Patuxent River river
Total streamflow across the Patuxent River was last observed at 510 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,012 acre-ft of water today; about 107% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 479 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2014-05-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at 14,260 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Patuxent River Near Bowie reporting a streamflow rate of 473 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Patuxent River, with a gauge stage of 6.6 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Patuxent River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 383 ft, the Patuxent River Near Unity.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Patuxent River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Patuxent River
All 3 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Patuxent River Near Unity
MD
USGS 01591000
|
37 | 2.37 | -36.0 | 103% | 2 | 2,900 | 383 |
|
Patuxent River Below Brighton Dam Near Brighton
MD
USGS 01591610
|
13 | 1.27 | 0.0 | 16% | 5 | 7,260 | 310 |
|
Patuxent River Near Bowie
MD
USGS 01594440
|
473 | 6.60 | -73.9 | 158% | 84 | 12,500 | 20 |
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
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
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a 115-mile-long river that flows through central Maryland and empties into the Chesapeake Bay. The river has a rich history, having been used by Native American tribes and European settlers for transportation, trade, and fishing. The river is fed by several smaller streams and is home to numerous species of fish, including largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. The river is also home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Brighton Dam and the Duckett Dam, which provide drinking water and hydroelectric power to the area. The Patuxent River is a popular destination for recreational activities, including boating, fishing, and hiking. The river is also used for agricultural purposes, with many farms located along its banks.
Recreation along the Patuxent River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Patuxent 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.
About the Patuxent River
Where does the data for the Patuxent 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.