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Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg water level

Reservoir, Gaston Shoals Reservoir, South Carolina, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Surface elevation

94.72ft Up 0.67 ft over the last 24 hours

95 100 105 110 Highest onrecord 108.60 ft Minor floodstage 104.80 ft

History

95100105ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20Minor flood stage95100105ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20Minor flood stage
90100ftOct 9Oct 11Oct 14Oct 17Oct 20Minor flood stage90100ftOct 9Oct 14Oct 20Minor flood stage
8090100ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage8090100ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
8090100ftOct 2020Apr 2022Oct 2023Apr 2025Oct 2026Minor flood stage8090100ftOct 2020Oct 2023Oct 2026Minor flood stage
8090100ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20268090100ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

At 94.72 ft, Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg is far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 97.11 ft, based on 7 years of readings, so the lake level is 2.39 ft below typical. It is 10.08 ft below the flood stage of 104.80 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 97.14 ft, a difference of −2.42 ft.

The water is rising: up 0.67 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 84.08 ft and 100.35 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
97.11 ft2.39 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
94.84 ft – 99.21 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Same day last year
97.14 ft−2.42 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
84.08 ft – 100.35 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
79.16 ft – 100.35 ft
Highest on record
108.60 ftAugust 16, 1928

Swimming and boating at Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg

Low water changes a lake fast for boaters. Some ramps get shorter or close, docks may be moved, and rocks and sandbars that are usually well under the surface come within reach of a prop.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

What happens at each level

104.80 ft
ROAD TO DAM AND POWER HOUSE WILL BE FLOODED. BRIDGES DOWNSTREAM SUCH AS SC HWY 18, HWY 29 AND I-85 WILL LIKELY BE CLOSED. BACK WATER EFFECTS WILL BE LIKELY ON BUFFALO CREEK.
103.80 ft
AT THIS LEVEL THE POWER PLANT SUBSTATION ROAD WILL LIKELY BE FLOODED. BBGS1 GAGE DOWNSTREAM WILL MOST LIKELY BE READING AROUND 21 FT.
102.00 ft
MINOR DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS ARE POSSIBLE DUE TO HIGHWATER. WATER WILL APPROACH ROAD TO DAM AND POWER HOUSE. FLS NEEDED.
100.00 ft
FULL POOL.. 2685 CFS.. FLS @ 102
94.72 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 74° 38° – Wind 7 mph
21 Wed 73° 44° – Wind 6 mph
22 Thu 75° 44° – Wind 6 mph
23 Fri 71° 46° – Wind 7 mph
24 Sat 67° 46° – Wind 10 mph
25 Sun 69° 44° – Wind 9 mph
26 Mon 72° 44° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:46 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Broad River near BlacksburgRiver gauge, Broad River 3.61 ft High +0.29 ft 1.1 mi
Broad River near Boiling SpringsRiver gauge, Broad River 2.31 ft High +0.29 ft 8 mi
Thicketty Creek at Cnty Road 42 near GaffneyRiver gauge, Thicketty Creek 3.04 ft Normal −0.02 ft 8 mi
Kings Creek at BlacksburgRiver gauge, Kings Creek 2.43 ft Below flood stage +0.04 ft 9 mi
Broad River below Ninetynine Island ReservoirRiver gauge, Broad River 26.28 ft Normal −0.13 ft 9 mi
Pacolet River below Lake Blalock near CowpensRiver gauge, Pacolet River 2.02 ft Normal −0.06 ft 16 mi
Pacolet River at Us-29 near ConverseRiver gauge, Pacolet River 1.82 ft Normal −0.05 ft 17 mi
Pacolet River at PacoletRiver gauge, Pacolet River 9.39 ft Low −0.12 ft 17 mi

Questions and answers

Is Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg higher than last year?

No, it is 2.42 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 97.14 ft.

What is a normal level for Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 97.11 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 94.84 ft and 99.21 ft, based on 7 years of records.

Is Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg really 94.72 ft deep?

No. 94.72 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 PM EDT, the surface elevation was 94.72 ft. Up 0.67 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg rising or falling?

Up 0.67 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 1.40 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg?

The highest level on record is 108.60 ft on August 16, 1928.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:02153051 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.13793, -81.59791 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
local
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation 94.72 ft 2026-10-20 21:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Gaston Shoals Reservoir above Blacksburg (usgs:02153051). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/gaston-shoals-reservoir-above-blacksburg

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