Potomac River Flow Today
As of October 3, 2026 at 2:50 AM, the Potomac River is flowing at 2,160 cfs near Wash, MD — 85% of normal for the date and down 19% in 24 hours. 5 of 5 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 740 to 2,160 cfs. ❤ Favorite
Potomac River map
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Potomac River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At Wash, the Potomac River is running 2,160 cfs — 85% of normal, down 19% since yesterday. Along the river, 3 of 5 reporting gauges are near normal (the typical gauge is at 90% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is dropping at Wash (-19%) and Point Of Rocks (-13%).
How the Potomac River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Paw Paw501 ft 740 cfs87%
- Hancock396 ft 915 cfs106%
- Shepherdstown283 ft 1,050 cfs96%
- Point Of Rocks192 ft 1,960 cfs90%
- Wash43 ft 2,160 cfs85%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per Potomac River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (90%).
Potomac River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Potomac River At Paw Paw MD
Oct 3, 3:15 AM · USGS 01610000 |
740 cfs | 87% | -7% | 3.96 ft | 21.0 ft below | 501 ft |
|
Potomac River At Hancock MD
Oct 3, 3:15 AM · USGS 01613000 |
915 cfs | 106% | -7% | 3.20 ft | 21.8 ft below | 396 ft |
|
Potomac River At Shepherdstown WV
Oct 3, 3:30 AM · USGS 01618000 |
1,050 cfs | 96% | -4% | 1.87 ft | 13.1 ft below | 283 ft |
|
Potomac River At Point Of Rocks MD
Oct 3, 2:55 AM · USGS 01638500 |
1,960 cfs | 90% | -13% | 1.39 ft | 14.6 ft below | 192 ft |
|
Potomac River Near Wash MD
Oct 3, 2:50 AM · USGS 01646500 |
2,160 cfs | 85% | -19% | 2.86 ft | 7.1 ft below | 43 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Dams & reservoirs on the Potomac River
Releases from these dams shape the flow downstream. Tap one for its daily level and history.
Potomac River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
Fishing near the Potomac River
About the Potomac River
How is the Potomac River flowing right now?
As of October 3, 2026, the Potomac River is flowing at 2,160 cfs near Wash, MD, about 85% of normal for the date. Across its 5 USGS gauges, current flows range from 740 to 2,160 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the Potomac River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the Potomac River is at 90% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
What is flood stage on the Potomac River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Paw Paw (25.0 ft), Hancock (25.0 ft), Shepherdstown (15.0 ft), Point Of Rocks (16.0 ft), Wash (10.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.