Maidenhead water level
River gauge, River Thames, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 4.95 m³/s
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Maidenhead: the gauge reads 2.20 m, far below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.18 m below the median of 2.38 m for mid-October, based on 20 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 2.16 m (+0.04 m). The lowest reading on record is 1.13 m (August 10, 2009).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 2.18 m – 2.26 m.
Autumn rain usually starts to lift rivers again after the summer low.
Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.38 m0.18 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.25 m – 21.40 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
- Normal range
- 2.27 m – 3.55 m
- Same day last year
- 2.16 m+0.04 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.18 m – 2.26 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.16 m – 2.97 m
- Highest on record
- 3.87 mJanuary 4, 2003
- Lowest on record
- 1.13 mAugust 10, 2009
For anglers and canoeists
Low rivers are hard going for paddlers, with exposed gravel and weirs that are awkward to shoot. Salmon and sea trout usually wait for the next spate to run.
Many angling and canoe clubs check gauges like this one before heading out.
About the River Thames
The River Thames, or simply the Thames, known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 2.0 mm. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the River Thames
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulters LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.14 m | Low | ±0 | 1.0 km |
| Bray LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.17 m | Very low | +0.01 m | 1.8 km |
| Cookham LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.08 m | Normal | ±0 | 4.1 km |
| Boveney LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.19 m | Normal | ±0 | 5.6 km |
| Marlow LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.07 m | Low | ±0 | 6.7 km |
| Temple LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.03 m | Low | ±0 | 7.1 km |
| Romney LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.25 m | Very high | ±0 | 7.7 km |
| Hurley LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.05 m | Low | ±0 | 8.0 km |
| Windsor ParkRiver gauge, River Thames | 3.30 m | Normal | ±0 | 8.9 km |
| Old Windsor LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.25 m | Very high | ±0 | 11 km |
| Hambleden LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.10 m | Normal | ±0 | 12 km |
| Marsh LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.24 m | Normal | ±0 | 13 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TaplowRiver gauge, Jubilee River | 1.64 m | Normal | ±0 | 0.7 km |
| Raymill RoadRiver gauge, Maidenhead Ditch | −0.03 m | Lowest on record | −0.01 m | 1.2 km |
| The BinghamsRiver gauge, The Cut | 0.97 m | Normal | −0.04 m | 2.1 km |
| BrayGroundwater well | 17.26 m | Low | +0.02 m | 2.9 km |
| Bourne EndRiver gauge, River Wye | 0.16 m | Normal | ±0 | 5.2 km |
Questions and answers
How does the River Thames at Maidenhead compare with last year?
It is 0.04 m higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.16 m.
What is a normal level for the River Thames at Maidenhead in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.38 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.25 m and 21.40 m, based on 20 years of records.
Is the river level the same as the depth of the water?
No. The reading is measured from a fixed zero mark at the gauge, so 2.20 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Maidenhead today?
On 17 Oct 2026, 22:30 BST, the water level was 2.20 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Maidenhead rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.01 m over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Maidenhead normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Maidenhead?
The highest level on record is 3.87 m on January 4, 2003. The lowest is 1.13 m on August 10, 2009.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment Agency
- Station code
ea:2604TH(Agency page)- Coordinates
51.52415, -0.70210(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- station datum
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Environment Agency data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 2.20 m | 2026-10-17 21:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 4.95 m³/s | 2026-10-17 21:30 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
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How to cite
Environment Agency: Maidenhead (ea:2604TH). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/berkshire/maidenhead
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