TidalMapNorth Branch Potomac River at Steyer, 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 01595000 sits on the North Branch Potomac River and reads everything draining 73 square miles of the North Branch Potomac basin. Its datum sits 2,276 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1956, 70 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
No gauged site sits above this one on the mainstem, so this is the first published reading on the river. Downstream the next reading comes from North Branch Potomac River at Kitzmiller, MD at 225 square miles, so what passes this gauge is about 32% of the water measured there. Water passing here goes on to North Branch Potomac River at Luke, MD.
Normal flows here
The North Branch Potomac River runs a median of 118 cfs at this gauge across 70 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 225 cfs, and September the leanest at 33 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 4,530 cfs in 1994, and the lowest is 3.1 cfs in 1965.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 164 cfs | 140% |
| Feb | 176 cfs | 150% |
| Mar | 225 cfs | 191% |
| Apr | 204 cfs | 174% |
| May | 149 cfs | 127% |
| Jun | 77 cfs | 66% |
| Jul | 56 cfs | 48% |
| Aug | 45 cfs | 38% |
| Sep | 33 cfs | 28% |
| Oct | 36 cfs | 31% |
| Nov | 84 cfs | 72% |
| Dec | 158 cfs | 134% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1956 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 9 feet. NWS starts watching it at 8 feet. The highest crest on record is 13.1 feet, in November 1985.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 8 ft |
| Minor flooding | 9 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 12 ft |
| Major flooding | 13 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| November 1985 | 13.1 ft |
| June 2019 | 13 ft |
| October 1954 | 13 ft |
| May 1985 | 12.1 ft |
| January 1996 | 11.8 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge STYM2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- North Branch Potomac River at Kitzmiller, MD
- Youghiogheny River near Oakland, MD
- Arrowhead Run at Thayerville, MD
- North Glade Run near Swanton, MD
- Youghiogheny River near Swallow Falls Park, MD
- Cherry Creek at State Park Road near Mchenry, MD
- Youghiogheny River near Mchenry, MD
- North Branch Potomac River at Luke, MD
- Georges Creek at Franklin, MD
- Savage River near Barton, MD
- Bear Creek at Friendsville, MD
- Youghiogheny River at Friendsville, MD
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 01595000. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
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