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Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground water level

River gauge, Sharp Mountain Creek, Georgia, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

2.68ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
13.8 cfs
5 10 15 20 Highest onrecord 18.67 ft Minor floodstage 18.00 ft

History

345ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 19345ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
46ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 1946ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
51015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage51015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
35810ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202635810ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

At 2.68 ft, Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.41 ft below the median of 3.09 ft for mid-October, based on 21 years of readings. It is 15.32 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.94 ft (−0.26 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.55 ft and 3.09 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3.09 ft0.41 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.66 ft – 4.30 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
Same day last year
2.94 ft−0.26 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.55 ft – 3.09 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.53 ft – 8.87 ft
Highest on record
18.67 ftFebruary 13, 2025

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 18.00 ft, still 15.32 ft away.

What happens at each level

28.00 ft
Major flooding begins along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5. The water level of the creek reaches the bottom of the bridge and county officals may close it. Flood waters from 1 to 4 feet deep begin to affect portions of a materials supply company and a trucking company off of East Cherokee Drive downstream and on the right bank from the bridge.
26.00 ft
Significant flooding expands further along the creek in the woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5. Flood waters a foot or two deep affect portions of the property surrounding a materials supply company and a trucking company off of East Cherokee Drive downstream and on the right bank from the bridge.
25.00 ft
Significant flooding continues along the creek in the woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5. Flood waters begin to flood portions of the property surrounding a materials supply company and a trucking company off of East Cherokee Drive downstream and on the right bank from the bridge.
23.00 ft
Moderate flooding begins. Significant flooding occurs along the creek in the woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5. Flood waters reach the property boundaries of a materials supply company and a trucking company off of East Cherokee Drive downstream and on the right bank from the bridge.
22.00 ft
Minor flooding expands further into the woodlands along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5.
20.00 ft
Minor flooding continues along the creek in the woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5.
18.00 ft
Flood stage is reached. Minor flooding begins along the creek in the woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5.
16.00 ft
Bankfull conditions are reached along the creek in the woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage on Old Georgia Highway 5.
2.68 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
118.67 ftFebruary 13, 2025
218.00 ftSeptember 22, 2009

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:47 AM Sunset 07:00 PM Daylight 11 hr, 13 min First quarter 63%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Hickory Log Creek near CantonRiver gauge, Hickory Log Creek 0.94 ft Normal ±0 5.1 mi
Etowah River Downstream of I-575, at CantonRiver gauge, Etowah River Downstream of I-575 1.74 ft Low −0.01 ft 5.6 mi
Etowah River at CantonRiver gauge, Etowah River 1.14 ft Very low −0.02 ft 7 mi
Settingdown Creek near Ball GroundRiver gauge, Settingdown Creek 0.29 ft Very low −0.02 ft 8 mi
Shoal Creek at GA 108, near WaleskaRiver gauge, Shoal Creek 2.08 ft Very low +0.01 ft 11 mi
Etowah River at Kelly Bridge Road, near MattRiver gauge, Etowah River 0.98 ft Low −0.01 ft 12 mi
Amicalola Creek near DawsonvilleRiver gauge, Amicalola Creek 0.41 ft Low ±0 13 mi
Little River at GA 5, near WoodstockRiver gauge, Little River 0.33 ft Low +0.08 ft 14 mi

Questions and answers

How does Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground compare with last year?

It is 0.26 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.94 ft.

What is flood stage for Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 15.32 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.09 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.66 ft and 4.30 ft, based on 21 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 Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:15 PM EDT, the water level was 2.68 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.21 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 21 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:02391540 (Agency page)
Coordinates
34.31089, -84.40347 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 2.68 ft 2026-10-19 22:15 Provisional
Flow 13.8 cfs 2026-10-19 22:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5, below Ball Ground (usgs:02391540). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/sharp-mountain-creek-at-old-ga-5-below-ball-ground

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