Bear Creek at Friendsville water level

Name: Bear Creek at Friendsville 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, Bear Creek, Maryland, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

1.78ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 03:30 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 51.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The gauge at Bear Creek at Friendsville shows 1.78 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The level is falling, down 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.78 ft and 2.03 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 9.60 ftSeptember 14, 1971

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.60 ft	September 14, 1971
2	8.82 ft	January 19, 1996
3	8.30 ft	February 19, 2000
4	7.53 ft	September 27, 2018
5	6.61 ft	March 7, 1967
6	6.58 ft	July 9, 1985

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 67%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Youghiogheny River at FriendsvilleRiver gauge, Youghiogheny River	330 cfs	Normal	−26.0 cfs	0.8 mi
Youghiogheny River near McHenryRiver gauge, Youghiogheny River	339 cfs	Normal	−34.0 cfs	9 mi
Cherry Creek at State Park Road near McHenryRiver gauge, Cherry Creek	10.8 cfs	Normal	−1.5 cfs	9 mi
Youghiogheny River Lake at Dam near ConfluenceReservoir, Youghiogheny River Lake	1,439.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	10 mi
Youghiogheny River at Youghiogheny River DamRiver gauge, Youghiogheny River	1,150 cfs	High	+10.0 cfs	10 mi
Arrowhead Run at ThayervilleRiver gauge, Arrowhead Run	0.8 cfs	High	−0.1 cfs	11 mi
Youghiogheny River below ConfluenceRiver gauge, Youghiogheny River	3.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	12 mi
Laurel Hill Creek at UrsinaRiver gauge, Laurel Hill Creek	1.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	12 mi

Questions and answers

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 Bear Creek at Friendsville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.78 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Bear Creek at Friendsville rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Bear Creek at Friendsville normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bear Creek at Friendsville?

The highest level on record is 9.60 ft on September 14, 1971.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03076600 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.65614, -79.39411 (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	1.78 ft	2026-10-20 07:30	Provisional
Flow	51.5 cfs	2026-10-20 07:30	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bear Creek at Friendsville (usgs:03076600). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/bear-creek-at-friendsville

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