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Limestone Creek near Athens water level

River gauge, Limestone Creek, Alabama, United States

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Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.38ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
13.0 cfs
0 10 Highest onrecord 17.48 ft Minor floodstage 12.00 ft

History

History
123ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 19123ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
123ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19123ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
-0510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-0510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Limestone Creek near Athens reads 1.38 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.16 ft, based on 30 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.22 ft above typical. It is 10.62 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.86 ft, a difference of −0.48 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.30 ft and 1.78 ft.

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

Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.16 ft0.22 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
0.85 ft – 2.29 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
Same day last year
1.86 ft−0.48 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.30 ft – 1.78 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.30 ft – 5.99 ft
Highest on record
17.48 ftMarch 16, 1973

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 12.00 ft, still 10.62 ft away.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft
Water covers Highway 72 at Limestone Creek.
16.00 ft
Water approaches the underside of the Highway 72 bridges. Significant flooding of farmland and other lowlands near the river is occurring.
12.00 ft
Water spills over the banks of Limestone Creek...flooding lowlands near the river.
1.38 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
117.48 ftMarch 16, 1973
215.50 ftMarch 12, 1963
315.20 ftDecember 23, 1991
415.10 ftApril 28, 2011
514.32 ftJanuary 21, 1954
613.56 ftJanuary 23, 1999
713.16 ftFebruary 1, 1951
813.00 ftMarch 15, 1964
912.99 ftFebruary 6, 2004
1012.89 ftJanuary 5, 1949

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 71° 41° – Wind 9 mph
19 Mon 73° 44° – Wind 9 mph
20 Tue 73° 47° – Wind 9 mph
21 Wed 74° 49° – Wind 7 mph
22 Thu 75° 49° – Wind 10 mph
23 Fri 76° 49° – Wind 8 mph
24 Sat 72° 49° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:57 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 11 hr, 12 min First quarter 58%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Swan Creek below AthensRiver gauge, Swan Creek 3.15 ft Normal ±0 7 mi
Indian Creek near MadisonRiver gauge, Indian Creek 2.62 ft Below flood stage +0.03 ft 8 mi
Aldridge Creek at Toney Drive at HuntsvilleRiver gauge, Aldridge Creek 3.11 ft Below flood stage ±0 16 mi
Aldridge Creek at Sherwood Drain near HuntsvilleRiver gauge, Aldridge Creek 3.46 ft Below flood stage +0.06 ft 16 mi
Aldridge Creek near FarleyRiver gauge, Aldridge Creek 2.36 ft Below flood stage ±0 18 mi
Elk River at ProspectRiver gauge, Elk River 0.76 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 21 mi
Flint River at BrownsboroRiver gauge, Flint River 7.23 ft Normal +0.01 ft 21 mi
Cotaco Creek at FloretteRiver gauge, Cotaco Creek 14.2 cfs Normal −1.8 cfs 25 mi

Questions and answers

Is Limestone Creek near Athens higher than last year?

No, it is 0.48 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.86 ft.

What is flood stage for Limestone Creek near Athens?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 10.62 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Limestone Creek near Athens in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.16 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.85 ft and 2.29 ft, based on 30 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 Limestone Creek near Athens today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:00 AM CDT, the water level was 1.38 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Limestone Creek near Athens rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.15 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Limestone Creek near Athens normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 30 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:03576250 (Agency page)
Coordinates
34.75176, -86.82333 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.38 ft 2026-10-19 10:00 Provisional
Flow 13.0 cfs 2026-10-19 10:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Limestone Creek near Athens (usgs:03576250). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/limestone-creek-near-athens

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.