TidalMapPatuxent River near Bowie, 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 01594440 sits on the Patuxent River and reads everything draining 348 square miles of the Patuxent basin. Its datum sits 12 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1977, 49 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
Three gauged sites sit upstream of here. The closest is Patuxent River near Laurel, MD, reading 132 square miles. This gauge adds the 216 square miles that drain in between.
Normal flows here
The Patuxent River runs a median of 242 cfs at this gauge across 49 years of record. April is the fullest month at a median 396 cfs, and September the leanest at 134 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 13,700 cfs in 2011, and the lowest is 56 cfs in 1986.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 292 cfs | 121% |
| Feb | 337 cfs | 140% |
| Mar | 375 cfs | 155% |
| Apr | 396 cfs | 164% |
| May | 311 cfs | 129% |
| Jun | 215 cfs | 89% |
| Jul | 165 cfs | 68% |
| Aug | 148 cfs | 61% |
| Sep | 134 cfs | 55% |
| Oct | 144 cfs | 60% |
| Nov | 192 cfs | 80% |
| Dec | 249 cfs | 103% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1977 to 2026. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
The Patuxent River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 19 feet. NWS starts watching it at 17 feet. The highest crest on record is 27.9 feet, in June 1972.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 17 ft |
| Minor flooding | 19 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| June 1972 | 27.9 ft |
| September 2011 | 21.1 ft |
| May 2014 | 20.6 ft |
| June 2006 | 19.2 ft |
| September 1979 | 18.5 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BOWM2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- South Fork Jabez Branch at Millersville, MD
- Western Branch at Upper Marlboro, MD
- Little Patuxent River at Savage, MD
- Sawmill Creek at Glen Burnie, MD
- Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale, MD
- Patuxent River near Laurel, MD
- Beaverdam Creek near Cheverly, MD
- Northwest Branch Anacostia River at Brentwood, MD
- Little Patuxent River at Guilford, MD
- Patapsco River near Elkridge, MD
- Paint Branch near College Park, MD
- East Branch Herbert Run at Arbutus, MD
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 01594440. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
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