Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook water level

Name: Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook 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, Little Gunpowder Falls, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.08ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 16.8 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook is at 1.08 ft, in the normal range.

It is 6.42 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.08 ft and 1.36 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: 11.40 ftJuly 1, 1984

Floating and fishing near Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook

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

Flood stage here is 7.50 ft, 6.42 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

16.50 ft: The bridge over Little Gunpowder Falls begins to flood at Bottom Road.
8.00 ft: Portions of Guyton Road begin to flood.
7.50 ft: Portions of Bottom Road begin to flood.
6.00 ft: Water overflowing the banks may affect nearby trails.
1.08 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	11.40 ft	July 1, 1984
2	10.30 ft	August 23, 1933
3	10.18 ft	June 22, 1972
4	9.80 ft	January 26, 1978
5	9.64 ft	June 14, 1928
6	9.50 ft	September 6, 1979
7	9.30 ft	November 16, 1926
8	9.21 ft	February 12, 1985
9	8.74 ft	May 1, 2014
10	8.56 ft	January 10, 2024

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.20 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 56° 38° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 62° 41° – Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 67° 46° – Wind 16 mph

21 Wed 62° 44° – Wind 14 mph

22 Thu 63° 42° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 62° 46° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 61° 40° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 68%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Winters Run near BensonRiver gauge, Winters Run	1.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	3.3 mi
Winters Run near Bel AirRiver gauge, Winters Run	1.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	3.4 mi
Long Green Creek at Glen ArmRiver gauge, Long Green Creek	1.01 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.3 mi
Plumtree Run near Bel AirRiver gauge, Plumtree Run	1.12 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.5 mi
Wheel Creek near AbingdonRiver gauge, Wheel Creek	0.6 cfs	Normal	+0.1 cfs	5.1 mi
Bynum Run at Bel AirRiver gauge, Bynum Run	0.67 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6.0 mi
Foster Branch near JoppatowneRiver gauge, Foster Branch	0.5 cfs	Very high	±0	8 mi
Bynum Run near AbingdonRiver gauge, Bynum Run	14.6 cfs	Normal	−0.6 cfs	8 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 6.42 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 Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 AM EDT, the water level was 1.08 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook?

The highest level on record is 11.40 ft on July 1, 1984.

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:01584500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.50536, -76.43178 (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	1.08 ft	2026-10-20 10:15	Provisional
Flow	16.8 cfs	2026-10-20 10:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Gunpowder Falls at Laurel Brook (usgs:01584500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/little-gunpowder-falls-at-laurel-brook

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