NOAA upgrades Baltimore water level station

CO-OPS water level station in Baltimore, Maryland. Credit: NOAA.

Water level monitoring in Baltimore just got an upgrade. NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), recently installed a new water level station at Maryland's Baltimore Harbor.

The station, located on a newly built pier in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Baltimore compound near Fort McHenry, will deliver high-quality data in real time for decades to come. It features a new water level sensor, meteorological tower, electronics, and more and replaces an existing temporary station.

CO-OPS new water level station in Baltimore, Maryland. Credit: NOAA.

Maintaining NOAA's water level observing infrastructure is critical to ensuring the quality and reliability of NOAA data. All stations are designed to withstand local environmental conditions like waves, flooding, ice, and more. Teams conduct regular maintenance on these water level stations to confirm all sensors and systems are functioning properly.

When a station nears the end of its life, CO-OPS engineers and technicians team up to design a new station, incorporating up-to-date technology and design features to account for current and future environmental conditions. These stations are carefully built to ensure sustainable, long-term operation, while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

The CO-OPS team installed the station during two especially cold weeks in December 2025. Installation is one component of the time, knowledge, planning, and resources needed to establish a NOAA water level station.

CO-OPS team members install equipment at the Baltimore water level station (left), and a water temperature sensor on the pier as part of the Baltimore water level station (right). Credit: NOAA.

The Baltimore Harbor water level station is part of NOAA's National Water Level Observation Network, a national system of over 200 highly precise, long-term water level stations. These stations deliver real-time data on water levels as well as other meteorological and oceanographic conditions.

Data from the Baltimore station will support safe and efficient navigation, help protect life and property, and promote community flood resilience.

View data from the station on the station webpage.