Paint River near Alpha water level

Name: Paint River near Alpha 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, Paint River, Michigan, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

3.35ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:45 AM CDT (36 min ago)

Flow: 280 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The gauge at Paint River near Alpha shows 3.35 ft, above normal for mid-October.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.34 ft and 3.35 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: 11.44 ftApril 17, 2002

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	11.44 ft	April 17, 2002
2	10.62 ft	April 15, 2023
3	10.50 ft	July 2, 1953
4	10.36 ft	April 25, 1960
5	9.95 ft	May 1, 2013
6	9.54 ft	April 28, 1954
7	9.42 ft	April 25, 1996
8	9.30 ft	May 3, 1972
9	9.25 ft	April 22, 1985
10	8.74 ft	April 1, 1986

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:03 PM Daylight 10 hr, 49 min First quarter 48%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Brule River at Us Highway 2 near FlorenceRiver gauge, Brule River	3.68 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	4.4 mi
Brule River near CommonwealthRiver gauge, Brule River	7.07 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.9 mi
Menominee River near FlorenceRiver gauge, Menominee River	3.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.29 ft	5.3 mi
Michigamme River near Crystal FallsRiver gauge, Michigamme River	2.89 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Pine River below Pine R Powerplant near FlorenceRiver gauge, Pine River	2.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	12 mi
Menominee River at Us Hwy-2 near Iron MountainRiver gauge, Menominee River	15.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	13 mi
Iron River at CaspianRiver gauge, Iron River	4.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	18 mi
Popple River near FenceRiver gauge, Popple River	2.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	20 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 Paint River near Alpha today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:45 AM CDT, the water level was 3.35 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Paint River near Alpha rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Paint River near Alpha normal?

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 Paint River near Alpha?

The highest level on record is 11.44 ft on April 17, 2002.

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:04062000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.01106, -88.25847 (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	3.35 ft	2026-10-18 09:45	Provisional
Flow	280 cfs	2026-10-18 09:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Paint River near Alpha (usgs:04062000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/michigan/paint-river-near-alpha

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