Dead River near Dead River: Level & Flow Today
River flow & level · USGS gauge 01043500 · Maine · drains 519 sq mi
Latest reading Nov 4, 10:30 AM · streamflow
The Dead River at Dead River is running 351 cfs, 74% of the median flow for November 4 (472 cfs, 55 years). Gage height is 3.75 ft. Flow is about the same as 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: Dead River
for rafters & kayakersSpencer Falls (Grand Falls) to West Forks
Too lowClass II–III (IV) · 14 mi · 31 ft/mi gradient
Low from 800 · too high above 13,000 cfs
Now: 351 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 787.
This gauge does not report water temperature. Dress for the water, not the air: below 70°F a wetsuit or drysuit is recommended.
The Dead runs on scheduled releases from Flagstaff Lake (Long Falls Dam, Brookfield Renewable). 2026 big-water releases were May 9, 16, 24, 30, June 6, Sept 6, Sept 19 and Oct 3 (3,500 to 6,000+ cfs); smaller summer weekend releases ran in June, July and August. 2027 dates are usually posted in late winter. Source.
Below dams the river can rise suddenly and turn violent when releases start; stay out of tailrace areas and off the river outside scheduled windows unless you know the flow. Ranges are for experienced paddlers at the gauge shown; rapids change after floods, so scout and check for new wood. Wear a PFD, never boat alone, and follow the American Whitewater Safety Code. New to whitewater? Go with a licensed outfitter.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumReading
About Dead River near Dead River
Over the past 12 months, daily mean flow at this gauge ranged from 126 cfs (Apr 3, 2026) to 2,590 cfs (Jun 19, 2026). USGS daily records for this gauge start in 1940; on November 4 the flow has ranged from 2.50 cfs (1966) to 4,400 cfs (1955). The river drains 519 square miles above this gauge. The nearest gauges we track are Kennebec River at the Forks (14 mi northeast) and Kennebec River at North Sidney (58 mi southeast). See all 10 Maine river gauges on the Maine lake & river levels page.
Dead River near Dead River fishing report & conditions
updated Nov 4, 10:34 AM ETFlow 74% of normal, flow steady — fair fall fishing day (4/10), best window 6:51 AM–8:51 AM (moon overhead near sunrise).
- Water temp—no water-temperature sensor on this water yet
- Flow74% of normalFlow steady (+0% in 24 h)
Official Maine fishing info: Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife — Fishing info
Best fishing times today
Today is a fair fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
4/10
Waning crescent · 21% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 6:24 AM · Sunset 4:23 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead6:51 AM–8:51 AMSunrise
- Moon underfoot7:13 PM–9:13 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise12:47 AM–1:47 AM
- Moonset1:42 PM–2:42 PM
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 4 | 4/10Fair | Major 6:51 AM–8:51 AM · 7:13 PM–9:13 PM Minor 12:47 AM–1:47 AM · 1:42 PM–2:42 PM |
|---|---|---|
| ThuNov 5 | 2/10Poor | Major 7:35 AM–9:35 AM · 7:57 PM–9:57 PM Minor 1:58 AM–2:58 AM · 2:00 PM–3:00 PM |
| FriNov 6 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:19 AM–10:19 AM · 8:41 PM–10:41 PM Minor 3:08 AM–4:08 AM · 2:18 PM–3:18 PM |
| SatNov 7 | 4/10Fair | Major 9:03 AM–11:03 AM · 9:26 PM–11:26 PM Minor 4:18 AM–5:18 AM · 2:39 PM–3:39 PM |
| SunNov 8 | 5/10Fair | Major 9:49 AM–11:49 AM · 10:13 PM–12:13 AM Minor 5:28 AM–6:28 AM · 3:02 PM–4:02 PM |
| MonNov 9 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:37 AM–12:37 PM · 11:02 PM–1:02 AM Minor 6:37 AM–7:37 AM · 3:31 PM–4:31 PM |
| TueNov 10 | 4/10Fair | Major 11:27 AM–1:27 PM · 11:53 PM–1:53 AM Minor 7:44 AM–8:44 AM · 4:06 PM–5:06 PM |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moon overhead × sunrise +2) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 4.6 days) | 0 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 1 |
| Today | 4, rounded | 4/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 45.23, -70.20 (moon times from astronomical equations, Dead River near Dead River local time).
November 4 in history
55 years of flow records- Today351 cfs
- Same date last year337 cfs2025
- Median472 cfs
- Normal range67.0 cfs – 1,280 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19404,400 cfs1955
- Lowest since 19402.50 cfs1966
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 4 (today) | 351 | +0% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 351 | -1% |
| Mon Nov 2 | 354 | +0% |
| Sun Nov 1 | 354 | +0% |
| Sat Oct 31 | 354 | +0% |
| Fri Oct 30 | 354 | +0% |
| Thu Oct 29 | 354 | +0% |
| Wed Oct 28 | 354 | +0% |
| Tue Oct 27 | 354 | +0% |
| Mon Oct 26 | 354 | +0% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Kennebec River at the Forks14 mi northeast · River1,590 cfs98% of normal
- Kennebec River at North Sidney58 mi southeast · River4,140 cfs58% of normal
- Kennebec River at Calumet Bridge at Augusta66 mi south · River3.93 ftstage 3.93 ft
- Kennebec River at Hallowell68 mi south · River4.16 ftstage 4.16 ft
- Kennebec River at Gardiner72 mi south · River4.95 ftstage 4.95 ft
Guides
All guides →- Dam release rafting schedulesOfficial release calendars for the Gauley, Kennebec, Dead, Upper Yough, Deerfield and Lehigh.
- Best time to go whitewater rafting, river by riverTypical flow each month against American Whitewater’s ranges, for 40+ rafting runs.
- What river flow is best for rafting?How to read cfs and our Too low / Good / High bands before a raft trip, with live examples.
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 01043500 — Dead River near Dead River, Maine
- Location
- 45.2291, -70.2011 · Maine
- Drainage area
- 519 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1940–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Nov 4, 10:30 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Nov 4, 2026 10:34 AM ET
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.