Little Patuxent River at Guilford water level
River gauge, Little Patuxent River, Maryland, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 19.2 cfs
History
What this means
The Little Patuxent River at Guilford is at 2.08 ft, in the normal range.
It is 9.92 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.
It has dropped 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.08 ft and 3.28 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
- 18.38 ftJune 22, 1972
Floating and fishing near Little Patuxent River at Guilford
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 9.92 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 20.00 ft
- Both US 29 bridges over the Little Patuxent are flooded. Water covers several other roads and numerous trails and footbridges near the river.
- 18.00 ft
- Water begins to cover the US 29 southbound bridge over the Little Patuxent in Columbia. Water approaches homes in a neighborhood just downstream.
- 15.00 ft
- Floodwater approaches US 29 in Columbia and begins to cover Vollmerhausen Road near Savage.
- 13.00 ft
- Water approaches the very end of Owen Brown Road.
- 12.00 ft
- Water covers the bridge at South Entrance Road. Several trail bridges also begin to flood.
- 9.50 ft
- Large parts of the Patuxent Branch Trail are completely flooded along with several trail bridges between Old Guilford Road and South Carlinda Avenue.
- 8.00 ft
- Several parts of the Patuxent Branch Trail start to flood near the Little Patuxent River.
- 2.08 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18.38 ft | June 22, 1972 |
| 2 | 15.23 ft | May 28, 2018 |
| 3 | 15.09 ft | June 25, 2006 |
| 4 | 14.97 ft | July 31, 2016 |
| 5 | 14.06 ft | September 7, 2011 |
| 6 | 14.02 ft | May 1, 2014 |
| 7 | 13.39 ft | September 26, 1975 |
| 8 | 13.26 ft | September 1, 1952 |
| 9 | 13.16 ft | May 6, 1989 |
| 10 | 12.84 ft | September 6, 1979 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.24 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Little Patuxent River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Patuxent River at SavageRiver gauge, Little Patuxent River | 3.12 ft | Below flood stage | −0.04 ft | 3.0 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patuxent River near LaurelRiver gauge, Patuxent River | 4.28 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 3.8 mi |
| Patapsco River near CatonsvilleRiver gauge, Patapsco River | 10.47 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 7 mi |
| Patapsco River near ElkridgeRiver gauge, Patapsco River | 5.55 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 8 mi |
| Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MDRiver gauge, Patuxent River | 1.61 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 8 mi |
| Hawlings River near Sandy SpringRiver gauge, Hawlings River | 0.52 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 9 mi |
| Paint Branch Tributary near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Paint Branch Tributary | 1.59 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 9 mi |
| East Branch Herbert Run at ArbutusRiver gauge, East Branch Herbert Run | 0.86 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 10 mi |
| Patapsco River at HollofieldRiver gauge, Patapsco River | 1.65 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 10 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Little Patuxent River at Guilford?
The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 9.92 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 Patuxent River at Guilford today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 04:00 PM EDT, the water level was 2.08 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Little Patuxent River at Guilford rising or falling?
Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Little Patuxent River at Guilford normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Little Patuxent River at Guilford?
The highest level on record is 18.38 ft on June 22, 1972.
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:01593500(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.16775, -76.85125(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 | 2.08 ft | 2026-10-20 20:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 19.2 cfs | 2026-10-20 20:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Little Patuxent River at Guilford (usgs:01593500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/little-patuxent-river-at-guilford
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