Coosa River at Childersburg
Alabama · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 02407000 — COOSA RIVER AT CHILDERSBURG AL · NWS forecast point CHLA1
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:45 PM UTC
High and likely stained — not a wading flow
At 13,900 CFS, this gauge is running 257% of normal for late July — above the 5,410 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 74 years of record (1914–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Childersburg
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge CHLA1, issued by WFO BMX. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 410.0 ft
- 410.0 ft Several homes and steets along Edgewood Drive, Woodside Street and Canal Street begin to flood. Flooding along 4th Ave Northeast begins as backwater develops from Tallaseehatchee Creek. Water approaches a few houses along River Run Road and River Run Circle. Water covers sections of Chancellor Ferry Cove with several homes affected. Watercross Drive is flooded with several homes in the area of State Route 76 and Cosper Bend at risk. The west side of River Run Rd is flooded along with some homes.
- 412.0 ft Widespread residential flooding occurs...and evacuations are needed.
- 415.0 ft Exceptional flooding in the Chancellor Ferry area. Flood waters reach homes north of Cosper Bend and reach the edge of State Route 76 with flooding possible north of 76 in farmland areas of Deer Lick Branch. Areas along Talladega Creek from the Skeet Club to baseball field see extensive flooding.
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Moderate flood 407.0 ft
- 407.0 ft Houses at Woodside Street become susceptible to flooding.
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Minor flood 402.0 ft
- 402.0 ft Flooding of low lying areas begins.
- 404.0 ft Water begins to approach or cover a few low lying roads. Yards of a few homes near the river begin to flood. Areas along Edgewood Drive are particularly vulnerable. Farmland between 4th Ave Northeast and State Route 76 in Childersburg begins to flood.
- 405.0 ft Yards begin to flood along sections of Woodside Street, Canal Street, River Run Circle and River Run Road. Several yards near State Route 76 (Klein Road) and Watercross Drive and Chancellor Ferry Cove flood. Extensive flooding of farm and foreast land from Prince Island to Cosper Bend flood.
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Action 402.0 ft
- 402.0 ft Flooding of low lying areas begins.
- 404.0 ft Water begins to approach or cover a few low lying roads. Yards of a few homes near the river begin to flood. Areas along Edgewood Drive are particularly vulnerable. Farmland between 4th Ave Northeast and State Route 76 in Childersburg begins to flood.
- 405.0 ft Yards begin to flood along sections of Woodside Street, Canal Street, River Run Circle and River Run Road. Several yards near State Route 76 (Klein Road) and Watercross Drive and Chancellor Ferry Cove flood. Extensive flooding of farm and foreast land from Prince Island to Cosper Bend flood.
- Right now 13.59 ft
NWS forecast: 396.30 ft by Aug 2, 12:00 PM UTC.
12 months of flow at Childersburg
Daily values from USGS gauge 02407000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Childersburg
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 412.86 ft | 140,000 CFS | Feb 23, 1961 |
| 412.55 ft | 146,000 CFS | Mar 30, 1951 |
| 412.48 ft | 136,000 CFS | Apr 9, 1938 |
| 411.44 ft | 150,000 CFS | Apr 14, 1979 |
| 410.95 ft | 130,000 CFS | Feb 5, 1936 |
| 410.75 ft | 136,000 CFS | Nov 30, 1948 |
| 409.40 ft | 127,000 CFS | Jan 21, 1947 |
| 407.41 ft | — | May 9, 2003 |
| 407.07 ft | 110,000 CFS | Mar 17, 1990 |
| 405.62 ft | 98,500 CFS | Dec 19, 1962 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Coosa River at Childersburg
This gauge sits on Coosa River at Childersburg, Alabama, immediately below Logan Martin Lake. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 5,410 CFS for late July, from 74 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Logan Martin Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Coosa River at Childersburg — common questions
What is the current flow on Coosa River at Childersburg?
As of the last reading on this page, Coosa River at Childersburg was running 13,900 CFS at a gage height of 13.59 ft, or 257% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 02407000, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 5,410 CFS, calculated from 74 years of record (1914–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
Is Coosa River at Childersburg wadeable right now?
That depends on the reach and on your own judgement — riverlvl will not tell you the water is safe to stand in. What it will tell you is whether today's flow is unusually high or low for the date, against a seasonal median of 5,410 CFS, which is the single most useful input to that decision. On a dam tailwater like this one, the bigger risk is a sudden generation release, which can raise the river several feet with little warning.
How do releases from Logan Martin Lake affect this stretch?
Directly and quickly. When the dam generates or spills, flow at this gauge climbs — often within an hour, often by an order of magnitude. The reservoir level itself is tracked on lakelvl.com, and the link on this page goes straight to it, so you can see whether the pool is high enough that releases are likely.
Where does this data come from?
Flow and gage height are public-domain USGS data from gauge 02407000. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge CHLA1. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.