Gunpowder Falls level at Parkton
Maryland · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 01581920 — GUNPOWDER FALLS NEAR PARKTON, MD · NWS forecast point PKTM2
Reading taken · as of 1 hour ago
Up and off-colour — heavier water than usual for wading
At 113 CFS, this gauge is running 143% of normal for mid-September — above the 79 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 26 years of record (2000–2026).
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Flood stages at Parkton
National Weather Service categories for gauge PKTM2, WFO LWX. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 15.0 ft
- 15.0 ft Falls Road is flooded at the gauge site.
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Moderate flood 11.0 ft
- 11.0 ft Water approaches homes along Falls Road between Monkton and Corbett.
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Minor flood 10.0 ft
- 10.0 ft Masemore Road floods.
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Action 8.0 ft
- Right now 2.00 ft
Flow history at Parkton
Daily values from USGS 01581920, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for PKTM2 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Parkton
5 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 11.62 ft | 9,000 CFS | Sep 8, 2011 |
| 9.77 ft | 2,940 CFS | Oct 30, 2012 |
| 9.66 ft | 2,980 CFS | Jul 26, 2018 |
| 7.54 ft | 1,800 CFS | Apr 30, 2014 |
| 7.51 ft | 1,810 CFS | Aug 29, 2009 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Gunpowder Falls at Parkton
In Maryland — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Prettyboy tailwater; Maryland's premier wild-brown water.
Gunpowder Falls at Parkton — common questions
3 questions
What makes the flow change on Gunpowder Falls at Parkton?
Rain upstream, plus seasonal baseflow. The 12-month chart shows how it behaves through the year.
Is Gunpowder Falls at Parkton high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 79 CFS, from 26 years of record (2000–2026). Today is 143% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 01581920 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for PKTM2 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.