Difficult Run near Great Falls water level

Name: Difficult Run near Great Falls 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, Difficult Run, Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.86ft Down 0.37 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT (46 min ago)

Flow: 22.7 cfs
Water temperature: 55 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Difficult Run near Great Falls is at 2.86 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.14 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.37 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.86 ft and 3.26 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 55 °F.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 21.40 ftJune 22, 1972

Floating and fishing near Difficult Run near Great Falls

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

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 8.14 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Water approaches structures near the stream.
13.00 ft: Water reaches the intersection of Leigh Mill Road and Kelso Road.
11.00 ft: Leigh Mill Road floods near Difficult Run.
2.86 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.40 ft	June 22, 1972
2	17.54 ft	September 8, 2011
3	16.62 ft	September 6, 2008
4	15.01 ft	June 26, 2006
5	13.82 ft	September 26, 1975
6	13.31 ft	May 6, 1989
7	13.18 ft	August 25, 1967
8	12.99 ft	July 22, 2018
9	12.95 ft	July 8, 2019
10	12.57 ft	April 30, 2014

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:28 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 51%

Map

Other gauges on Difficult Run

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Difficult Run above Fox Lake near FairfaxRiver gauge, Difficult Run	2.6 cfs	Normal	−3.7 cfs	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Dead Run at Whann Avenue near McLeanRiver gauge, Dead Run	1.16 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	3.9 mi
The Glade near Howland Drive at RestonRiver gauge, The Glade	0.3 cfs	Very high	−0.1 cfs	5.7 mi
Snakeden Branch above Lake Audubon at RestonRiver gauge, Snakeden Branch	0.2 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	6.0 mi
Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump StationRiver gauge, Potomac River	3.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.23 ft	7 mi
South F Little Difficult Run above Mouth near ViennaRiver gauge, South F Little Difficult Run	1.2 cfs	Normal	−0.4 cfs	7 mi
Potomac River at Wisconsin Ave, WashingtonEstuary gauge, Potomac River	0.15 ft	Below flood stage	+0.35 ft	11 mi
Turkey Branch near RockvilleRiver gauge, Turkey Branch	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	11 mi
Rock Creek at Joyce Rd WashingtonRiver gauge, Rock Creek	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.47 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Difficult Run near Great Falls?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 8.14 ft below it.

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 Difficult Run near Great Falls today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT, the water level was 2.86 ft. Down 0.37 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Difficult Run near Great Falls rising or falling?

Down 0.37 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Difficult Run near Great Falls normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Difficult Run near Great Falls?

The highest level on record is 21.40 ft on June 22, 1972.

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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01646000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.97594, -77.24581 (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	2.86 ft	2026-10-18 15:15	Provisional
Flow	22.7 cfs	2026-10-18 15:15	Provisional
Water temperature	55 °F	2026-10-18 15:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Difficult Run near Great Falls (usgs:01646000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/difficult-run-near-great-falls

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