River Report

Harpeth River river

4 streamgauges 53% of normal Last updated 2026-05-22
Aggregate flow
1,310cfs
% of normal
53%
Daily volume
2,598AF
Seasonal avg
2,490cfs

Total streamflow across the Harpeth River was last observed at 1,310 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 2,598 acre-ft of water today; about 53% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,490 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-03-29 when daily discharge volume was observed at 86,300 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Harpeth River At Bellevue reporting a streamflow rate of 408 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Harpeth River Below Franklin with a gauge stage of 4.94 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Harpeth River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 612 ft, the Harpeth River At Franklin.

Max discharge

Harpeth River At Bellevue

408cfs
Highest stage

Harpeth River Below Franklin

4.94ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Harpeth River At Franklin

612ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Harpeth River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Harpeth River

All 4 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Harpeth River At Franklin TN
USGS 03432350
129 4.24 448.9 48% 1 19,200 612
Harpeth River Below Franklin TN
USGS 03432400
392 4.94 445.2 128% 8 20,900 606
Harpeth River At Bellevue TN
USGS 03433500
408 2.25 671.3 65% 9 46,500 543
Harpeth River Near Kingston Springs TN
USGS 03434500
381 2.08 672.8 38% 31 72,000 449
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Harpeth River

The Harpeth River is a 115-mile-long river in Tennessee, known for its scenic beauty and rich history. It was named after a Native American tribe that once inhabited the area. The river flows through several counties, including Williamson, Cheatham, and Davidson, before joining the Cumberland River. The Harpeth river is a major source of water for the Nashville area and is used for recreational activities such as swimming, boating, and fishing. The river is also used for irrigation and agricultural purposes. There are several reservoirs and dams along the Harpeth River, including the Cheatham Dam, which was built in the 1960s and provides flood control and hydroelectric power. The river has been designated as a state scenic river and is protected under the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Act.

Track the Harpeth River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Harpeth River

Where does the data for the Harpeth River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.