Cahaba River near Suttle water level
River gauge, Cahaba River, Alabama, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.00 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 01:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:04 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Cahaba River near Suttle is running below normal at 3.36 ft.
The median for mid-October is 3.96 ft, based on 37 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.60 ft below typical. It is 28.64 ft below the flood stage of 32.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.82 ft, a difference of +0.54 ft.
It has dropped 0.19 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.00 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 01:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 2.57 ft and 8.19 ft.
Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.96 ft0.60 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.80 ft – 6.67 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.82 ft+0.54 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.57 ft – 8.19 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.57 ft – 20.13 ft
- Highest on record
- 44.00 ftFebruary 25, 1961
- Forecast peak
- 3.40 ftSaturday, October 17 at 07:00 PM
Floating and fishing near Cahaba River near Suttle
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 32.00 ft, 28.64 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 43.00 ft
- Some flooding of homes in the area and Highway 14 occurs.
- 32.00 ft
- Flooding of pasture lands and low-lying agricultural lands occurs in the Suttle area.
- 3.36 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: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44.00 ft | February 25, 1961 |
| 2 | 42.80 ft | March 30, 1951 |
| 3 | 41.55 ft | April 15, 1979 |
| 4 | 41.09 ft | February 18, 1990 |
| 5 | 40.23 ft | March 18, 1976 |
| 6 | 40.00 ft | March 23, 1970 |
| 7 | 39.14 ft | April 1, 1977 |
| 8 | 38.20 ft | January 13, 1972 |
| 9 | 37.18 ft | April 10, 2014 |
| 10 | 36.79 ft | March 14, 2010 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Cahaba River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cahaba River near TrussvilleRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 0.49 ft | No reference yet | −0.02 ft | 86 mi |
| Cahaba River at TrussvilleRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 0.0 cfs | Low | ±0 | 83 mi |
| Cahaba River near Whites ChapelRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 1.17 ft | Normal | ±0 | 83 mi |
| Cahaba River near Mountain BrookRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 0.61 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 72 mi |
| Cahaba River near Cahaba HeightsRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 1.41 ft | Normal | ±0 | 67 mi |
| Cahaba River near HooverRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 2.60 ft | Low | −0.13 ft | 63 mi |
| Cahaba River near ActonRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 1.75 ft | Very low | −0.15 ft | 62 mi |
| Cahaba River near HelenaRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 1.44 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 55 mi |
| Cahaba River near West BloctonRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 2.09 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 40 mi |
| Cahaba River at CentrevilleRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 0.59 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 29 mi |
| Cahaba River near Marion JunctionRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 2.17 ft | Normal | −0.16 ft | 6.0 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama River at SelmaRiver gauge, Alabama River | 18.78 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 14 mi |
| Mulberry Creek at JonesRiver gauge, Mulberry Creek | 0.23 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 18 mi |
| Alabama River at Robert F Henry Lock and DamRiver gauge, Alabama River | 125.44 ft | High | +0.41 ft | 28 mi |
| Alabama River below Robert F Henry L&d near BentonRiver gauge, Alabama River | 80.82 ft | Very low | −1.84 ft | 28 mi |
| Alabama River at Millers Ferry Dam, near CamdenReservoir, Alabama River | 80.17 ft | Normal | +0.36 ft | 32 mi |
| Alabama River below Millers Ferry L&d near CamdenRiver gauge, Alabama River | 35.20 ft | Normal | +0.02 ft | 32 mi |
| Pine Barren Creek near Snow HillRiver gauge, Pine Barren Creek | 2.03 ft | Low | −0.05 ft | 38 mi |
| Little Cahaba River near BrierfieldRiver gauge, Little Cahaba River | 59.7 cfs | Normal | −3.0 cfs | 39 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Cahaba River near Suttle higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.54 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.82 ft.
What is flood stage for the Cahaba River near Suttle?
The official flood stage is 32.00 ft. The level is currently 28.64 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Cahaba River near Suttle in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.96 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.80 ft and 6.67 ft, based on 37 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 Cahaba River near Suttle today?
On Oct 17, 2026, 07:00 PM CDT, the water level was 3.36 ft. Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Cahaba River near Suttle rising or falling?
Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.06 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Cahaba River near Suttle normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 37 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:02424590(Agency page)- Coordinates
32.52930, -87.19888(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 | 3.36 ft | 2026-10-18 00:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Cahaba River near Suttle (usgs:02424590). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/cahaba-river-near-suttle
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