Tallapoosa River at Milstead water level
River gauge, Tallapoosa River, Alabama, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
The Tallapoosa River at Milstead is running below normal at 2.09 ft.
That puts it 1.67 ft below the median of 3.76 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 37.91 ft below the flood stage of 40.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.58 ft (−1.49 ft).
It has dropped 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 2.08 ft and 3.43 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.76 ft1.67 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.00 ft – 7.80 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.58 ft−1.49 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.08 ft – 3.43 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.82 ft – 13.54 ft
- Highest on record
- 54.00 ftDecember 10, 1919
Floating and fishing near Tallapoosa River at Milstead
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 40.00 ft, 37.91 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 53.00 ft
- Water overflows the yards of some homes in the Milstead area.
- 46.00 ft
- Flooding of some roads in the area begins.
- 40.00 ft
- Extensive flooding of pasture lands in the area occurs.
- 25.00 ft
- Considerable low land flooding occurs. Livestock should be moved to higher ground.
- 15.00 ft
- Overflow of pasture lands occurs. Cattle may need to be moved if higher stages are forecast.
- 2.09 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 | 54.00 ft | December 10, 1919 |
| 2 | 50.90 ft | March 15, 1929 |
| 3 | 49.85 ft | March 17, 1990 |
| 4 | 49.00 ft | November 28, 1943 |
| 5 | 48.89 ft | April 14, 1979 |
| 6 | 48.50 ft | November 29, 1948 |
| 7 | 48.20 ft | March 16, 1912 |
| 8 | 47.90 ft | April 8, 1964 |
| 9 | 47.80 ft | February 26, 1961 |
| 10 | 47.20 ft | December 30, 1915 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Tallapoosa River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tallapoosa River at US 78, near TallapoosaRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River | 1.02 ft | Normal | −0.08 ft | 95 mi |
| Tallapoosa River near HeflinRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River | 2.20 ft | Low | −0.05 ft | 84 mi |
| Tallapoosa River at Malone, AlabamaRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River | 9.53 ft | No reference yet | +0.03 ft | 55 mi |
| Tallapoosa River at WadleyRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River | 3.09 ft | Normal | ±0 | 50 mi |
| Tallapoosa River near New Site, Al.(horseshoe Bend)River gauge, Tallapoosa River | 2.98 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 38 mi |
| Tallapoosa River near Mont.-Mont. Water WorksRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River | 4.05 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 17 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uphapee Creek near TuskegeeRiver gauge, Uphapee Creek | 0.93 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 12 mi |
| Coosa River at WetumpkaRiver gauge, Coosa River | 11.97 ft | Normal | −0.70 ft | 19 mi |
| Sougahatchee Creek at Co Road 188 near LoachapokaRiver gauge, Sougahatchee Creek | 1.35 ft | Normal | ±0 | 22 mi |
| Alabama River at MontgomeryRiver gauge, Alabama River | 22.69 ft | High | +0.09 ft | 25 mi |
| Chewacla Creek at Chewacla State Park near AuburnRiver gauge, Chewacla Creek | 1.75 ft | Normal | ±0 | 25 mi |
| Catoma Creek near MontgomeryRiver gauge, Catoma Creek | 1.55 ft | Low | −0.04 ft | 25 mi |
| Alabama River near MontgomeryRiver gauge, Alabama River | 27.63 ft | High | +0.03 ft | 30 mi |
| Hatchet Creek below RockfordRiver gauge, Hatchet Creek | 1.82 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 39 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Tallapoosa River at Milstead compare with last year?
It is 1.49 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.58 ft.
What is flood stage for the Tallapoosa River at Milstead?
The official flood stage is 40.00 ft. The level is currently 37.91 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Tallapoosa River at Milstead in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.76 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.00 ft and 7.80 ft, based on 29 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 Tallapoosa River at Milstead today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 06:30 PM EDT, the water level was 2.09 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Tallapoosa River at Milstead rising or falling?
Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.66 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Tallapoosa River at Milstead normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 29 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:02419500(Agency page)- Coordinates
32.44903, -85.89746(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 | 2.09 ft | 2026-10-18 22:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Tallapoosa River at Milstead (usgs:02419500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/tallapoosa-river-at-milstead
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