Big Nance Creek at Courtland water level

Name: Big Nance Creek at Courtland 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, Big Nance Creek, Alabama, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.05ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 PM CDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 2.2 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 1.10 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 07:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:45 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Low water at Big Nance Creek at Courtland: the gauge reads 1.05 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.66 ft, based on 45 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.61 ft below typical. It is 12.95 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.57 ft, a difference of −0.52 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.10 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 07:00 PM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 0.97 ft – 1.49 ft.

Compared with 45 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.66 ft0.61 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.08 ft – 2.69 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (45 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.57 ft−0.52 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.97 ft – 1.49 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.98 ft – 12.62 ft
Highest on record: 24.97 ftMarch 16, 1973
Forecast peak: 1.10 ftTuesday, October 20 at 07:00 PM

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

29.00 ft: Water overtops the wire weight gage on Old Highway 20. Water is over a foot deep atop the bridge.
28.00 ft: Water overtops the bridge on Old Highway 20.
27.50 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the gage house.
24.97 ft: Record Stage. Observed March 16, 1973.
20.00 ft: Water is approaching homes south of downtown Courtland...with several streets impassible. Water reaches the underside of the bridge at Old Highway 20 in Courtland.
16.00 ft: Water begins to cover roads south of downtown Courtland.
14.00 ft: Lowland flooding begins on the left bank of the river.
12.00 ft: The river overflows on County Road 150 about three quarters of a mile upstream of the gage site...south of Courtland.
1.05 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: 7 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.97 ft	March 16, 1973
2	24.21 ft	December 23, 1990
3	22.77 ft	April 29, 2011
4	22.60 ft	January 7, 1950
5	22.45 ft	February 1, 1951
6	22.25 ft	January 5, 1949
7	22.15 ft	October 18, 1975
8	22.13 ft	December 27, 2015
9	21.98 ft	January 24, 1999
10	21.94 ft	March 14, 1975

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 75° 38° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 77° 46° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 76° 45° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 76° 49° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 74° 50° – Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 73° 49° – Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 72° 50° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:00 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Swan Creek below AthensRiver gauge, Swan Creek	3.17 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Cypress Creek near FlorenceRiver gauge, Cypress Creek	1.53 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	24 mi
Sipsey Fork near GraysonRiver gauge, Sipsey Fork	2.67 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	27 mi
Limestone Creek near AthensRiver gauge, Limestone Creek	1.39 ft	Normal	±0	29 mi
Shoal Creek at Iron CityRiver gauge, Shoal Creek	1.72 ft	Below flood stage	±0	29 mi
Flint Creek near FalkvilleRiver gauge, Flint Creek	2.39 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	30 mi
Elk River at ProspectRiver gauge, Elk River	0.76 ft	Below flood stage	±0	30 mi
Indian Creek near MadisonRiver gauge, Indian Creek	2.68 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	35 mi

Questions and answers

Is Big Nance Creek at Courtland higher than last year?

No, it is 0.52 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.57 ft.

What is flood stage for Big Nance Creek at Courtland?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 12.95 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Big Nance Creek at Courtland in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.66 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.08 ft and 2.69 ft, based on 45 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 Big Nance Creek at Courtland today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 PM CDT, the water level was 1.05 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Nance Creek at Courtland rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Nance Creek at Courtland normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 45 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:03586500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.67009, -87.31724 (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	1.05 ft	2026-10-21 03:30	Provisional
Flow	2.2 cfs	2026-10-21 03:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Nance Creek at Courtland (usgs:03586500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/big-nance-creek-at-courtland

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