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Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham water level

River gauge, Cahaba Valley Creek, Alabama, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.31ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
13.9 cfs
5 10 15 20 Highest onrecord 18.18 ft Minor floodstage 8.00 ft

History

History
2.53.0ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 202.53.0ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
2.02.53.03.5ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 202.02.53.03.5ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
2468ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage2468ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham reads 2.31 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 2.34 ft, based on 28 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.03 ft below typical. It is 5.69 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.16 ft, a difference of +0.15 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.08 ft and 3.41 ft.

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

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.34 ft0.03 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.15 ft – 2.89 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Same day last year
2.16 ft+0.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.08 ft – 3.41 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.08 ft – 6.37 ft
Highest on record
18.18 ftOctober 6, 2021

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 8.00 ft, still 5.69 ft away.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft
Water covers the road. Houses along the creek are impacted by several feet of water.
12.00 ft
Overflow begins to reach house on downstream side of bridge. Yards on both sides of bridge are flooded with up to one foot of water.
8.00 ft
Stream begins to overflow banks. No signigicant property damage.
2.31 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
118.18 ftOctober 6, 2021
28.20 ftJanuary 10, 2026

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 06:56 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 11 hr, 13 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on Cahaba Valley Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cahaba Valley Creek at Indian Trail Road near Indian SpringsRiver gauge, Cahaba Valley Creek 3.70 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 3.5 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cahaba River near ActonRiver gauge, Cahaba River 1.77 ft Very low +0.07 ft 3.5 mi
Cahaba River near HooverRiver gauge, Cahaba River 2.57 ft Very low −0.01 ft 4.1 mi
Cahaba River near HelenaRiver gauge, Cahaba River 1.42 ft Normal −0.01 ft 4.8 mi
Cahaba River near Cahaba HeightsRiver gauge, Cahaba River 1.40 ft Normal −0.02 ft 8 mi
Shades Creek near GreenwoodRiver gauge, Shades Creek 1.73 ft Low +0.06 ft 8 mi
Shades Creek near HomewoodRiver gauge, Shades Creek 3.47 ft Normal −0.01 ft 9 mi
Little Cahaba River at Cah Bea Road near Cahaba HtsRiver gauge, Little Cahaba River 1.43 ft Normal +0.38 ft 11 mi
Valley Creek near BessemerRiver gauge, Valley Creek 5.53 ft Very low +0.01 ft 13 mi

Questions and answers

Is Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.15 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.16 ft.

What is flood stage for Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.69 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.34 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.15 ft and 2.89 ft, based on 28 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 Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT, the water level was 2.31 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 28 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:0242354750 (Agency page)
Coordinates
33.31345, -86.80638 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 2.31 ft 2026-10-20 17:15 Provisional
Flow 13.9 cfs 2026-10-20 17:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at Pelham (usgs:0242354750). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/cahaba-valley-creek-at-cross-creek-road-at-pelham

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.