GaugeStage Support | Help with River Levels & App Features
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GaugeStage Support — Help With River Gauges & Flood Data

GaugeStage gives boaters, anglers, and property owners fast, reliable access to real-time lake and river levels from public NOAA and USGS gauges. This page covers the basics of reading the data and troubleshooting, and how to reach us if you need a hand.

How to read a gauge

Each gauge reports a stage — the height of the water in feet at that location. A rising stage means more water is moving through; a falling stage means the river or lake is dropping. The hydrograph is a chart of stage over time: a line trending up means rising water, a flattening line means it is cresting, and a downward line means it is receding.

Understanding flood categories

NOAA assigns flood categories to many gauges based on the stage where impacts begin:

  • Action — conditions to start monitoring closely; mitigation may be needed.
  • Minor — minimal or nuisance flooding of low-lying areas.
  • Moderate — some inundation of structures and roads near the water.
  • Major — extensive flooding with significant risk to people and property.

Troubleshooting

  • Data looks delayed: gauges report on their own schedule (often 15–60 minutes). Pull to refresh for the latest reading.
  • A gauge shows no reading: the source (NOAA/USGS) may be temporarily offline or under maintenance. It typically restores automatically.
  • The app or page won’t load: check your connection, then refresh. Previously viewed data stays cached, but current conditions need a connection.
  • A gauge is missing: new gauges are added regularly — let us know which one you need.

Contact Information

If you need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our support team. We are here to help!