Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia water level

Name: Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia 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, Snapfinger Creek, Georgia, United States

Directions

Normal for late October

Water level

3.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 12:30 AM EDT (54 min ago)

Flow: 12.3 cfs
Water temperature: 57 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia, where the gauge shows 3.27 ft.

The median for late October is 3.28 ft, based on 13 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.01 ft below typical. It is 12.73 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.31 ft, a difference of −0.04 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.18 ft – 5.68 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 57 °F.

Compared with 13 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.28 ft0.01 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.16 ft – 3.85 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (13 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.31 ft−0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.18 ft – 5.68 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.18 ft – 6.88 ft
Highest on record: 17.54 ftOctober 11, 2020

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.

What happens at each level

28.00 ft: Major flooding begins. Widespread inundation flooding affects the woodlands and several homes along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Thompson Mill Road. Flood waters reach the foundations and enter garages of a few homes on Thompson Mill Road. Also the water reaches the bottom of the Thompson Mill Road bridge and city officials may need to close it.
25.00 ft: Moderate flooding begins. The flooding expands further into the woodlands and yards of homes along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Thompson Mill Road. The flood waters reach the foundation of a few homes on Thompson Mill Road.
22.00 ft: Minor flooding expands further into the woodlands and yards of homes along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Thompson Mill Road.
18.00 ft: Minor flooding continues to expand further into the woodlands and yards of homes along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Thompson Mill Road.
16.00 ft: Flood stage is reached. Minor flooding will occur in the woodlands and natural flood plain of the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Thompson Mill Road.
14.00 ft: Bankfull conditions are reached upstream and downstream from the gage at Thompson Mill Road.
3.27 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	17.54 ft	October 11, 2020
2	17.11 ft	December 25, 2015
3	17.09 ft	September 27, 2024

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 76° 44° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 76° 45° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 78° 49° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 74° 54° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 71° 51° – Wind 11 mph

25 Sun 71° 50° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 72° 50° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:47 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 11 hr, 10 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on Snapfinger Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Snapfinger Creek near DecaturRiver gauge, Snapfinger Creek	2.46 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	4.8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cobbs Creek at Rainbow Drain, near DecaturRiver gauge, Cobbs Creek	1.58 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	2.5 mi
South River at Flakes Mill Road near AtlantaRiver gauge, South River	2.02 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	2.6 mi
Shoal Creek at Columbia Drive near AtlantaRiver gauge, Shoal Creek	3.60 ft	Normal	±0	3.2 mi
Pole Bridge Creek at Evans Mill Road near LithoniaRiver gauge, Pole Bridge Creek	1.08 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	3.4 mi
Doolittle Creek at Flat Shoals Road, near DecaturRiver gauge, Doolittle Creek	1.10 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	5.4 mi
South River at Klondike Road, near LithoniaRiver gauge, South River	5.01 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	6.1 mi
South River at Bouldercrest Road at AtlantaRiver gauge, South River	2.32 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	6 mi
Swift Creek near LithoniaRiver gauge, Swift Creek	1.66 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

Is Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia higher than last year?

No, it is 0.04 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.31 ft.

What is flood stage for Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 12.73 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia in late October?

The median for late October is 3.28 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.16 ft and 3.85 ft, based on 13 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 Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 12:30 AM EDT, the water level was 3.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia normal?

Normal for late October. Compared with 13 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:02203960 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.69667, -84.19861 (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	3.27 ft	2026-10-21 04:30	Provisional
Flow	12.3 cfs	2026-10-21 04:30	Provisional
Water temperature	57 °F	2026-10-21 04:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Snapfinger Creek at Thompson Mill Road near Lithonia (usgs:02203960). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/snapfinger-creek-at-thompson-mill-road-near-lithonia

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