Gauge Description:

Note: The gauge referred to in this section is a virtual "regional" gauge. It is in a nearby watershed but the proximity of the gauge and the river characteristics are similar. This virtual gage is linked to the East Branch of the Pemi gage and is calculated for the Six Mile bridge gage located 4 miles upstream.  These gauges work best in the spring or wide area rain events. Do not rely on this gauge for localized rain events such as summertime thunderstorm activity. Current minimum run level for this stretch is still to be verified (see table below). Currently there is no gage actually on this section. If the Upper Mad is just below runnable levels than the gorge should be high enough. If there is 3" of water coming over the dam at the intersection of NH 49 and NH 175 then the river should be medium. The water is occasionally diverted downstream about 100 yards through a small hydro facility. When the hydro is on full then there should be a minimum flow level through the gorge. Check the first put in location and look downstream from the bridge, if this looks too low, drive south on 175 an additional .25 miles. Park on the right where the river is close to the road. Look downstream, if the ledge to the left of the channel is spilling water or just under then this is a minimum low level. If most all the water is spilling through the right channel then the water is too low.
Building a "Virtual" gauge for the Mad
In the table below visual observations have been matched with actual USGS gauge readings from three other nearby watersheds. This is an attempt to build a �Virtual� gauge for the Mad. Virtual gauges work best during spring runoff and widespread rain events but should not be relied upon for localized rain events such as thunderstorm activity. Once enough observations have been matched with the USGS gauge readings, we will determine which USGS gauge best matches the Mad river's runoff profile.