Western Branch at Upper Marlboro, MD
River level and flood forecast · Prince Georges County
The river is 7.2 ft below flood stage (11 ft).
Flow: 186 cubic feet per second (USGS).
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 Western Branch at Upper Marlboro to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 19 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 16 ft |
| Flood stage | 11 ft |
| Action stage | 9 ft |
| Record crest (September 8, 2011) | 21.18 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 21 ftMore than a quarter mile of US 301 is flooded. Several businesses south of Maryland Route 4 are flooded with significant damage likely. A small portion of the lower grounds of the Prince Georges Equestrian Center floods. Water approaches the westernmost and lowermost portion of the Prince Georges County Courthouse.
- 19 ftUS 301 begins to flood from the bridge northward to the intersection with Marlboro Square Shopping Center. Nearby businesses begin to flood. Marlboro Pike/Main Street also floods at the river, with water approaching nearby homes and businesses.
- 16 ftFloodwaters reach the parking lot of businesses off US 301. Water also approaches the southern perimeter of the Prince Georges Equestrian Center grounds.
- 14 ftWater covers almost all of the pedestrian bridge paralleling Water Street, and covers Water Street from the MD Route 4 westbound exit ramps to Judges Street.
- 12 ftMuch of Race Track Road floods between Marlboro Pike and the community center.
- 11 ftThe Water Street bridge in Upper Marlboro is completely covered by water.
- 9 ftWater begins to overflow the banks into the wide floodplain near Upper Marlboro.
Highest crests on record
- 21.18 ft — September 8, 2011
- 18.55 ft — May 12, 2008
- 16.81 ft — August 28, 2011
- 15.39 ft — September 16, 1999
- 15.26 ft — October 30, 2012
Recent crests: 15.03 ft (January 10, 2024) · 13.61 ft (December 18, 2023) · 11.43 ft (December 16, 2022) · 11.43 ft (December 16, 2022) · 13.29 ft (August 11, 2022)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- Patuxent River near Bowie, MD
- Watts Branch at Washington, DC
- Hickey Run at National Arboretum, DC
- Northeast Branch Anacostia River at Riverdale, MD
- Piscataway Creek at Piscataway, MD
- Anacostia River at Buzzard Point in Washington DC, DC
- Sligo Creek near Takoma Park, MD
- Potomac River at Georgetown / Wisconsin Ave, DC
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (UPRM2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.