Paint Branch near College Park water level

Name: Paint Branch near College Park 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, Paint Branch, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.50ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:05 AM EDT (49 min ago)

Flow: 2.8 cfs
Water temperature: 53 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Paint Branch near College Park, where the gauge shows 1.50 ft.

It is 10.50 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.50 ft – 1.92 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 53 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.85 ftAugust 14, 2011

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: Interstate 95 is flooded at Paint Branch.
14.00 ft: Several roads, including Powder Mill Road, are flooded near Paint Branch.
12.00 ft: Water covers a footbridge in Montgomery County, and the Naval Laboratory Road. Farm fields are flooded in Prince Georges County.
9.00 ft: Flooding of fields begins downstream in Prince Georges County.
1.50 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.85 ft	August 14, 2011
2	7.13 ft	May 26, 2009
3	6.61 ft	September 30, 2010
4	6.59 ft	June 3, 2018
5	6.02 ft	April 30, 2014

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.12 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 69° 47° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 64° 45° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 67° 47° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 62° 48° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 63° 46° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 66° 47° – Wind 6 mph

26 Mon 69° 49° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 67%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sligo Creek near Takoma ParkRiver gauge, Sligo Creek	0.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	3.9 mi
Paint Branch Tributary near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Paint Branch Tributary	1.60 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.0 mi
Northwest Branch Anacostia River near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Northwest Branch Anacostia River	1.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	4.2 mi
Northeast Branch Anacostia River at RiverdaleRiver gauge, Northeast Branch Anacostia River	0.45 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	5.4 mi
Rock Creek at Joyce Rd WashingtonRiver gauge, Rock Creek	1.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	7 mi
Turkey Branch near RockvilleRiver gauge, Turkey Branch	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Patuxent River near LaurelRiver gauge, Patuxent River	4.29 ft	Below flood stage	±0	7 mi
Hickey Run at National Arboretum at WashingtonRiver gauge, Hickey Run	0.3 cfs	Normal	±0	8 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Paint Branch near College Park?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 10.50 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 Paint Branch near College Park today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:05 AM EDT, the water level was 1.50 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Paint Branch near College Park rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Paint Branch near College Park normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Paint Branch near College Park?

The highest level on record is 8.85 ft on August 14, 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:01649190 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.03336, -76.96403 (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 09:05	Provisional
Flow	2.8 cfs	2026-10-20 09:05	Provisional
Water temperature	53 °F	2026-10-20 09:05	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Paint Branch near College Park (usgs:01649190). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/paint-branch-near-college-park

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