Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills water level

Name: Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills 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 Elk Creek, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.41ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:45 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 51.9 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills reads 3.41 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.59 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.41 ft and 3.70 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 19.00 ftJune 1, 1884

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 9.00 ft, still 5.59 ft away.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Main and Bridge Streets are submerged.
10.00 ft: Main St in Elkton starts to flood.
3.41 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.00 ft	June 1, 1884
2	15.06 ft	September 2, 2021
3	14.54 ft	September 16, 1999
4	14.50 ft	July 5, 1937
5	13.46 ft	June 22, 1972
6	12.90 ft	August 4, 2020
7	12.65 ft	May 1, 2014
8	12.40 ft	August 23, 1933
9	11.51 ft	July 23, 2018
10	11.29 ft	January 19, 1996

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:19 AM Sunset 06:18 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
White Clay Creek at NewarkRiver gauge, White Clay Creek	5.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	4.4 mi
Christina River at Coochs BridgeRiver gauge, Christina River	4.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	5.6 mi
White Clay Creek near StrickersvilleRiver gauge, White Clay Creek	3.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6 mi
West Branch White Clay Creek near ChestervilleRiver gauge, West Branch White Clay Creek	7.6 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	7 mi
Pike Creek near NewarkRiver gauge, Pike Creek	3.1 cfs	Normal	−0.4 cfs	7 mi
White Clay Creek near NewarkRiver gauge, White Clay Creek	5.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	8 mi
Calf Run at MarshalltonRiver gauge, Calf Run	0.4 cfs	Very high	±0	10 mi
Red Clay Creek near StantonRiver gauge, Red Clay Creek	7.78 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 5.59 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 Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:45 AM EDT, the water level was 3.41 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills?

The highest level on record is 19.00 ft on June 1, 1884.

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:01495000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.66758, -75.82558 (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	3.41 ft	2026-10-20 12:45	Provisional
Flow	51.9 cfs	2026-10-20 12:45	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/9968?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Elk Creek at Elk Mills (usgs:01495000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/big-elk-creek-at-elk-mills

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