Potomac River at Hancock water level

Name: Potomac River at Hancock 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, Potomac River, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.94ft Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 10:15 AM EDT (26 min ago)

Flow: 3,160 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 11:23 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Potomac River at Hancock reads 4.94 ft, a normal level.

It is 20.06 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.19 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.94 ft and 5.16 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 47.60 ftMarch 18, 1936
Forecast peak: 5.10 ftSunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM

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 25.00 ft, still 20.06 ft away.

What happens at each level

56.00 ft: Water approaches the highest point on Main Street.
46.00 ft: Water floods the railroad depot.
45.00 ft: Floodwater isolates the town of Hancock.
40.00 ft: Water floods 25 to 30 homes along the West Virginia side of the river just downstream from Hancock, and at least another 20 to 30 in Hancock itself.
35.00 ft: Water inundates 20 to 30 homes and 5 or more businesses in the west end of Hancock.
33.00 ft: Water floods low spots on East Main Street in Hancock.
31.00 ft: Water begins to flood low spots of West Main Street in Hancock.
30.00 ft: Water begins to inundate homes and business in Hancock. Water covers the road to the maintenance shop for the National Park Service near Hancock. The west end of the Potomac Airpark runway begins to flood.
28.00 ft: Water begins to inundate some yards on the west end of Hancock. Water also begins to collect on the west end of the CSX Railyard on the West Virginia side.
25.00 ft: Water may begin to inundate low points of the CSX Railroad tracks on the West Virginia side of the river due to backwater. Additionally, access to Potomac Airpark may be restricted due to backwater. Water reaches the top of the Hancock boat ramp and begins to spill over into the adjacent parking lot.
24.00 ft: Water begins to overflow into low lying areas.
21.00 ft: The boat ramp at Four Locks is covered by water. Half the parking lot there is also covered.
4.94 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 7 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	47.60 ft	March 18, 1936
2	41.20 ft	November 6, 1985
3	40.00 ft	June 1, 1889
4	36.63 ft	October 16, 1942
5	36.26 ft	January 20, 1996
6	35.81 ft	September 8, 1996
7	35.70 ft	April 27, 1937
8	35.00 ft	May 13, 1924
9	34.00 ft	May 1, 1889
10	32.40 ft	March 30, 1924

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:31 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Potomac River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Potomac River at Paw PawRiver gauge, Potomac River	6.09 ft	Below flood stage	−0.37 ft	18 mi
Potomac River at ShepherdstownRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	27 mi
Potomac River at Harpers FerryRiver gauge, Potomac River	2.55 ft	No reference yet	−0.14 ft	35 mi
Potomac River at Burkittsville Road at BrunswickRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.53 ft	No reference yet	−0.09 ft	40 mi
Potomac River at Point of RocksRiver gauge, Potomac River	2.68 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	45 mi
Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near PoolesvilleRiver gauge, Potomac River	4.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.43 ft	56 mi
Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump StationRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.59 ft	Below flood stage	−0.26 ft	76 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	−0.32 ft	Below flood stage	+0.10 ft	81 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tonoloway Creek near HancockRiver gauge, Tonoloway Creek	26.3 cfs	Normal	−5.9 cfs	1.5 mi
Warm Springs Run near Berkeley SpringsRiver gauge, Warm Springs Run	1.78 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	4.5 mi
Licking Creek at PectonvilleRiver gauge, Licking Creek	1.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	7 mi
Sideling Hill Creek near BellegroveRiver gauge, Sideling Hill Creek	0.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	9 mi
Cacapon River near Great CacaponRiver gauge, Cacapon River	2.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	11 mi
Tonoloway Creek near NeedmoreRiver gauge, Tonoloway Creek	1.9 cfs	Normal	−0.7 cfs	14 mi
Back Creek near Jones SpringsRiver gauge, Back Creek	1.99 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Conococheague Creek at FairviewRiver gauge, Conococheague Creek	2.03 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	19 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Potomac River at Hancock?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 20.06 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 Potomac River at Hancock today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 10:15 AM EDT, the water level was 4.94 ft. Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Potomac River at Hancock rising or falling?

Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Potomac River at Hancock normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Potomac River at Hancock?

The highest level on record is 47.60 ft on March 18, 1936.

Is Potomac River at Hancock expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01613000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.69756, -78.17789 (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	4.94 ft	2026-10-18 14:15	Provisional
Flow	3,160 cfs	2026-10-18 14:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Potomac River at Hancock (usgs:01613000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/potomac-river-at-hancock

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