Nivelmap
EN

Chattooga River above Gaylesville water level

River gauge, Chattooga River, Alabama, United States

Directions

Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

3.78ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
111 cfs
10 20 Highest onrecord 24.25 ft Minor floodstage 13.00 ft

History

History
45ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 2045ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
456ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 20456ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
51015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage51015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
51015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202651015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

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

RankLevelDate
124.25 ftFebruary 17, 1990
223.48 ftMarch 30, 1951
322.98 ftSeptember 5, 2022
422.23 ftJanuary 4, 1982
522.17 ftApril 13, 1979
622.03 ftMarch 5, 1966
721.57 ftDecember 27, 2015
820.95 ftApril 30, 1963
920.85 ftMarch 26, 1964
1020.78 ftSeptember 22, 2009

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 07:03 PM Daylight 11 hr, 11 min First quarter 65%

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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.78 ft 2026-10-20 04:30 Provisional
Flow 111 cfs 2026-10-20 04:30 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

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.