North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ water level

Name: North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ 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, North Branch Raritan River, New Jersey, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.09ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 01:15 AM EDT (46 min ago)

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ is at 3.09 ft, in the normal range.

It is 9.21 ft below the flood stage of 12.30 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.09 ft and 3.30 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 21.53 ftSeptember 16, 1999

Floating and fishing near North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 12.30 ft, 9.21 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.53 ft	September 16, 1999
2	21.12 ft	September 2, 2021
3	20.54 ft	August 28, 2011
4	19.31 ft	July 7, 1984
5	18.70 ft	August 28, 1971
6	18.60 ft	October 19, 1996
7	16.62 ft	January 25, 1979
8	16.10 ft	May 1, 2014
9	16.06 ft	December 18, 2023
10	15.43 ft	April 16, 2007

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 70° 41° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 64° 44° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 67° 42° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 60° 45° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 61° 42° – Wind 4 mph

25 Sun 63° 44° – Wind 6 mph

26 Mon 67° 46° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:11 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Other gauges on the North Branch Raritan River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Branch Raritan River near Far Hills NJRiver gauge, North Branch Raritan River	2.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	8 mi
North Branch Raritan River near Raritan NJRiver gauge, North Branch Raritan River	2.82 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	2.1 mi
North Branch Raritan River at South Branch NJRiver gauge, North Branch Raritan River	1.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	3.1 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lamington River at Burnt Mills NJRiver gauge, Lamington River	3.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	2.5 mi
Middle Brook at Burnt Mills NJRiver gauge, Middle Brook	4.00 ft	Below flood stage	−2.03 ft	3.4 mi
West Branch Middle Brook near Martinsville NJRiver gauge, West Branch Middle Brook	2.02 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	4.4 mi
South B Rockaway Creek at Whitehouse Station NJRiver gauge, South B Rockaway Creek	6.1 cfs	Normal	+0.6 cfs	5.4 mi
Raritan River at Manville NJRiver gauge, Raritan River	4.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	5.7 mi
Millstone River at Weston NJRiver gauge, Millstone River	1.74 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	7 mi
Royce Brook at Hamilton Road near Manville NJRiver gauge, Royce Brook	7.4 cfs	Normal	+0.4 cfs	7 mi
Middle Brook at Bound Brook NJRiver gauge, Middle Brook	4.09 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ?

The official flood stage is 12.30 ft. The level is currently 9.21 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 North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 01:15 AM EDT, the water level was 3.09 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ?

The highest level on record is 21.53 ft on September 16, 1999.

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:01399830 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.60000, -74.67389 (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	3.09 ft	2026-10-21 05:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Branch Raritan River at North Branch NJ (usgs:01399830). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-jersey/north-branch-raritan-river-at-north-branch-nj

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