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Tallapoosa River at Milstead water level

River gauge, Tallapoosa River, Alabama, United States

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Right now

Low for mid-October

Water level

2.43ft Up 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

0 25 50 Highest onrecord 54.00 ft Minor floodstage 40.00 ft

History

History
2468ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 182468ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
-0510ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 18-0510ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18
-02040ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-02040ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
-0102030ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-0102030ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Tallapoosa River at Milstead is running below normal at 2.43 ft.

That puts it 1.33 ft below the median of 3.76 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 37.57 ft below the flood stage of 40.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.58 ft (−1.15 ft).

It has risen 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.10 ft and 3.43 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
3.76 ft1.33 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.00 ft – 7.80 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year
3.58 ft−1.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.10 ft – 3.43 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
0.82 ft – 13.54 ft
Highest on record
54.00 ftDecember 10, 1919

Floating and fishing near Tallapoosa River at Milstead

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 40.00 ft, 37.57 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

53.00 ft
Water overflows the yards of some homes in the Milstead area.
46.00 ft
Flooding of some roads in the area begins.
40.00 ft
Extensive flooding of pasture lands in the area occurs.
25.00 ft
Considerable low land flooding occurs. Livestock should be moved to higher ground.
15.00 ft
Overflow of pasture lands occurs. Cattle may need to be moved if higher stages are forecast.
2.43 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 %.

RankLevelDate
154.00 ftDecember 10, 1919
250.90 ftMarch 15, 1929
349.85 ftMarch 17, 1990
449.00 ftNovember 28, 1943
548.89 ftApril 14, 1979
648.50 ftNovember 29, 1948
748.20 ftMarch 16, 1912
847.90 ftApril 8, 1964
947.80 ftFebruary 26, 1961
1047.20 ftDecember 30, 1915

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 07:09 PM Daylight 11 hr, 18 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the Tallapoosa River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Tallapoosa River at US 78, near TallapoosaRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River 1.03 ft Normal −0.06 ft 95 mi
Tallapoosa River near HeflinRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River 2.23 ft Low −0.06 ft 84 mi
Tallapoosa River at Malone, AlabamaRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River 8.86 ft No reference yet +0.04 ft 55 mi
Tallapoosa River at WadleyRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River 3.52 ft Normal +0.02 ft 50 mi
Tallapoosa River near New Site, Al.(horseshoe Bend)River gauge, Tallapoosa River 2.51 ft Low +0.04 ft 38 mi
Tallapoosa River near Mont.-Mont. Water WorksRiver gauge, Tallapoosa River 3.79 ft Normal −0.16 ft 17 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Uphapee Creek near TuskegeeRiver gauge, Uphapee Creek 0.97 ft Very low −0.03 ft 12 mi
Coosa River at WetumpkaRiver gauge, Coosa River 12.02 ft Normal +0.40 ft 19 mi
Sougahatchee Creek at Co Road 188 near LoachapokaRiver gauge, Sougahatchee Creek 1.35 ft Normal −0.02 ft 22 mi
Alabama River at MontgomeryRiver gauge, Alabama River 22.47 ft High +0.28 ft 25 mi
Chewacla Creek at Chewacla State Park near AuburnRiver gauge, Chewacla Creek 1.75 ft Normal −0.01 ft 25 mi
Catoma Creek near MontgomeryRiver gauge, Catoma Creek 1.56 ft Low −0.06 ft 25 mi
Alabama River near MontgomeryRiver gauge, Alabama River 27.29 ft High +0.35 ft 30 mi
Hatchet Creek below RockfordRiver gauge, Hatchet Creek 1.83 ft Low −0.03 ft 39 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Tallapoosa River at Milstead compare with last year?

It is 1.15 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.58 ft.

What is flood stage for the Tallapoosa River at Milstead?

The official flood stage is 40.00 ft. The level is currently 37.57 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Tallapoosa River at Milstead in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.76 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.00 ft and 7.80 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 Tallapoosa River at Milstead today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 05:30 AM EDT, the water level was 2.43 ft. Up 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Tallapoosa River at Milstead rising or falling?

Up 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.32 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Tallapoosa River at Milstead 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:02419500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
32.44903, -85.89746 (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 2.43 ft 2026-10-18 09:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Tallapoosa River at Milstead (usgs:02419500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alabama/tallapoosa-river-at-milstead

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.