Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station water level

Name: Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station 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

3.35ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:50 AM EDT (33 min ago)

Flow: 4,950 cfs
Water temperature: 59 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.20 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station reads 3.35 ft, a normal level.

It is 6.65 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.20 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.35 ft and 4.11 ft.

The water temperature at the gauge is 59 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 22.03 ftJune 24, 1972
Forecast peak: 3.30 ftWednesday, October 21 at 02:00 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 10.00 ft, still 6.65 ft away.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft: Water overflows the overlooks at Great Falls National Park and approaches the lower level of the visitors center. Most of the C&O Canal towpath downstream of Pennyfield is flooded. There is approximately a foot of water in the clubhouse on Sycamore Island.
16.00 ft: Water reaches the clubhouse on Sycamore Island.
15.00 ft: Most of the C&O Canal towpath from Pennyfield downstream is flooded.
14.00 ft: Significant portions of the C&O Canal towpath are flooded. The Blockhouse Point Park is flooded. Water reaches the retaining wall at Overlook 1 at Great Falls National Park but does not overtop it.
12.00 ft: The C&O Canal overflows at the Great Falls Tavern. Water covers the towpath in many areas.
11.50 ft: Water covers the towpath in multiple spots between the Washington Aqueduct Dam and Pennyfield Lock, mileposts 15 to 19 on the C&O Canal.
11.00 ft: Water covers the towpath between Swains Lock and Pennyfield Lock, mileposts 17 to 19 on the C&O Canal.
10.00 ft: Water begins to overflow the banks into low lying areas on the Maryland side of the river near Little Falls. Water begins to enter the canoe shed at Sycamore Island.
9.00 ft: Several trails on both sides of the river between Great Falls and the Chain Bridge are flooded and will be closed.
7.00 ft: Upper portions of the River Trail at Great Falls National Park begin to flood and will be closed.
5.50 ft: Water reaches the top of the ferry landing for Sycamore Island. Ferry service to the island will likely be suspended.
5.00 ft: Portions of the Potomac Heritage Trail begin to flood. Water begins to affect portions of the Billy Goat Trail between Great Falls and Carderock. These trails will be closed.
3.35 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: 11 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	22.03 ft	June 24, 1972
2	19.29 ft	January 21, 1996
3	17.99 ft	November 7, 1985
4	17.84 ft	September 8, 1996
5	13.73 ft	February 16, 1984
6	13.39 ft	September 27, 1975
7	13.18 ft	October 11, 1976
8	13.12 ft	February 26, 1979
9	12.82 ft	March 15, 2010
10	12.38 ft	June 5, 2018

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 68° 43° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 68° 42° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 64° 48° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 64° 48° – Wind 6 mph

25 Sun 66° 50° – Wind 4 mph

26 Mon 68° 50° – Wind 5 mph

27 Tue 70° 53° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Potomac River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Potomac River at Paw PawRiver gauge, Potomac River	5.24 ft	Below flood stage	−0.25 ft	82 mi
Potomac River at HancockRiver gauge, Potomac River	4.18 ft	Below flood stage	−0.24 ft	76 mi
Potomac River at ShepherdstownRiver gauge, Potomac River	2.76 ft	Below flood stage	−0.18 ft	49 mi
Potomac River at Harpers FerryRiver gauge, Potomac River	1.69 ft	No reference yet	−0.34 ft	41 mi
Potomac River at Burkittsville Road at BrunswickRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.10 ft	No reference yet	−0.18 ft	37 mi
Potomac River at Point of RocksRiver gauge, Potomac River	2.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.18 ft	32 mi
Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near PoolesvilleRiver gauge, Potomac River	4.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.23 ft	21 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	2.60 ft	Below flood stage	+1.30 ft	4.5 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Dead Run at Whann Avenue near McLeanRiver gauge, Dead Run	1.15 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	2.7 mi
Rock Creek at Joyce Rd WashingtonRiver gauge, Rock Creek	1.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	4.7 mi
Difficult Run near Great FallsRiver gauge, Difficult Run	2.73 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	7 mi
Sligo Creek near Takoma ParkRiver gauge, Sligo Creek	0.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Fourmile Run at AlexandriaRiver gauge, Fourmile Run	4.07 ft	Below flood stage	±0	8 mi
Turkey Branch near RockvilleRiver gauge, Turkey Branch	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	±0	9 mi
Hickey Run at National Arboretum at WashingtonRiver gauge, Hickey Run	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	9 mi
Northwest Branch Anacostia River near ColesvilleRiver gauge, Northwest Branch Anacostia River	1.42 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 6.65 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 near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:50 AM EDT, the water level was 3.35 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.66 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station?

The highest level on record is 22.03 ft on June 24, 1972.

Is Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.20 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01646500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.94978, -77.12764 (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	3.35 ft	2026-10-21 09:50	Provisional
Flow	4,950 cfs	2026-10-21 09:50	Provisional
Water temperature	59 °F	2026-10-21 09:50	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Station (usgs:01646500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/potomac-river-near-wash-dc-little-falls-pump-station

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