Chattooga River above Gaylesville water level
River gauge, Chattooga River, Alabama, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 111 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Chattooga River above Gaylesville: the gauge reads 3.78 ft, far below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.57 ft below the median of 4.35 ft for mid-October, based on 42 years of readings. It is 9.22 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.93 ft (−0.15 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 3.70 ft – 4.29 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 42 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.35 ft0.57 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.83 ft – 5.03 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (42 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.93 ft−0.15 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.70 ft – 4.29 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.70 ft – 10.92 ft
- Highest on record
- 24.25 ftFebruary 17, 1990
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 22.00 ft
- Water overflows sections of highway 68 close to Gaylesville.
- 21.00 ft
- A few homes along highway 68 are flooded.
- 13.00 ft
- Flood stage.
- 3.78 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24.25 ft | February 17, 1990 |
| 2 | 23.48 ft | March 30, 1951 |
| 3 | 22.98 ft | September 5, 2022 |
| 4 | 22.23 ft | January 4, 1982 |
| 5 | 22.17 ft | April 13, 1979 |
| 6 | 22.03 ft | March 5, 1966 |
| 7 | 21.57 ft | December 27, 2015 |
| 8 | 20.95 ft | April 30, 1963 |
| 9 | 20.85 ft | March 26, 1964 |
| 10 | 20.78 ft | September 22, 2009 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Chattooga River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattooga River at Burrells Ford, near Pine MountainRiver gauge, Chattooga River | 0.79 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 144 mi |
| Chattooga River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Chattooga River | 1.17 ft | Low | ±0 | 130 mi |
| Chattooga River at SummervilleRiver gauge, Chattooga River | 1.89 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 16 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coosa River at State Line, Al/River gauge, Coosa River | 13.34 ft | High | −0.08 ft | 7 mi |
| Little River near Blue PondRiver gauge, Little River | 1.53 ft | Very low | −0.05 ft | 10 mi |
| Heath Creek near ArmucheeRiver gauge, Heath Creek | 0.97 ft | Very low | ±0 | 15 mi |
| Coosa River Mayos Bar near RomeRiver gauge, Coosa River Mayos Bar | 11.02 ft | Low | +0.51 ft | 16 mi |
| Coosa River at LeesburgRiver gauge, Coosa River | 563.33 ft | Very high | −0.01 ft | 16 mi |
| Terrapin Creek at EllisvilleRiver gauge, Terrapin Creek | 6.99 ft | Normal | ±0 | 17 mi |
| Big Wills Creek at State Highway 35 near Fort PayneRiver gauge, Big Wills Creek | 3.79 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 18 mi |
| Oostanaula River at US 27, at RomeRiver gauge, Oostanaula River | 3.27 ft | Normal | +1.04 ft | 19 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Chattooga River above Gaylesville compare with last year?
It is 0.15 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.93 ft.
What is flood stage for the Chattooga River above Gaylesville?
The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 9.22 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Chattooga River above Gaylesville in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.35 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.83 ft and 5.03 ft, based on 42 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 Chattooga River above Gaylesville today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 12:30 AM EDT, the water level was 3.78 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Chattooga River above Gaylesville rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Chattooga River above Gaylesville normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 42 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:02398300(Agency page)- Coordinates
34.29041, -85.50912(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 | 3.78 ft | 2026-10-20 04:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 111 cfs | 2026-10-20 04:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Chattooga River above Gaylesville (usgs:02398300). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/chattooga-river-above-gaylesville
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