Patapsco River near Elkridge water level

Name: Patapsco River near Elkridge 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, Patapsco River, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.57ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT (23 min ago)

Flow: 83.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Patapsco River near Elkridge reads 5.57 ft, a normal level.

It is 9.43 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.56 ft and 6.30 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: 24.76 ftMay 27, 2018

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 9.43 ft away.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft: Water approaches structures.
20.00 ft: Washington Boulevard begins to flood at the Elkridge/Halethorpe border.
19.00 ft: Water covers the entrance park at Patapsco Valley State Park.
17.00 ft: A low spot near the end of Levering Avenue begins to flood.
15.00 ft: Water begins to cover a portion of River Road in Patapsco Valley State Park. Large portions of the park begin to flood near the playground off Gunn Road.
10.00 ft: Water begins to cover riverside trails in Patapsco Valley State Park.
9.00 ft: Water spills over the banks but no impacts are observed.
5.57 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.76 ft	May 27, 2018
2	23.78 ft	July 31, 2016
3	21.66 ft	September 7, 2011
4	21.15 ft	April 30, 2014
5	18.47 ft	January 31, 2013
6	18.01 ft	June 4, 2018
7	17.67 ft	October 29, 2012
8	17.24 ft	August 4, 2018
9	16.80 ft	December 16, 2018
10	16.31 ft	July 24, 2018

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 1.52 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 59° 38° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 65° 42° – Wind 12 mph

20 Tue 69° 53° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 66° 52° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 67° 50° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 66° 52° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 63° 50° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 59%

Map

Other gauges on the Patapsco River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Patapsco River at HollofieldRiver gauge, Patapsco River	1.67 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Patapsco River near CatonsvilleRiver gauge, Patapsco River	10.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	2.7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
East Branch Herbert Run at ArbutusRiver gauge, East Branch Herbert Run	0.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	1.9 mi
Dead Run near CatonsvilleRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.9 mi
Gwynns Falls at Washington Blvd at BaltimoreRiver gauge, Gwynns Falls	2.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	5.0 mi
Dead Run at FranklintownRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.8 mi
Dead Run at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run	0.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6.0 mi
Dead Run Tributary at WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run Tributary	2.76 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6 mi
Sawmill Creek at Glen BurnieRiver gauge, Sawmill Creek	1.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6 mi
Dead Run Tributary near WoodlawnRiver gauge, Dead Run Tributary	0.15 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Patapsco River near Elkridge?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 9.43 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 Patapsco River near Elkridge today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT, the water level was 5.57 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Patapsco River near Elkridge rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Patapsco River near Elkridge normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Patapsco River near Elkridge?

The highest level on record is 24.76 ft on May 27, 2018.

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:01589035 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.22733, -76.72300 (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	5.57 ft	2026-10-19 14:00	Provisional
Flow	83.0 cfs	2026-10-19 14:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Patapsco River near Elkridge (usgs:01589035). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/patapsco-river-near-elkridge

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