Rock Creek at Joyce Road in Washington, DC
River level and flood forecast · District of Columbia County
The river is 4.9 ft below flood stage (7 ft).
Flow: 109 cubic feet per second (USGS).
River camera
Watch the time-lapse
Camera by the U.S. Geological Survey. Most take a picture every hour, some every few minutes; many stop at night.
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 7 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Get flood alerts for this river
An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Rock Creek at Joyce Road in Washington to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Moderate flood stage | 10 ft |
| Flood stage | 7 ft |
| Action stage | 4.9 ft |
| Record crest (June 22, 1972) | 12.33 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 13.4 ftWater starts flowing over the Joyce Road Bridge.
- 11.83 ftWater from Rock Creek starts flowing over the intersection of Joyce Road and Beach Drive.
- 9.5 ftWater from Rock Creek starts entering the Rock Creek Park Police D3 building on Beach Drive near Joyce Road.
- 7 ftWater starts covering the Park Police D3 parking area. Parts of Beach Drive starts flooding below Joyce Road.
- 4.9 ftPicnic Area #5 off of Beach Drive starts flooding.
Highest crests on record
- 12.33 ft — June 22, 1972
- 11.7 ft — September 26, 1975
- 10.47 ft — June 27, 2006
- 10.2 ft — January 24, 1979
- 10.18 ft — October 9, 1976
Recent crests: 7.62 ft (July 19, 2025) · 7.24 ft (December 18, 2023) · 7.24 ft (September 1, 2021) · 7.62 ft (April 28, 2011) · 7.53 ft (April 17, 2011)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- Sligo Creek near Takoma Park, MD
- Potomac River at Georgetown / Wisconsin Ave, DC
- Potomac River near Washington DC (Little Falls), MD
- Hickey Run at National Arboretum, DC
- Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale, MD
- Paint Branch near White Oak, MD
- Watts Branch at Washington, DC
- Anacostia River at Buzzard Point in Washington DC, DC
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (RCJD2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.