Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley water level

Name: Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley 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, Valley Creek, Alabama, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.89ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:25 AM CDT (54 min ago)

Flow: 11.2 cfs
Water temperature: 62 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley is at 3.89 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.11 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.88 ft and 3.92 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 62 °F.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 13.58 ftSeptember 15, 2024

Floating and fishing near Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 8.11 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: Water covers the road at bridge between 18 and 19 feet.
17.00 ft: Water overflows into the sides of the road.
12.00 ft: Begins to overflow sections of the bank at gauge site.
3.89 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.58 ft	September 15, 2024
2	12.61 ft	September 4, 2022
3	12.39 ft	June 20, 2026
4	12.16 ft	April 6, 2025
5	12.12 ft	July 24, 2024

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 76° 43° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 79° 48° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 77° 55° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 78° 55° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 74° 53° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 73° 52° – Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 73° 55° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:57 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 11 hr, 13 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on Valley Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Valley Creek at Center St at BirminghamRiver gauge, Valley Creek	1.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	2.2 mi
Valley Creek below BrightonRiver gauge, Valley Creek	1.33 ft	No reference yet	±0	7 mi
Valley Creek near BessemerRiver gauge, Valley Creek	5.52 ft	Very low	±0	8 mi
Valley Creek near Oak GroveRiver gauge, Valley Creek	3.12 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	15 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Village Creek at Avenue W at EnsleyRiver gauge, Village Creek	2.10 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	1.8 mi
Village Creek near Pratt City, AlabamaRiver gauge, Village Creek	1.21 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	2.4 mi
Shades Creek near HomewoodRiver gauge, Shades Creek	3.47 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	4.5 mi
Village Creek near Docena, AlabamaRiver gauge, Village Creek	1.24 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	4.9 mi
Fivemile Creek near RepublicRiver gauge, Fivemile Creek	1.14 ft	Low	+0.04 ft	7 mi
TRIB TO VILLAGE CREEK AT 50th ST IN BIRMINGHAMRiver gauge	0.52 ft	Low	+0.06 ft	7 mi
Shades Creek at Elder St near SpringdaleRiver gauge, Shades Creek	1.3 cfs	Normal	−2.2 cfs	9 mi
Cahaba River near Mountain BrookRiver gauge, Cahaba River	0.56 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 8.11 ft below it.

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 Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:25 AM CDT, the water level was 3.89 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley?

The highest level on record is 13.58 ft on September 15, 2024.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02461192 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.49261, -86.87217 (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	3.89 ft	2026-10-20 16:25	Provisional
Flow	11.2 cfs	2026-10-20 16:25	Provisional
Water temperature	62 °F	2026-10-20 16:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Valley Creek at Ave W near Ensley (usgs:02461192). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/valley-creek-at-ave-w-near-ensley

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