Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine water level

Name: Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine 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, Penobscot River, Maine, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.47ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 3,000 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:40 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine reads 1.47 ft, a normal level.

It is 15.53 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.34 ft and 1.88 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 25.15 ftMay 1, 1923
Forecast peak: 1.50 ftTuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM

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.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 17.00 ft, still 15.53 ft away.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: Comparable to the FEMA 0.2 percent flood level. Record flooding similar to the Flood of 1923.
24.00 ft: Transportation across the area will be severely impacted. Several portions of US Route 2 flooded and impassable between West Enfield and Milford. State Route 116 has extensive flooding between the Stillwater River and Howland.
23.00 ft: Comparable to the FEMA 1 percent flood level with similar impacts to the 1987 floods. Significant flooding of US Route 2 from Sunkhaze Stream to Greenbush Station with several homes inundated. Significant flooding of State Route 116 in areas from the Stillwater River north to Lagoon Lane in Howland.
21.00 ft: Closure of Route 2 likely between Greenbush and Milford. Flooding on US Route 2 can occur along the confluences with the Sunkhaze Stream or Costigan Brook in Milford, and the Boonridge or Stevens Brook in Greenbush due to backwater effects.
20.00 ft: Extensive flooding along US Route 2 and State Route 116 between Howland and West Enfield to Old Town and Milford. Extensive backwater issues on several streams and creeks will cause minor flooding of US Route 2 and State Route 116. Homes and structures near the Penobscot River and tributaries will be threatened by flood waters.
18.00 ft: River is out of banks with extensive flooding along low-lying areas of US Route 2 and State Route 116. Extensive backwater flooding on Costigan Brook, Sunkhaze Stream, Olamon Stream, Lancaster Brook and Passadumkeag River will encroach on structures between Milford and West Enfield similar to December 2023 flooding. Greenfield Road floods and impassable between St. Regis Road to near Lindey Lane.
17.00 ft: Low-lying flooding of properties close to the river between West Enfield and Milford. Backwater issues will cause low-lying flooding on the Sunkhaze and Olamon Stream, Costigan and Boombridge Brook and Passadumkeag River.
16.00 ft: River approaches bankfull, basement flooding is possible and dangerous flows pose a threat to life for river activities.
1.47 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	25.15 ft	May 1, 1923
2	23.58 ft	April 2, 1987
3	22.03 ft	March 21, 1936
4	21.66 ft	April 30, 1973
5	21.62 ft	May 1, 2008
6	20.81 ft	April 19, 1983
7	20.65 ft	April 14, 1940
8	20.08 ft	June 3, 1984
9	19.86 ft	April 4, 1976
10	19.76 ft	April 30, 2005

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 58° 32° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 51° 31° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 58° 35° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 47° 32° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 57° 29° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 61° 35° – Wind 7 mph

26 Mon 67° 40° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:58 AM Sunset 05:42 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Penobscot River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Penobscot River at Eddington, MaineTidal gauge, Penobscot River	2.30 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	28 mi
Penobscot River at Bangor, MaineTidal gauge, Penobscot River	0.92 ft	Below flood stage	+1.31 ft	31 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Piscataquis River at Medford, MaineRiver gauge, Piscataquis River	2.18 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	11 mi
Sebec River at Sebec, MaineRiver gauge, Sebec River	2.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	23 mi
Mattawamkeag River near Mattawamkeag, MaineRiver gauge, Mattawamkeag River	3.74 ft	Below flood stage	+0.08 ft	25 mi
Kenduskeag Stream near Bangor, MaineRiver gauge, Kenduskeag Stream	3.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	27 mi
Black Stream near Dover-Foxcroft, MaineRiver gauge, Black Stream	5.6 cfs	Low	−1.0 cfs	29 mi
Piscataquis River near Dover-Foxcroft, MaineRiver gauge, Piscataquis River	1.96 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	33 mi
East Branch Penobscot River at Grindstone, MaineRiver gauge, East Branch Penobscot River	4.57 ft	Very low	−0.06 ft	34 mi
Kingsbury Stream at Abbot Village, MaineRiver gauge, Kingsbury Stream	6.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	39 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 15.53 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 Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.47 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine?

The highest level on record is 25.15 ft on May 1, 1923.

Is Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01034500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.23611, -68.65139 (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	1.47 ft	2026-10-20 14:30	Provisional
Flow	3,000 cfs	2026-10-20 14:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Penobscot River at West Enfield, Maine (usgs:01034500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maine/penobscot-river-at-west-enfield-maine

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