Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg water level
River gauge, Lawsons Fork Creek, South Carolina, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 43.6 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg reads 3.56 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
That puts it 0.16 ft below the median of 3.72 ft for mid-October, based on 14 years of readings. It is 11.44 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.23 ft (+0.33 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.98 ft and 11.31 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 14 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.72 ft0.16 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.22 ft – 4.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (14 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.23 ft+0.33 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.98 ft – 11.31 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.92 ft – 11.31 ft
- Highest on record
- 15.14 ftFebruary 7, 2020
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 11.44 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 21.00 ft
- APPROX HEIGHT OF BOTTOM OF LAKE FOREST DR BRIDGE
- 15.50 ft
- PARTS OF LAKE FOREST ROAD WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD ON EITHER SIDE OF BRIDGE OVER LAWSONS FORK CREEK. ONE PRIVATE ROAD TO A HOME WILL ALL SO BE FLOODED.
- 15.00 ft
- WATER WILL BEGIN TO COVER PARTS OF HEATHWOOD DRIVE AND LAKE FOREST ROAD.
- 12.50 ft
- WATER WILL APPROACH A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY NORTHEAST OF THE RIVER AND PARTS OF HEATHWOOD DRIVE
- 12.00 ft
- Action/Advisory Stage. Lawsons Fork Creek is out of its banks and causing nuisance flooding of adjacent low-lying areas from US 221 to Goldmine Rd. near the Pacolet River confluence.
- 3.56 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.14 ft | February 7, 2020 |
| 2 | 14.23 ft | May 6, 2013 |
| 3 | 13.76 ft | October 1, 2015 |
| 4 | 13.63 ft | December 30, 2015 |
| 5 | 13.56 ft | August 1, 2014 |
| 6 | 13.18 ft | December 24, 2015 |
| 7 | 13.02 ft | November 3, 2015 |
| 8 | 13.00 ft | January 18, 2013 |
| 9 | 12.79 ft | December 26, 2012 |
| 10 | 11.22 ft | July 17, 2016 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacolet River at Us-29 near ConverseRiver gauge, Pacolet River | 1.83 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 3.7 mi |
| Pacolet River below Lake Blalock near CowpensRiver gauge, Pacolet River | 2.03 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 7 mi |
| Pacolet River at PacoletRiver gauge, Pacolet River | 9.38 ft | Low | −0.12 ft | 7 mi |
| North Tyger River near FairmontRiver gauge, North Tyger River | 10.1 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 10 mi |
| North Tyger River below WellfordRiver gauge, North Tyger River | 5.75 ft | High | −0.01 ft | 11 mi |
| Thicketty Creek at Cnty Road 42 near GaffneyRiver gauge, Thicketty Creek | 3.03 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 12 mi |
| North Tyger River at WellfordRiver gauge, North Tyger River | 6.4 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 12 mi |
| Pacolet River near FingervilleRiver gauge, Pacolet River | 6.72 ft | High | −0.06 ft | 12 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg compare with last year?
It is 0.33 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.23 ft.
What is flood stage for Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 11.44 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.72 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.22 ft and 4.41 ft, based on 14 years of records.
Is gage height the same as water depth?
No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.
What is the water level of Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 07:15 PM EDT, the water level was 3.56 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.87 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 14 years of daily readings for this time of year.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:02156300(Agency page)- Coordinates
34.94901, -81.86792(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NAVD88
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 3.56 ft | 2026-10-20 23:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 43.6 cfs | 2026-10-20 23:15 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Lawsons Fork Creek at Spartanburg (usgs:02156300). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/lawsons-fork-creek-at-spartanburg
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer