Shades Creek near Greenwood water level
River gauge, Shades Creek, Alabama, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 11.7 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Shades Creek near Greenwood: the gauge reads 1.68 ft, below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.42 ft below the median of 2.10 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 8.32 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.28 ft (−0.60 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 1.66 ft – 6.72 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.10 ft0.42 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.63 ft – 2.90 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.28 ft−0.60 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.66 ft – 6.72 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.63 ft – 11.42 ft
- Highest on record
- 15.90 ftApril 8, 2014
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 10.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 15.00 ft
- Property to the northeast side of the gage location could become impacted at stages of 15 feet and higher.
- 14.50 ft
- A foot of water is flowing over some sections of the road west of the bridge.
- 14.00 ft
- Lindsey Loop road near the bridge becomes impassable.
- 13.50 ft
- The west side of the road is flooded up to near the bridge.
- 10.00 ft
- Water overflows banks at 10 feet. Fields begin to flood around the area.
- 1.68 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.90 ft | April 8, 2014 |
| 2 | 15.02 ft | September 17, 2004 |
| 3 | 14.84 ft | April 3, 2000 |
| 4 | 14.57 ft | May 5, 2021 |
| 5 | 14.56 ft | January 8, 1998 |
| 6 | 14.46 ft | May 18, 2003 |
| 7 | 14.36 ft | October 7, 2021 |
| 8 | 13.68 ft | January 24, 2019 |
| 9 | 13.68 ft | March 23, 2022 |
| 10 | 13.66 ft | April 7, 2025 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on Shades Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shades Creek at Elder St near SpringdaleRiver gauge, Shades Creek | 1.3 cfs | Normal | −1.3 cfs | 19 mi |
| Shades Creek near HomewoodRiver gauge, Shades Creek | 3.48 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 12 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cahaba River near HelenaRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 1.43 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 4.8 mi |
| Valley Creek near BessemerRiver gauge, Valley Creek | 5.52 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 7 mi |
| Cahaba River near ActonRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 1.76 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 8 mi |
| Cahaba Valley Creek at Cross Creek Road at PelhamRiver gauge, Cahaba Valley Creek | 2.31 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 8 mi |
| Cahaba River near HooverRiver gauge, Cahaba River | 2.59 ft | Low | ±0 | 10 mi |
| Cahaba Valley Creek at Indian Trail Road near Indian SpringsRiver gauge, Cahaba Valley Creek | 3.69 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 11 mi |
| Valley Creek at Ave W near EnsleyRiver gauge, Valley Creek | 3.89 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 12 mi |
| Valley Creek near Oak GroveRiver gauge, Valley Creek | 3.11 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 13 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Shades Creek near Greenwood compare with last year?
It is 0.60 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.28 ft.
What is flood stage for Shades Creek near Greenwood?
The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.32 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Shades Creek near Greenwood in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.10 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.63 ft and 2.90 ft, based on 29 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 Shades Creek near Greenwood today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 01:30 AM CDT, the water level was 1.68 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Shades Creek near Greenwood rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.41 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Shades Creek near Greenwood normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 29 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:02423630(Agency page)- Coordinates
33.32622, -86.94971(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 | 1.68 ft | 2026-10-20 06:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 11.7 cfs | 2026-10-20 06:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Shades Creek near Greenwood (usgs:02423630). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/shades-creek-near-greenwood
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