TidalMapBig Elk Creek at Elk Mills, MD Water Level Today
NWS river forecast
| When | Stage | Flow |
|---|
Forecast from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service. Issued a few times a day and only while a forecast is active. Not for navigation.
Last 30 days
About this gauge
USGS gauge 01495000 sits on Big Elk Creek and reads everything draining 52 square miles of the Chester-Sassafras basin. Its datum sits 83 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1932, 94 years of it.
Normal flows here
Big Elk Creek runs a median of 47 cfs at this gauge across 94 years of record. April is the fullest month at a median 74 cfs, and September the leanest at 28 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 4,570 cfs in 1999, and the lowest is 1.8 cfs in 2002.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 cfs | 123% |
| Feb | 67 cfs | 143% |
| Mar | 72 cfs | 153% |
| Apr | 74 cfs | 159% |
| May | 61 cfs | 130% |
| Jun | 46 cfs | 97% |
| Jul | 34 cfs | 72% |
| Aug | 29 cfs | 62% |
| Sep | 28 cfs | 59% |
| Oct | 31 cfs | 66% |
| Nov | 39 cfs | 83% |
| Dec | 49 cfs | 104% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1932 to 2026. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
Big Elk Creek reaches flood stage at this gauge at 9 feet. NWS starts watching it at 8 feet. The highest crest on record is 19 feet, in June 1884.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 8 ft |
| Minor flooding | 9 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 10 ft |
| Major flooding | 12 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| June 1884 | 19 ft |
| September 2021 | 15.1 ft |
| September 1999 | 14.5 ft |
| July 1937 | 14.5 ft |
| June 1972 | 13.5 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EKMM2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Octoraro Creek near Richardsmere, MD
- Swan Creek at Swan Creek, MD
- Susquehanna River at Conowingo, MD
- Deer Creek near Darlington, MD
- Unicorn Branch near Millington, MD
- Chesterville Branch near Crumpton, MD
- Morgan Creek near Kennedyville, MD
- James Run near Belcamp, MD
- Bynum Run near Abingdon, MD
- Bynum Run at Bel Air, MD
- Wheel Creek near Abingdon, MD
- Plumtree Run near Bel Air, MD
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 01495000. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
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