Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville water level

Name: Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville 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 Tributary, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.60ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 04:50 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 0.2 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville, where the gauge shows 1.60 ft.

It is 11.40 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.55 ft – 1.64 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: 4.82 ftAugust 17, 2021

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	4.82 ft	August 17, 2021
2	4.81 ft	September 1, 2021
3	4.48 ft	June 27, 2015
4	4.43 ft	June 10, 2013
5	4.24 ft	September 18, 2018
6	4.19 ft	September 30, 2010

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 57° 38° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 63° 42° – Wind 12 mph

20 Tue 67° 49° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 64° 47° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 65° 45° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 65° 47° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 62° 46° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:25 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 62%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Northwest Branch Anacostia River near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Northwest Branch Anacostia River	1.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	2.7 mi
Paint Branch near College ParkRiver gauge, Paint Branch	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	4.0 mi
Turkey Branch near RockvilleRiver gauge, Turkey Branch	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.1 mi
Hawlings River near Sandy SpringRiver gauge, Hawlings River	0.54 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	6.2 mi
Patuxent River near LaurelRiver gauge, Patuxent River	4.29 ft	Below flood stage	±0	6 mi
Sligo Creek near Takoma ParkRiver gauge, Sligo Creek	0.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	7 mi
Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MDRiver gauge, Patuxent River	1.59 ft	Below flood stage	+0.10 ft	7 mi
Little Patuxent River at GuilfordRiver gauge, Little Patuxent River	2.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 11.40 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 Tributary near Colesville today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 04:50 PM EDT, the water level was 1.60 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville?

The highest level on record is 4.82 ft on August 17, 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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01649150 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.08839, -76.98958 (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	1.60 ft	2026-10-19 20:50	Provisional
Flow	0.2 cfs	2026-10-19 20:50	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Paint Branch Tributary near Colesville (usgs:01649150). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/paint-branch-tributary-near-colesville

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