Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills water level

Name: Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills 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, Hillsborough River, Florida, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

2.22ft Down 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 09:00 AM EDT (58 min ago)

Flow: 243 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills is above normal at 2.22 ft.

The median for late October is 1.19 ft, based on 62 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.04 ft above typical. It is 7.78 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.03 ft, a difference of +1.19 ft.

It has dropped 0.23 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.29 ft and 5.62 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 62 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.19 ft1.04 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.85 ft – 2.47 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (62 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.03 ft+1.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.29 ft – 5.62 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.76 ft – 5.62 ft
Highest on record: 17.14 ftOctober 11, 2024

About this gauge

Location: Hillsborough County
Nearest town: Zephyrhills South (8.3 km)
Elevation above sea level: 32.5 ft

Town from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)

Floating and fishing near Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 7.78 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

13.40 ft: Streets in Crystal Springs flood and homes are isolated, but no flooding into homes occurs.
11.00 ft: Hillsborough River State Park may be closed. Lowland flooding occurs at the mobile home park near Branchton on State Road 579.
8.00 ft: Some State Park operations are suspended.
2.22 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	17.14 ft	October 11, 2024
2	15.33 ft	March 18, 1960
3	14.68 ft	September 12, 1960
4	14.26 ft	September 12, 2017
5	14.22 ft	December 28, 1997
6	13.93 ft	September 7, 2004
7	13.80 ft	September 7, 1950
8	13.76 ft	July 30, 1960
9	13.71 ft	September 19, 1947
10	13.54 ft	August 6, 2024

About the Hillsborough River

The Hillsborough River is a river located in the state of Florida in the United States. It arises in the Green Swamp near the juncture of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, and flows 60 miles (97 km) through Pasco and Hillsborough Counties to an outlet in the city of Tampa on Hillsborough Bay. The name Hillsborough River first appeared on a British map in 1769. At the time, the Earl of Hillsborough was the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, and thus controlled the pensions of the surveyors working in the American colonies, which included East Florida.

Length: 54.1 mi
Catchment area: 740 mi²
Mouth: Tampa Bay

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 11 hr, 21 min Waxing gibbous 77%

Map

Other gauges on the Hillsborough River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hillsborough River above Crystal Spr near ZephyrhillsRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	53.53 ft	Very high	−0.16 ft	3.8 mi
Hillsborough River below Crystal Spr near ZephyrhillsRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	51.21 ft	High	−0.31 ft	3.2 mi
Hillsborough River at Morris Branch near ThonotosassaRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	26.89 ft	High	−0.16 ft	6.0 mi
Hillsborough River at Fowler Av near Temple TerraceRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	22.24 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	10 mi
Hillsborough River near TampaRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	21.73 ft	Normal	+0.06 ft	15 mi
Hillsborough River at Rowlett Park Drain near TampaTidal gauge, Hillsborough River	146 cfs	Normal	−312.0 cfs	15 mi
Hillsborough River at I-275 Bridge at Sulphur SpringsRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	1.82 ft	No reference yet	+0.35 ft	16 mi
Hillsborough River at Platt Street at TampaRiver gauge, Hillsborough River	12.48 ft	No reference yet	+0.26 ft	20 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Crystal Springs near ZephyrhillsRiver gauge, Crystal Springs	53.80 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	3.6 mi
Blackwater Creek near KnightsRiver gauge, Blackwater Creek	72.39 ft	Very high	−0.17 ft	5.0 mi
Trout Creek near Sulphur SpringsRiver gauge, Trout Creek	36.76 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	8 mi
Trout Creek at Wesley ChapelRiver gauge, Trout Creek	44.89 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	8 mi
Trout Creek at Chancey Road at Wesley ChapelRiver gauge, Trout Creek	61.40 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	8 mi
Baker Creek at McIntosh Road near AntiochRiver gauge, Baker Creek	3.09 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	8 mi
Cypress Creek at County Line Road at Wesley ChapelRiver gauge, Cypress Creek	38.59 ft	Normal	−0.19 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.19 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.03 ft.

Where is the Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills gauge?

The gauge is in Hillsborough County, Florida. It sits 32.5 ft above sea level.

What is flood stage for the Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 7.78 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills in late October?

The median for late October is 1.19 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.85 ft and 2.47 ft, based on 62 years of records.

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 Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 09:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.22 ft. Down 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills rising or falling?

Down 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.79 ft over the last 7 days.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02303000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 28.15029, -82.23175 (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	2.22 ft	2026-10-21 13:00	Provisional
Flow	243 cfs	2026-10-21 13:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Hillsborough River at State Park near Zephyrhills (usgs:02303000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/hillsborough-river-at-state-park-near-zephyrhills

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