Chipola River near Altha water level

Name: Chipola River near Altha 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, Chipola River, Florida, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

9.86ft Down 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 02:00 AM EDT (4 hours ago)

Flow: 980 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Chipola River near Altha, where the gauge shows 9.86 ft.

That puts it 0.81 ft above the median of 9.05 ft for mid-October, based on 51 years of readings. It is 12.14 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 8.47 ft (+1.39 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.64 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 8.69 ft – 12.65 ft.

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

Compared with 51 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 9.05 ft0.81 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 8.48 ft – 11.31 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (51 years of records)
Same day last year: 8.47 ft+1.39 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 8.69 ft – 12.65 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 8.33 ft – 16.39 ft
Highest on record: 33.55 ftSeptember 20, 1926

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 22.00 ft.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Major flood damage will occur.
28.50 ft: Water will reach the highway 274 bridge and approach the road.
23.00 ft: Water will start to affect houses and mobile homes in the flood plain downstream from the gage. A few fish camps downstream of highway 20 will be affected by flood water.
22.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding will occur. Lamb Eddy Road near the boat ramp will flood.
9.86 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: 17 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	33.55 ft	September 20, 1926
2	32.20 ft	April 5, 1948
3	30.79 ft	April 4, 2009
4	30.73 ft	March 13, 1998
5	30.66 ft	April 4, 2009
6	29.60 ft	July 11, 1994
7	29.43 ft	April 16, 1975
8	28.94 ft	March 2, 2013
9	28.42 ft	April 8, 1960
10	28.33 ft	April 5, 2016

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:46 AM Sunset 07:07 PM Daylight 11 hr, 22 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the Chipola River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chipola River at MariannaRiver gauge, Chipola River	6.33 ft	Normal	−0.41 ft	17 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Apalachicola River near Blountstown, FloridaRiver gauge, Apalachicola River	5.27 ft	Normal	−0.63 ft	11 mi
Jackson Blue Spring near MariannaRiver gauge, Jackson Blue Spring	76.80 ft	High	±0	18 mi
Apalachicola River below Woodruff Dam, near SneadsRiver gauge, Apalachicola River	42.50 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	21 mi
Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee FlaRiver gauge, Apalachicola River	42.26 ft	High	+0.03 ft	22 mi
Lake Seminole near ChattahoocheeLake, Lake Seminole	76.84 ft	Normal	−0.39 ft	22 mi
Econfina Creek near BennettRiver gauge, Econfina Creek	6.89 ft	Very high	−0.06 ft	25 mi
Apalachicola R.ab Chipola Cutoff near WewahitchkaRiver gauge, Apalachicola R.ab Chipola Cutoff	16.70 ft	High	−0.51 ft	28 mi
Ochlockonee River near BloxhamRiver gauge, Ochlockonee River	10.14 ft	Very high	−0.03 ft	32 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Chipola River near Altha compare with last year?

It is 1.39 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.47 ft.

What is flood stage for the Chipola River near Altha?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 12.14 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Chipola River near Altha in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 9.05 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 8.48 ft and 11.31 ft, based on 51 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 Chipola River near Altha today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:00 AM EDT, the water level was 9.86 ft. Down 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Chipola River near Altha rising or falling?

Down 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.79 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Chipola River near Altha normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 51 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:02359000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.53408, -85.16520 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	9.86 ft	2026-10-18 06:00	Provisional
Flow	980 cfs	2026-10-18 06:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Chipola River near Altha (usgs:02359000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/chipola-river-near-altha

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