Foster Branch near Joppatowne water level

Name: Foster Branch near Joppatowne 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, Foster Branch, Maryland, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

1.86ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 05:35 PM EDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 0.6 cfs
Water temperature: 56 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

Foster Branch near Joppatowne is above normal at 1.86 ft.

It has dropped 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.86 ft and 2.37 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The water temperature at the gauge is 56 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 5.27 ftSeptember 1, 2021

Floating and fishing near Foster Branch near Joppatowne

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

What happens at each level

7.00 ft: A significant portion of the Copenhaver Trail is flooded. Some minor inundation of downstream tidal areas is possible due to freshwater intrusion.
6.00 ft: Water begins to cover low spots on the Copenhaver Trail alongside Foster Branch.
1.86 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	5.27 ft	September 1, 2021
2	4.52 ft	September 23, 2021
3	4.43 ft	July 22, 2018
4	4.27 ft	November 24, 2018
5	4.24 ft	December 25, 2015

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.17 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 59° 39° – Wind 10 mph

19 Mon 61° 42° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 67° 47° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 63° 46° – Wind 14 mph

22 Thu 64° 46° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 64° 47° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 62° 44° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:19 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 53%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wheel Creek near AbingdonRiver gauge, Wheel Creek	0.6 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	5.0 mi
Honeygo Run near White MarshRiver gauge, Honeygo Run	0.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	5.1 mi
Bynum Run near AbingdonRiver gauge, Bynum Run	16.4 cfs	Normal	−7.8 cfs	5.9 mi
Plumtree Run near Bel AirRiver gauge, Plumtree Run	1.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	6.1 mi
Whitemarsh Run at White MarshRiver gauge, Whitemarsh Run	2.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.19 ft	6.1 mi
James Run near BelcampRiver gauge, James Run	3.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	7 mi
Winters Run near Bel AirRiver gauge, Winters Run	1.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	8 mi
Winters Run near BensonRiver gauge, Winters Run	1.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	8 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 Foster Branch near Joppatowne today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 05:35 PM EDT, the water level was 1.86 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Foster Branch near Joppatowne rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Foster Branch near Joppatowne 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 Foster Branch near Joppatowne?

The highest level on record is 5.27 ft on September 1, 2021.

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:01585075 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.40853, -76.34264 (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	1.86 ft	2026-10-18 21:35	Provisional
Flow	0.6 cfs	2026-10-18 21:35	Provisional
Water temperature	56 °F	2026-10-18 21:35	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Foster Branch near Joppatowne (usgs:01585075). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/foster-branch-near-joppatowne

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