Flint River at Bainbridge water level

Name: Flint River at Bainbridge 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, Flint River, Georgia, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

18.97ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:45 PM EDT (55 min ago)

Flow: 2,810 cfs
Water temperature: 73 °F

History

7 days

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

The forecast expects the river to rise to 19.50 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 10:23 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Flint River at Bainbridge is at 18.97 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.59 ft above the median of 18.38 ft for mid-October, based on 81 years of readings. It is 6.03 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 19.50 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 18.85 ft and 19.59 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 73 °F.

Compared with 81 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 18.38 ft0.59 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.80 ft – 19.91 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (81 years of records)
Highest on record: 40.90 ftJanuary 24, 1925
Forecast peak: 19.50 ftTuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Flint River at Bainbridge

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

Flood stage here is 25.00 ft, 6.03 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

40.00 ft: Significant flooding occurs in West Bainbridge, especially in the vicinity of SR-253 (Newton Road). Residences west of Newton Road, north of Copeland Street and south of Bethel Road will be prone to flooding. There will be extensive damage to industrial locations along the river around the state docks. The state docks will be underwater. Further rises will increasely isolate low lying areas in West Bainbridge near the river.
38.01 ft: Widespread flooding with major damage to residents, roadways and on agricultural land along the river from the Mitchell County line to the City of Bainbridge. Major impact to homes in Flint River Heights, Aryola Drive, Meadow Ridge, River Road, Riverview subdivision, and Rivervale subdivision. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
38.00 ft: Water will continue to expand into homes along Bethel Road. Water flooding Newton Road north of the Elberta Crate Company will make travel in the area impossible. Flooding will expand to include areas south of SR-253; Dickerson Street is impassible. In Bainbridge, water floods the interior of the Chamber of Commerce Building in the Boat Basin Area. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
36.01 ft: West portion of Oak City Cemetery near the river begins to flood. Widespread flooding with major damage to residences, on roadways, and on agricultural land from the Mitchell County line to the City of Bainbridge. Major impact to homes in Flint River Heights, Aryola Drive, Meadow Ridge, River Road, Riverview Subdivision and Rivervale Subdivision. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
36.00 ft: Major river flooding along the Flint River in Bainbridge. Water expands to impact additional areas along Cox Avenue, including the swer treatment plant near Dollar Drive. The sports fields in this area are also impacted. The backyards of homes in the 700 block of Bethel Road begin to flood. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
35.00 ft: Several factories on the west bank of the river experience significant flooding above this level. Water will flood Cox Avenue near West College Street, impacting a rehabilitation facility. Several homes on Dickerson Street begin to be affected by flood waters. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
34.00 ft: On the east bank of the river, north of Forest Lane, East River Road (SR-311) will begin to flood. The road becomes impassible above this level. Significant flooding occurs at Elberta Crate at this level. Water begins to flood homes near the 600 block of Newton Road. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
33.00 ft: Water will approach a home in the 1900 block of East River Road. The Driveway for the skating rink and adjacent hotel near West Shotwell Street will flood at this level. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
31.50 ft: Elberta Crate Company will begin to sustain moderate damage. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
30.50 ft: The Elberta Crate Company Lumber Yard will begin to flood. These impacts can increase in severity based on the levels in Big Slough and Twin Lakes.
29.70 ft: Flood waters will reach the elevation of the docks at the asphalt company and Flint River Grain Mill in the West Bainbridge area.
29.50 ft: Flood waters will begin to impact the back yard and basement of homes in the Flint River Heights subdivision on the west bank of the river.
18.97 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: 10 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	40.90 ft	January 24, 1925
2	37.70 ft	March 31, 1929
3	37.20 ft	July 14, 1994
4	34.70 ft	April 16, 1964
5	34.65 ft	March 13, 1998
6	33.20 ft	April 5, 1948
7	32.50 ft	March 29, 1944
8	32.50 ft	April 27, 1928
9	30.91 ft	April 7, 2009
10	30.90 ft	April 17, 1936

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 07:05 PM Daylight 11 hr, 21 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Flint River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Flint River below Big Branch, near MolenaRiver gauge, Flint River	4.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	148 mi
Flint River near ThomastonRiver gauge, Flint River	2.78 ft	Low	−0.08 ft	134 mi
Flint River at US 19, near CarsonvilleRiver gauge, Flint River	1.60 ft	Normal	−0.13 ft	127 mi
Flint River at GA 26, near MontezumaRiver gauge, Flint River	1.27 ft	Normal	−0.40 ft	101 mi
Flint River at GA 32, near OakfieldRiver gauge, Flint River	3.04 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	65 mi
Flint River at AlbanyRiver gauge, Flint River	2.60 ft	Low	+0.61 ft	54 mi
Flint River at NewtonRiver gauge, Flint River	5.64 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	31 mi
Flint River at Riverview Plantation, near HopefulRiver gauge, Flint River	5.03 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	17 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Spring Creek near ReynoldsvilleRiver gauge, Spring Creek	77.11 ft	Normal	−0.19 ft	10 mi
Spring Creek near Iron CityRiver gauge, Spring Creek	4.86 ft	High	−0.78 ft	13 mi
Little Attapulgus Creek at AttapulgusRiver gauge, Little Attapulgus Creek	1.09 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	13 mi
Spring Creek Approx .25 Mi Us Us27 near ColquittRiver gauge, Spring Creek Approx .25 Mi Us Us27	4.72 ft	Very high	−0.37 ft	21 mi
Lake Seminole near ChattahoocheeLake, Lake Seminole	76.92 ft	Normal	−0.13 ft	22 mi
Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee FlaRiver gauge, Apalachicola River	41.82 ft	High	−0.40 ft	22 mi
Apalachicola River below Woodruff Dam, near SneadsRiver gauge, Apalachicola River	42.09 ft	Normal	−0.44 ft	22 mi
Ichawaynochaway Creek below NewtonRiver gauge, Ichawaynochaway Creek	3.19 ft	Normal	−0.21 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Flint River at Bainbridge?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 6.03 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Flint River at Bainbridge in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 18.38 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.80 ft and 19.91 ft, based on 81 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 Flint River at Bainbridge today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:45 PM EDT, the water level was 18.97 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Flint River at Bainbridge rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Flint River at Bainbridge normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 81 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Flint River at Bainbridge?

The highest level on record is 40.90 ft on January 24, 1925.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02356000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.91031, -84.58050 (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	18.97 ft	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional
Flow	2,810 cfs	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional
Water temperature	73 °F	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Flint River at Bainbridge (usgs:02356000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/flint-river-at-bainbridge

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