 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	118 mi
Chattooga River above GaylesvilleRiver gauge, Chattooga River	3.78 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	16 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Heath Creek near ArmucheeRiver gauge, Heath Creek	0.97 ft	Very low	±0	8 mi
Armuchee Creek at Old Dalton Road, near RomeRiver gauge, Armuchee Creek	3.74 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	13 mi
Oostanaula River near RomeRiver gauge, Oostanaula River	4.37 ft	Low	+0.49 ft	16 mi
Oostanaula River at US 27, at RomeRiver gauge, Oostanaula River	3.38 ft	Normal	+1.12 ft	17 mi
Etowah River at Coosa Valley F.g., at RomeRiver gauge, Etowah River	5.84 ft	Normal	+1.67 ft	18 mi
Coosa River Mayos Bar near RomeRiver gauge, Coosa River Mayos Bar	11.30 ft	Normal	+0.74 ft	19 mi
Coosa River at State Line, Al/River gauge, Coosa River	13.45 ft	High	−0.03 ft	20 mi
Etowah River at GA 1 Loop, near RomeRiver gauge, Etowah River	13.50 ft	Normal	+0.80 ft	20 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Chattooga River at Summerville higher than last year?

No, it is 0.12 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.01 ft.

What is flood stage for the Chattooga River at Summerville?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 12.11 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Chattooga River at Summerville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.24 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.99 ft and 2.77 ft, based on 26 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 Chattooga River at Summerville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 AM EDT, the water level was 1.89 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Chattooga River at Summerville rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Chattooga River at Summerville normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:02398000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.46781, -85.33483 (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	1.89 ft	2026-10-20 09:45	Provisional
Flow	62.6 cfs	2026-10-20 09:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Chattooga River at Summerville (usgs:02398000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/chattooga-river-at-summerville

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