Gunpowder Falls near Parkton water level

Name: Gunpowder Falls near Parkton 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, Gunpowder Falls, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.50ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 PM EDT (28 min ago)

Flow: 30.5 cfs
Water temperature: 56 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Gunpowder Falls near Parkton is at 1.50 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.50 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.49 ft and 1.54 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 56 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 11.62 ftSeptember 8, 2011

Floating and fishing near Gunpowder Falls near Parkton

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

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 8.50 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft: Falls Road is flooded at the gauge site.
11.00 ft: Water approaches homes along Falls Road between Monkton and Corbett.
10.00 ft: Masemore Road floods.
1.50 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	11.62 ft	September 8, 2011
2	9.77 ft	October 30, 2012
3	9.66 ft	July 26, 2018
4	7.54 ft	April 30, 2014
5	7.51 ft	August 29, 2009

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 67° 46° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 61° 44° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 62° 42° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 57° 42° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 59° 39° – Wind 6 mph

25 Sun 63° 41° – Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 67° 45° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Gunpowder Falls

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Gunpowder Falls at HoffmanvilleRiver gauge, Gunpowder Falls	1.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Gunpowder Falls at GlencoeRiver gauge, Gunpowder Falls	0.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.6 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Beetree Run at Bentley SpringsRiver gauge, Beetree Run	0.64 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.8 mi
Little Falls at Blue MountRiver gauge, Little Falls	0.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	3.9 mi
Georges Run near BeckleysvilleRiver gauge, Georges Run	0.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	4.4 mi
Grave Run near BeckleysvilleRiver gauge, Grave Run	−0.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.4 mi
Western Run at Western RunRiver gauge, Western Run	0.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	8 mi
Piney Run at DoverRiver gauge, Piney Run	1.48 ft	Below flood stage	±0	8 mi
Beaverdam Run at CockeysvilleRiver gauge, Beaverdam Run	2.98 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	10 mi
Pond Branch at Oregon RidgeRiver gauge, Pond Branch	0.0 cfs	Very low	±0	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Gunpowder Falls near Parkton?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.50 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 Gunpowder Falls near Parkton today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 PM EDT, the water level was 1.50 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Gunpowder Falls near Parkton rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Gunpowder Falls near Parkton normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Gunpowder Falls near Parkton?

The highest level on record is 11.62 ft on September 8, 2011.

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:01581920 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.61906, -76.69036 (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	1.50 ft	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional
Flow	30.5 cfs	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional
Water temperature	56 °F	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Gunpowder Falls near Parkton (usgs:01581920). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/gunpowder-falls-near-parkton

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