Western Branch at Upper Marlboro water level

Name: Western Branch at Upper Marlboro 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, Western Branch, Maryland, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.88ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:15 AM EDT (46 min ago)

Flow: 27.1 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Western Branch at Upper Marlboro, where the gauge shows 1.88 ft.

It is 9.12 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.83 ft – 2.77 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: 21.18 ftSeptember 8, 2011

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 11.00 ft.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft: More than a quarter mile of US 301 is flooded. Several businesses south of Maryland Route 4 are flooded with significant damage likely. A small portion of the lower grounds of the Prince Georges Equestrian Center floods. Water approaches the westernmost and lowermost portion of the Prince Georges County Courthouse.
19.00 ft: US 301 begins to flood from the bridge northward to the intersection with Marlboro Square Shopping Center. Nearby businesses begin to flood. Marlboro Pike/Main Street also floods at the river, with water approaching nearby homes and businesses.
16.00 ft: Floodwaters reach the parking lot of businesses off US 301. Water also approaches the southern perimeter of the Prince Georges Equestrian Center grounds.
14.00 ft: Water covers almost all of the pedestrian bridge paralleling Water Street, and covers Water Street from the MD Route 4 westbound exit ramps to Judges Street.
12.00 ft: Much of Race Track Road floods between Marlboro Pike and the community center.
11.00 ft: The Water Street bridge in Upper Marlboro is completely covered by water.
9.00 ft: Water begins to overflow the banks into the wide floodplain near Upper Marlboro.
1.88 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.18 ft	September 8, 2011
2	18.55 ft	May 12, 2008
3	16.81 ft	August 28, 2011
4	15.39 ft	September 16, 1999
5	15.26 ft	October 30, 2012
6	15.17 ft	June 4, 2018
7	15.07 ft	July 7, 2020
8	15.05 ft	November 17, 2006
9	15.03 ft	January 10, 2024
10	14.85 ft	May 1, 2014

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.45 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 56° 40° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 63° 41° – Wind 12 mph

20 Tue 69° 49° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 66° 46° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 67° 44° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 64° 47° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 63° 45° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 66%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Patuxent River near BowieRiver gauge, Patuxent River	4.51 ft	Below flood stage	−0.19 ft	10 mi
Watts Branch at WashingtonRiver gauge, Watts Branch	4.15 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
Hickey Run at National Arboretum at WashingtonRiver gauge, Hickey Run	0.2 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	14 mi
Northeast Branch Anacostia River at RiverdaleRiver gauge, Northeast Branch Anacostia River	0.45 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	14 mi
Piscataway Creek at PiscatawayRiver gauge, Piscataway Creek	2.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	14 mi
Sligo Creek near Takoma ParkRiver gauge, Sligo Creek	0.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	18 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	2.08 ft	Below flood stage	−0.62 ft	18 mi
Fourmile Run at AlexandriaRiver gauge, Fourmile Run	4.08 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Western Branch at Upper Marlboro?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 9.12 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 Western Branch at Upper Marlboro today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:15 AM EDT, the water level was 1.88 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Western Branch at Upper Marlboro rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Western Branch at Upper Marlboro normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Western Branch at Upper Marlboro?

The highest level on record is 21.18 ft on September 8, 2011.

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:01594526 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.81422, -76.74872 (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	1.88 ft	2026-10-20 06:15	Provisional
Flow	27.1 cfs	2026-10-20 06:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Western Branch at Upper Marlboro (usgs:01594526). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maryland/western-branch-at-upper-marlboro

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