South Branch Estero River at Estero water level

Name: South Branch Estero River at Estero 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, South Branch Estero River, Florida, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.84ft Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 01:45 AM EDT (29 min ago)

Flow: 15.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at South Branch Estero River at Estero reads 3.84 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.36 ft above the median of 3.48 ft for mid-October, based on 37 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 3.04 ft (+0.80 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.39 ft and 4.74 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.48 ft0.36 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.96 ft – 4.63 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.04 ft+0.80 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.39 ft – 4.74 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.64 ft – 5.84 ft

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.

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.31 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 82° 67° – Wind 17 mph

19 Mon 83° 70° – Wind 16 mph

20 Tue 82° 64° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 82° 65° – Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 82° 67° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 78° 71° – Wind 16 mph

24 Sat 84° 66° 0.07 in Wind 20 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:29 AM Sunset 06:56 PM Daylight 11 hr, 27 min First quarter 56%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Branch Estero River at EsteroRiver gauge, North Branch Estero River	7.83 ft	Normal	−0.13 ft	1.0 mi
Spring Creek Headwater near Bonita SpringsRiver gauge, Spring Creek Headwater	6.63 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	4.6 mi
Briarcliff Ditch at Mouth near EsteroCanal gauge, Briarcliff Ditch	5.82 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Tenmile Canal at Control near EsteroCanal gauge, Tenmile Canal	5.81 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Imperial River near Bonita SpringsRiver gauge, Imperial River	5.67 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	7 mi
Sixmile Cypress Creek near Fort MyersRiver gauge, Sixmile Cypress Creek	11.12 ft	High	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Whiskey Creek at Fort MyersRiver gauge, Whiskey Creek	3.08 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	12 mi
Orange River near BuckinghamTidal gauge, Orange River	101 cfs	Normal	−42.0 cfs	18 mi

Questions and answers

How does the South Branch Estero River at Estero compare with last year?

It is 0.80 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.04 ft.

What is a normal level for the South Branch Estero River at Estero in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.48 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.96 ft and 4.63 ft, based on 37 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 South Branch Estero River at Estero today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 01:45 AM EDT, the water level was 3.84 ft. Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South Branch Estero River at Estero rising or falling?

Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.30 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South Branch Estero River at Estero normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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:02291597 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 26.42875, -81.79344 (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	3.84 ft	2026-10-19 05:45	Provisional
Flow	15.1 cfs	2026-10-19 05:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Branch Estero River at Estero (usgs:02291597). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/south-branch-estero-river-at-estero

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