Rivers in Maryland

Potomac River at Point of Rocks

Frederick County, MarylandNWS PORM2USGS 01638500Sterling office

Below flood stage
2.23ftStage

Observed Mon, Sep 28, 3:55 AM EDT

Flood stage
16.00 ft
Forecast crest
2.00 ftMon, Sep 28, 8:00 AM EDT
Record crest
41.03 ft1936

Open the live map with the river flood outlook

Flood stages and impacts

CategoryStage
Major flood27.00 ft
Moderate flood20.00 ft
Minor flood16.00 ft
Action11.00 ft
  1. 40.00 ftWater reaches the lowest portion of the city of Brunswick, above the railroad tracks.
  2. 35.00 ftThe MARC station in Point of Rocks is flooded. At least two feet of water covers much of Maryland State Route 28 in the city. Water begins to enter homes and businesses in Point of Rocks along Route 28.
  3. 32.00 ftWater covers Maryland State Route 28 in Point of Rocks near the MARC station.
  4. 31.00 ftWater reaches the MARC parking lot at Brunswick.
  5. 30.00 ftWater reaches a home on the Loudoun County side of the river near Point of Rocks. Water also reaches the Brunswick train yard and covers portions of the MARC parking lot at Point of Rocks, and covers Old Commerce Street in Point of Rocks.
  6. 29.00 ftWater completely covers the comfort station at the Point of Rocks boat ramp.
  7. 27.00 ftWater covers a large section of the C&O Canal towpath in Frederick County, Maryland. Water also reaches the railroad tracks at Point of Rocks.
  8. 25.00 ftWater reaches outbuildings on the Loudoun County side of the river near Point of Rocks.
  9. 23.00 ftFloodwaters completely cover the comfort station at the Brunswick boat ramp, and reach the comfort station at the Point of Rocks boat ramp. The upper parking lot at the Point of Rocks boat ramp begins to flood.
  10. 22.00 ftWater begins to cover the C&O Canal towpath near Point of Rocks and Brunswick.
  11. 20.00 ftThe boat ramp and lower parking lot at Point of Rocks are flooded. Water approaches the water treatment plant in Brunswick. Farmland behind the Tarara Vineyard is flooded.
  12. 18.00 ftWater approaches structures at the Brunswick campground.
  13. 17.00 ftWater enters the comfort station at the Brunswick boat ramp parking area.
  14. 16.00 ftThe parking lots at both the McKimmey and Brunswick boat ramps begin to flood. Flooding of an agricultural field adjacent to the McKimmey boat ramp is occurring. About half the lower parking lot of the Point of Rocks boat ramp is also flooded.
  15. 15.00 ftSeveral lowland forested areas, mainly on islands, begin to flood.
  16. 14.00 ftWater completely covers the Nolands Ferry boat ramp and begins to flood the parking lot nearby.
  17. 13.00 ftWater begins to cover low lying areas within the Brunswick campground.
  18. 12.50 ftThe Point of Rocks boat ramp is completely covered by water, and water begins to affect the lower parking lot nearby.
  19. 11.00 ftWater covers the parking lot of the Lander boat ramp. Campers and other recreational interests should begin to move away from the river.
  20. 5.50 ftThe river reaches danger level for boaters, as defined by the State of Maryland. Conditions are extremely hazardous.
  21. 2.00 ftThe river reaches caution level for boaters, as defined by the State of Maryland. Fast moving water and changing currents can be expected.

Flood outlook

Chance of flooding, September to November

CategoryChance
Minor flooding16%
Moderate flooding10%
Major flooding5%

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.

Crest history

117 crests on NOAA’s list since 1817.

#DateStage
1March 19, 193641.03 ft
2October 16, 194240.43 ft
3June 2, 188940.20 ft
4June 23, 197237.43 ft
5January 21, 199636.34 ft
6November 7, 198536.28 ft
7September 8, 199636.26 ft
8April 27, 193733.86 ft
9May 13, 192432.20 ft
10August 20, 195529.08 ft
11March 2, 190229.00 ft
12February 16, 198428.14 ft
13October 11, 197627.25 ft
14October 1, 189627.20 ft
15March 21, 197526.15 ft
16February 27, 197925.94 ft
17June 5, 201825.83 ft
18March 15, 201025.52 ft
19March 6, 199324.94 ft
20April 18, 192924.94 ft
21October 30, 193724.93 ft
22September 26, 197524.35 ft
23May 15, 202523.56 ft
24May 15, 202523.56 ft
25June 18, 191023.50 ft

Most recent crests

  • May 15, 2025: 23.56 ft
  • May 15, 2025: 23.56 ft
  • May 9, 2022: 18.29 ft
  • March 2, 2021: 16.39 ft
  • December 17, 2018: 22.40 ft
  • September 29, 2018: 21.39 ft
  • September 11, 2018: 19.92 ft
  • June 5, 2018: 25.83 ft
  • May 20, 2018: 17.39 ft
  • February 5, 2016: 16.00 ft

Nearby

Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.

What this means

Forecasts by the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. Stage may be affected by ice.

Sources

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.