Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine water level

Name: Kennebec River at The Forks, 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, Kennebec River, Maine, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

4.98ft Up 3.03 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:45 PM EDT (20 min ago)

Flow: 5,370 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine is well above normal at 4.98 ft.

The record high is 14.41 ft, set on April 18, 1983.

It has risen 3.03 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. In the last month it has stayed between 1.95 ft and 4.98 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 14.41 ftApril 18, 1983

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.41 ft	April 18, 1983
2	13.78 ft	June 1, 1984
3	12.68 ft	December 22, 1973
4	11.06 ft	September 25, 1981
5	11.01 ft	May 21, 1969
6	10.95 ft	December 19, 2023
7	10.70 ft	April 28, 1945
8	10.58 ft	May 9, 1947
9	10.37 ft	June 19, 1969
10	10.10 ft	June 18, 1917

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 58° 37° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 52° 33° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 55° 35° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 47° 31° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 54° 30° – Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 63° 34° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 64° 43° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:03 AM Sunset 05:48 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Kennebec River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kennebec River at Bingham, MaineRiver gauge, Kennebec River	1,630 cfs	Very low	−760.0 cfs	20 mi
Kennebec River near Madison, MaineRiver gauge, Kennebec River	1,870 cfs	Very low	−530.0 cfs	39 mi
Kennebec River at North Sidney, MaineRiver gauge, Kennebec River	5.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.33 ft	61 mi
Kennebec River at Calumet Bridge at Augusta, MaineTidal gauge, Kennebec River	0.43 ft	Below flood stage	+1.02 ft	71 mi
Kennebec River at Hallowell, MaineTidal gauge, Kennebec River	0.64 ft	Below flood stage	+1.20 ft	73 mi
Kennebec River at Gardiner, MaineTidal gauge, Kennebec River	1.93 ft	Below flood stage	+0.70 ft	77 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Spencer Stream near Grand Falls, MaineRiver gauge, Spencer Stream	132 cfs	Normal	−35.0 cfs	14 mi
Dead River near Dead River, MaineRiver gauge, Dead River	357 cfs	Low	±0	14 mi
Piscataquis River at Blanchard, MaineRiver gauge, Piscataquis River	3.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	19 mi
Austin Stream at Bingham, MaineRiver gauge, Austin Stream	53.4 cfs	Normal	−19.3 cfs	19 mi
Kingsbury Stream at Abbot Village, MaineRiver gauge, Kingsbury Stream	5.99 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	27 mi
East Branch Wesserunsett Stream near Athens, MaineRiver gauge, East Branch Wesserunsett Stream	14.3 cfs	Normal	−2.3 cfs	31 mi
Carrabassett River near North Anson, MaineRiver gauge, Carrabassett River	3.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	33 mi
Piscataquis River near Dover-Foxcroft, MaineRiver gauge, Piscataquis River	1.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	33 mi

Questions and answers

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 Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:45 PM EDT, the water level was 4.98 ft. Up 3.03 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine rising or falling?

Up 3.03 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine?

The highest level on record is 14.41 ft on April 18, 1983.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01042500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.33972, -69.96194 (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	4.98 ft	2026-10-20 17:45	Provisional
Flow	5,370 cfs	2026-10-20 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine (usgs:01042500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/maine/kennebec-river-at-the-forks-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