Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD water level

Name: Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD 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, Patuxent River, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.59ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 37.8 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD reads 1.59 ft, a normal level.

It is 7.41 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.48 ft and 1.62 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: 11.88 ftJanuary 31, 2013

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 9.00 ft, still 7.41 ft away.

What happens at each level

9.00 ft: Havilland Mill Road begins to flood.
1.59 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	11.88 ft	January 31, 2013
2	11.41 ft	May 1, 2014
3	11.03 ft	December 11, 2003
4	10.26 ft	May 6, 1989
5	9.22 ft	June 28, 2015
6	7.82 ft	September 9, 1996

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 11 hr Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the Patuxent River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Patuxent River near UnityRiver gauge, Patuxent River	2.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	4.2 mi
Patuxent River near LaurelRiver gauge, Patuxent River	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	9 mi
Patuxent River near BowieRiver gauge, Patuxent River	4.45 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	23 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hawlings River near Sandy SpringRiver gauge, Hawlings River	0.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	1.5 mi
Cattail Creek near GlenwoodRiver gauge, Cattail Creek	12.4 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	5.1 mi
Paint Branch Tributary near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Paint Branch Tributary	1.60 ft	Below flood stage	±0	7 mi
Little Patuxent River at GuilfordRiver gauge, Little Patuxent River	2.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	8 mi
Northwest Branch Anacostia River near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Northwest Branch Anacostia River	1.42 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	9 mi
Turkey Branch near RockvilleRiver gauge, Turkey Branch	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	10 mi
Little Patuxent River at SavageRiver gauge, Little Patuxent River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	11 mi
Paint Branch near College ParkRiver gauge, Paint Branch	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	±0	11 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 7.41 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 Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM EDT, the water level was 1.59 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD?

The highest level on record is 11.88 ft on January 31, 2013.

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:01591610 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.19219, -77.00439 (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	1.59 ft	2026-10-20 21:45	Provisional
Flow	37.8 cfs	2026-10-20 21:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Patuxent River below Brighton Dam near Brighton MD (usgs:01591610). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/patuxent-river-below-brighton-dam-near-brighton-md

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