Black River at Watertown water level

Name: Black River at Watertown 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, Black River, New York, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.78ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 07:30 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 4,370 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.90 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 11:08 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Black River at Watertown, where the gauge shows 4.78 ft.

It is 5.22 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.90 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 AM. The 30-day range is 4.53 ft – 5.21 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 16.02 ftJanuary 10, 1998
Forecast peak: 4.90 ftMonday, October 19 at 08:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 10.00 ft.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: Major flood, heavy commercial, industrial, and residential damages in Watertown, Carthage, and Dexter. Flooding on Huntington Street and River Street in Watertown.
12.00 ft: Moderate flood, widespread farmland flooding in the Flats. Numerous road closures in Castorland, Denmark, Lowville, and Carthage. Some residential properties flooded in the Flats.
10.00 ft: Flood stage, farmland flooding begins in the Flats with some roads flooded. Minor damages to riverfront commercial properties in Dexter.
8.00 ft: Action stage, minor agricultural flooding in the Flats area near Castorland and Croghan.
4.78 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.02 ft	January 10, 1998
2	14.20 ft	April 12, 1993
3	13.81 ft	April 17, 2014
4	13.15 ft	January 1, 1985
5	13.01 ft	December 31, 1984
6	12.84 ft	March 16, 1977
7	12.70 ft	April 30, 2011
8	12.43 ft	April 5, 1963
9	12.19 ft	April 18, 1994
10	11.86 ft	May 22, 1969

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:15 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min First quarter 59%

Map

Other gauges on the Black River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black River near BoonvilleRiver gauge, Black River	4.91 ft	Below flood stage	−0.26 ft	45 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sandy Creek near AdamsRiver gauge, Sandy Creek	235 cfs	Normal	−78.0 cfs	14 mi
Beaver River at CroghanRiver gauge, Beaver River	650 cfs	Normal	+49.0 cfs	27 mi
North Branch Salmon River at RedfieldRiver gauge, North Branch Salmon River	179 cfs	Normal	−110.0 cfs	31 mi
Salmon River at PinevilleRiver gauge, Salmon River	232 cfs	Very low	−8.0 cfs	32 mi
West Branch Oswegatchie River near HarrisvilleRiver gauge, West Branch Oswegatchie River	633 cfs	High	−108.0 cfs	33 mi
Independence River at DonnattsburgRiver gauge, Independence River	204 cfs	Normal	−126.0 cfs	34 mi
West Branch Little Cataraqui Creek at KingstonRiver gauge, West Branch Little Cataraqui Creek	10.02 m	Normal	−0.01 m	59 km
Lyn Creek near LynRiver gauge, Lyn Creek	7.97 m	High	−0.05 m	61 km

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Black River at Watertown?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 5.22 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 Black River at Watertown today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:30 AM EDT, the water level was 4.78 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Black River at Watertown rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Black River at Watertown normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Black River at Watertown?

The highest level on record is 16.02 ft on January 10, 1998.

Is Black River at Watertown expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.90 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:04260500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.98583, -75.92461 (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	4.78 ft	2026-10-19 11:30	Provisional
Flow	4,370 cfs	2026-10-19 11:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black River at Watertown (usgs:04260500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-york/black-river-at-watertown

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