TidalMapPotomac River at Point of Rocks, 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 01638500 sits on the Potomac River and reads everything draining 9,651 square miles of the Middle Potomac-Catoctin basin. Its datum sits 200 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1895, 132 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
Two gauged sites sit upstream of here. The closest is Potomac River at Burkittsville Rd at Brunswick, MD, reading 9,453 square miles. This gauge adds the 198 square miles that drain in between. Downstream the next reading comes from Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville,md at 11,130 square miles, so what passes this gauge is about 87% of the water measured there. Water passing here goes on to Potomac River near Wash, Dc Little Falls Pump Sta.
Normal flows here
The Potomac River runs a median of 5,580 cfs at this gauge across 132 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 13,700 cfs, and September the leanest at 2,180 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 434,000 cfs in 1936, and the lowest is 540 cfs in 1914.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7,710 cfs | 138% |
| Feb | 9,250 cfs | 166% |
| Mar | 13,700 cfs | 246% |
| Apr | 11,850 cfs | 212% |
| May | 8,690 cfs | 156% |
| Jun | 5,075 cfs | 91% |
| Jul | 3,210 cfs | 58% |
| Aug | 2,740 cfs | 49% |
| Sep | 2,180 cfs | 39% |
| Oct | 2,260 cfs | 41% |
| Nov | 3,030 cfs | 54% |
| Dec | 5,850 cfs | 105% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1895 to 2026. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
The Potomac River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 16 feet. NWS starts watching it at 11 feet. The highest crest on record is 41 feet, in March 1936.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 11 ft |
| Minor flooding | 16 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 20 ft |
| Major flooding | 27 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| March 1936 | 41 ft |
| October 1942 | 40.4 ft |
| June 1889 | 40.2 ft |
| June 1972 | 37.4 ft |
| January 1996 | 36.3 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PORM2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Catoctin Creek at Taylorstown, VA
- Potomac River at Burkittsville Rd at Brunswick, MD
- North Fork Catoctin Creek at Rt 681 near Waterford, VA
- Limestone Branch near Leesburg, VA
- Monocacy River near Dickerson, MD
- South Fork Catoctin Creek at Rt 698 near Waterford, VA
- Bennett Creek at Park Mills, MD
- Catoctin Creek near Middletown, MD
- Piney Run near Lovettsville, VA
- Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville,md
- Potomac River at Harpers Ferry, WV
- Monocacy River at Jug Bridge near Frederick, MD
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 01638500. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
Open Potomac River at Point of Rocks, MD on the live chart →
River pins, dam-release overlays and wadability lines live in the app, start a free TidalMap trial.