Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville water level

Name: Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville 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, Ortega River, Florida, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

7.02ft Down 0.26 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 PM EDT (32 min ago)

Flow: 45.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

High water at Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville: the latest reading is 7.02 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 6.25 ft, based on 19 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.77 ft above typical. It is 2.98 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 5.60 ft, a difference of +1.42 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.26 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.49 ft – 11.08 ft.

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

Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.25 ft0.77 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.51 ft – 7.64 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (19 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.60 ft+1.42 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.49 ft – 11.08 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.90 ft – 11.08 ft
Highest on record: 12.99 ftSeptember 11, 2017

Paddling and fishing conditions

Above-normal flows push fish to the edges and make wading risky. Wait for the river to drop and clear.

For reference, flood stage is 10.00 ft.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.99 ft	September 11, 2017
2	12.69 ft	August 23, 2008
3	10.91 ft	September 27, 2004
4	10.86 ft	July 3, 2005
5	10.84 ft	May 21, 2009
6	10.80 ft	December 17, 2023
7	10.74 ft	June 7, 2020
8	10.66 ft	August 6, 2024
9	10.63 ft	October 7, 2016
10	10.62 ft	October 8, 2016

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 73° 55° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 77° 54° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 79° 53° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 79° 61° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 74° 63° 0.47 in, 39% Wind 16 mph

25 Sun 78° 67° 0.23 in, 21% Wind 16 mph

26 Mon 80° 67° 0.08 in Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:52 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cedar River at San Juan Avenue at JacksonvilleTidal gauge, Cedar River	13.69 ft	Very high	−0.12 ft	6.2 mi
North Fork Black Creek near MiddleburgRiver gauge, North Fork Black Creek	2.03 ft	Normal	−0.33 ft	10 mi
North Fork Black Creek at MiddleburgRiver gauge, North Fork Black Creek	13.91 ft	Very high	−0.62 ft	10 mi
St. Johns River at JacksonvilleTidal gauge, St. Johns River	13.26 ft	Very high	−0.02 ft	11 mi
Pottsburg Creek near South JacksonvilleRiver gauge, Pottsburg Creek	20.43 ft	Normal	−0.12 ft	12 mi
Julington Creek at Old St August Road near BayardTidal gauge, Julington Creek	1.65 ft	Flooding	−0.28 ft	13 mi
Pottsburg Creek at Us90 near S. JacksonvilleTidal gauge, Pottsburg Creek	2.56 ft	Flooding	−0.06 ft	13 mi
Durbin Creek near Fruit CoveTidal gauge, Durbin Creek	1.86 ft	High	−0.32 ft	14 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.42 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.60 ft.

What is flood stage for the Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 2.98 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.25 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.51 ft and 7.64 ft, based on 19 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 Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 PM EDT, the water level was 7.02 ft. Down 0.26 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville rising or falling?

Down 0.26 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.69 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02246318 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.19635, -81.76843 (WGS84)
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	7.02 ft	2026-10-20 22:45	Provisional
Flow	45.5 cfs	2026-10-20 22:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ortega River at Kirwin Road near Jacksonville (usgs:02246318). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/ortega-river-at-kirwin-road-near-jacksonville

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