Alabama River at Selma water level

Name: Alabama River at Selma 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, Alabama River, Alabama, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

18.40ft Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT (49 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Alabama River at Selma reads 18.40 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.12 ft below the median of 18.52 ft for mid-October, based on 87 years of readings. It is 26.60 ft below the flood stage of 45.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 18.99 ft (−0.59 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 26.60 ft of room before flood stage. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 18.32 ft and 19.25 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 87 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 18.52 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.78 ft – 19.92 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (87 years of records)
Same day last year: 18.99 ft−0.59 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 18.32 ft – 19.25 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 18.38 ft – 29.99 ft
Highest on record: 57.97 ftMarch 1, 1961

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 45.00 ft, still 26.60 ft away.

What happens at each level

58.00 ft: Severe flooding occurs in Selma...Selmont and West Selmont.
56.00 ft: Widespread flooding occurs in Dallas County...with many farmhouses flooded. Most of Highway 22 from the Cahaba River to the Sky Harbor Airport becomes flooded.
52.00 ft: Most of Cahaba...as well as large portions of Selmont, West Selmont and East Selma...flood.
50.00 ft: Low lying areas of Selmont...West Selmont and East Selmont flood. Portions of County Road 17 become inundated and water enters the yards of some residences in the Blackwell Bend area.
48.00 ft: Flooding occurs inland to between Johnson Street and Old Montgomery Road in Selmont. Portions of Bloch Park and the Selma Country Club begin to flood.
45.00 ft: Extensive overflow of low lying lands in the area begins. Some low roads in the area begin to flood.
30.00 ft: Pasture lands below Selma become flooded.
18.40 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	57.97 ft	March 1, 1961
2	57.00 ft	April 8, 1986
3	57.00 ft	April 8, 1886
4	56.80 ft	March 21, 1990
5	56.00 ft	December 3, 1948
6	56.00 ft	March 19, 1929
7	55.02 ft	April 18, 1979
8	54.00 ft	January 19, 1892
9	53.39 ft	April 12, 1964
10	52.90 ft	March 18, 1909

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 72° 47° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 73° 47° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 78° 48° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 80° 52° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 81° 53° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 81° 52° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 77° 52° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:55 AM Sunset 06:13 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Alabama River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Alabama River at MontgomeryRiver gauge, Alabama River	22.63 ft	High	+0.21 ft	41 mi
Alabama River near MontgomeryRiver gauge, Alabama River	27.55 ft	High	+0.23 ft	36 mi
Alabama River at Robert F Henry Lock and DamRiver gauge, Alabama River	125.31 ft	High	+0.23 ft	15 mi
Alabama River below Robert F Henry L&d near BentonRiver gauge, Alabama River	80.23 ft	Very low	−0.08 ft	15 mi
Alabama River at Millers Ferry Dam, near CamdenReservoir, Alabama River	80.32 ft	High	−0.01 ft	31 mi
Alabama River below Millers Ferry L&d near CamdenRiver gauge, Alabama River	35.10 ft	Normal	−0.48 ft	31 mi
Alabama River at Claiborne L&d near MonroevilleRiver gauge, Alabama River	34.75 ft	Normal	−0.33 ft	63 mi
Alabama River at Choctaw BluffRiver gauge, Alabama River	−3.38 ft	No reference yet	−0.66 ft	84 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cahaba River near Marion JunctionRiver gauge, Cahaba River	2.04 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	10 mi
Cahaba River near SuttleRiver gauge, Cahaba River	3.26 ft	Low	−0.14 ft	14 mi
Mulberry Creek at JonesRiver gauge, Mulberry Creek	0.25 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	14 mi
Pine Barren Creek near Snow HillRiver gauge, Pine Barren Creek	2.00 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	28 mi
Cahaba River at CentrevilleRiver gauge, Cahaba River	0.52 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	38 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Alabama River at Selma compare with last year?

It is 0.59 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 18.99 ft.

What is flood stage for the Alabama River at Selma?

The official flood stage is 45.00 ft. The level is currently 26.60 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Alabama River at Selma in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 18.52 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.78 ft and 19.92 ft, based on 87 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 Alabama River at Selma today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT, the water level was 18.40 ft. Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Alabama River at Selma rising or falling?

Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.55 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Alabama River at Selma normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 87 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:02423000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.40569, -87.01860 (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	18.40 ft	2026-10-18 18:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Alabama River at Selma (usgs:02423000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/alabama-river-at-selma

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