Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton water level

Name: Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton 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 Tallapoosa River, Georgia, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.86ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 15.9 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 Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton is running far below normal at 1.86 ft.

That puts it 0.55 ft below the median of 2.42 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 16.14 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.32 ft (−0.46 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 1.71 ft and 3.02 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.42 ft0.55 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.10 ft – 3.18 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.32 ft−0.46 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.71 ft – 3.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.51 ft – 7.75 ft
Highest on record: 19.30 ftNovember 29, 1948

Floating and fishing near Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 18.00 ft, 16.14 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft: Major flooding begins. Widespread inundation flooding occurs upstream and downstream from North Park Street. Flood waters are 3 feet deep over the road. Portions of the property around a sewage treatment plant will be flooded with up to 6 feet of water. Numerous businesses and homes in Carrollton will be flooded. Portions of the University West Georgia campus will be under 4 feet of water. The water level will flood the USGS gage house. A data transmission loss will be likely.
22.00 ft: Significant flooding expands into the woodlands and fields upstream and downstream from North Park Street. Flood waters are one foot deep over the road. Portions of the property around a sewage treatment plant will be flooded with up to 4 feet of water. A parking lot of a shopping center near the gage and portions of the University West Georgia campus near the river will be under two feet of water. The water level will reach the bottom of the USGS gage house. A data transmission loss will be possible.
21.00 ft: Moderate flooding begins. Significant flooding occurs in the woodlands and fields upstream and downstream from the gage on North Park Street. Flood waters begin to cover the road and county officials will have it closed. Portions of the property around a sewage treatment plant near the gage will be flooded with up to 3 feet of water. A parking lot of a shopping center just north of the gage and low lying areas on the University West Georgia campus near the river will be under a foot of water.
20.00 ft: Minor flooding continues in the woodlands and fields upstream and downstream from the gage on North Park Street. The water level will be hitting the bridge which may cause some erosion. County officials may need to close it. Portions of the property around a sewage treatment plant near the gage will be flooded with up to two feet of water. A parking lot of a shopping center just north of the gage and low lying areas on the University West Georgia campus near the river will begin to flood.
18.00 ft: Flood stage is reached. Minor flooding begins in the woodlands and fields along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on North Park Street or U.S. Highway 27. The water level approaches the bottom of the bridge. Low portions of the property around a sewage treatment plant near the gage will begin to flood.
16.00 ft: Bankfull conditions occur along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on North Park Street or U.S. Highway 27.
1.86 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.30 ft	November 29, 1948
2	17.05 ft	September 21, 2009
3	15.90 ft	January 20, 1947
4	15.30 ft	December 21, 1951
5	14.70 ft	July 14, 1945

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 74° 40° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 74° 44° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 76° 50° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 75° 51° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 71° 49° – Wind 12 mph

25 Sun 71° 47° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 74° 48° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 07:02 PM Daylight 11 hr, 12 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Tallapoosa River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Tallapoosa River at Reavesville Road near BowdonRiver gauge, Little Tallapoosa River	8.93 ft	No reference yet	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Little Tallapoosa River at GA 100, near BowdonRiver gauge, Little Tallapoosa River	2.17 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	14 mi
Little Tallapoosa River near NewellRiver gauge, Little Tallapoosa River	1.61 ft	Very low	−0.07 ft	21 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Snake Creek Ds Snake Creek Reservior near WhitesburgRiver gauge, Snake Creek Ds Snake Creek Reservior	2.94 ft	Very low	±0	10 mi
Snake Creek near WhitesburgRiver gauge, Snake Creek	1.53 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Chattahoochee River near WhitesburgRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	2.93 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	13 mi
Dog River at GA 5, near FairplayRiver gauge, Dog River	3.21 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	15 mi
Tallapoosa River at US 78, near TallapoosaRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River	0.96 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	18 mi
Chattahoochee River above Bear Creek, near RicoRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	0.54 ft	Very low	−0.13 ft	18 mi
Hillabahatchee Creek at Thaxton Road, near FranklinRiver gauge, Hillabahatchee Creek	1.83 ft	Low	±0	20 mi
Chattahoochee River at GA 100, at FranklinRiver gauge, Chattahoochee River	7.99 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton compare with last year?

It is 0.46 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.32 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 16.14 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.42 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.10 ft and 3.18 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 Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT, the water level was 1.86 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.73 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 18 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:02413000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.59681, -85.07942 (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	1.86 ft	2026-10-20 22:00	Provisional
Flow	15.9 cfs	2026-10-20 22:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Tallapoosa River at US 27, at Carrollton (usgs:02413000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/little-tallapoosa-river-at-us-27-at-carrollton

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