TidalMapNorth Branch Potomac River at Luke, 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 01598500 sits on the North Branch Potomac River and reads everything draining 406 square miles of the North Branch Potomac basin. Its datum sits 944 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1899, 84 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
Two gauged sites sit upstream of here. The closest is North Branch Potomac River at Kitzmiller, MD, reading 225 square miles. This gauge adds the 181 square miles that drain in between. Downstream the next reading comes from North Branch Potomac River near Cumberland, MD at 877 square miles, so what passes this gauge is about 46% of the water measured there.
Normal flows here
The North Branch Potomac River runs a median of 410 cfs at this gauge across 84 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 1,030 cfs, and September the leanest at 246 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 18,400 cfs in 1955, and the lowest is 6.0 cfs in 1904.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 623 cfs | 152% |
| Feb | 687 cfs | 168% |
| Mar | 1,030 cfs | 252% |
| Apr | 816 cfs | 199% |
| May | 663 cfs | 162% |
| Jun | 371 cfs | 91% |
| Jul | 269 cfs | 66% |
| Aug | 264 cfs | 64% |
| Sep | 246 cfs | 60% |
| Oct | 256 cfs | 63% |
| Nov | 274 cfs | 67% |
| Dec | 552 cfs | 135% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1899 to 2026. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
The North Branch Potomac River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 10.5 feet. NWS starts watching it at 9 feet. The highest crest on record is 17.1 feet, in October 1954.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 9 ft |
| Minor flooding | 10.5 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 12.5 ft |
| Major flooding | 15 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| October 1954 | 17.1 ft |
| March 1924 | 17 ft |
| March 1936 | 16.8 ft |
| August 1955 | 15.5 ft |
| July 1978 | 14.9 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LUKM2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Georges Creek at Franklin, MD
- Savage River near Barton, MD
- North Branch Potomac River at Kitzmiller, MD
- North Glade Run near Swanton, MD
- Casselman River at Grantsville, MD
- Cherry Creek at State Park Road near Mchenry, MD
- Arrowhead Run at Thayerville, MD
- North Branch Potomac River at Steyer, MD
- North Branch Potomac River near Cumberland, MD
- Wills Creek near Cumberland, MD
- Youghiogheny River near Swallow Falls Park, MD
- Youghiogheny River near Mchenry, MD
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 01598500. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
Open North Branch Potomac River at Luke, MD on the live chart →
River pins, dam-release overlays and wadability lines live in the app, start a free TidalMap trial.