Tallapoosa River at Milstead
Alabama · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 02419500 — TALLAPOOSA RIVER AT MILSTEAD AL · NWS forecast point MILA1
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:30 PM UTC
Below normal — good wading, low and clear
At — CFS, this gauge is running 85% of normal for late July — close to the 2.7 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 29 years of record (1995–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Milstead
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge MILA1, issued by WFO BMX. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 53.0 ft
- 53.0 ft Water overflows the yards of some homes in the Milstead area.
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Moderate flood 46.0 ft
- 46.0 ft Flooding of some roads in the area begins.
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Minor flood 40.0 ft
- 40.0 ft Extensive flooding of pasture lands in the area occurs.
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Action 15.0 ft
- 15.0 ft Overflow of pasture lands occurs. Cattle may need to be moved if higher stages are forecast.
- 25.0 ft Considerable low land flooding occurs. Livestock should be moved to higher ground.
- Right now 2.29 ft
12 months of flow at Milstead
Daily values from USGS gauge 02419500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Milstead
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 54.00 ft | — | Dec 10, 1919 |
| 50.90 ft | — | Mar 15, 1929 |
| 49.85 ft | — | Mar 17, 1990 |
| 49.00 ft | — | Nov 28, 1943 |
| 48.89 ft | — | Apr 14, 1979 |
| 48.50 ft | — | Nov 29, 1948 |
| 48.20 ft | — | Mar 16, 1912 |
| 47.90 ft | — | Apr 8, 1964 |
| 47.80 ft | — | Feb 26, 1961 |
| 47.20 ft | — | Dec 30, 1915 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Tallapoosa River at Milstead
This gauge sits on Tallapoosa River at Milstead, Alabama, immediately below Lake Martin. 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 — 2.7 CFS for late July, from 29 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 Lake Martin. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Tallapoosa River at Milstead — common questions
What is the current flow on Tallapoosa River at Milstead?
The live reading comes from USGS gauge 02419500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes. The current value is shown at the top of this page.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 2.7 CFS, calculated from 29 years of record (1995–2026). 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 Tallapoosa River at Milstead 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 2.7 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 Lake Martin 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 02419500. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge MILA1. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.