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Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg water level

River gauge, Back Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for late October

Water level

2.29ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
0.6 cfs
5 10 Highest onrecord 11.77 ft Minor floodstage 10.00 ft

History

2.22.42.62.8ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 212.22.42.62.8ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
234ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 21234ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
2345ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20262345ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
2345ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20262345ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg is at 2.29 ft, in the normal range for late October.

That puts it 0.02 ft below the median of 2.31 ft for late October, based on 17 years of readings. It is 7.71 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.56 ft (−0.27 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.24 ft and 3.16 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.31 ft0.02 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.15 ft – 2.77 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year
2.56 ft−0.27 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.24 ft – 3.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.21 ft – 3.76 ft
Highest on record
11.77 ftJanuary 25, 2010

Floating and fishing near Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 7.71 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft
Major Flood Stage. Extremely rare and catastrophic flooding is developing along Back Creek with disastrous impacts to property. Extraordinary flooding exceeding 6 ft deep is overwhelming low-lying areas. Basements and crawl spaces may be completely submerged. First-floor building elevations may be experiencing ruinous flooding greater than 1 ft deep. Travel may be severely restricted with roadway inundation exceeding 3-4 ft, stranding several homes and businesses.
12.00 ft
Moderate Flood Stage. Unusual, damaging flooding is developing adjacent to Back Creek with considerable impacts to property. Significant flooding reaching 4-6 ft deep is ongoing for low-lying areas. Secondary roads, outbuildings, crawl spaces, and/or basements may be experiencing flooding reaching 2-4 feet deep. Flooding less than 1 ft deep may begin for first-floor building elevations. Some homes and businesses may be stranded. Significant impacts to travel are likely.
10.50 ft
Minor flooding continues. Back Creek is likely flooding Stallings Rd between Middleton Cir and Quail Hollow Dr, forcing road closure.
10.01 ft
...continued from the 10.0 statement. Adjacent secondary roads and outbuildings may be experiencing flooding up to 1-2 ft deep, including near Orchard Park Cir, Hickory Ridge Rd, Blackjack Oak Ct, Stallings Rd, and Middleton Cir. Flooding less than 1 ft deep may begin impacting basements and primary roads, including Stallings Rd between Middleton Cir and Quail Hollow Dr.
10.00 ft
Minor Flood Stage. Common, deeper flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to Back Creek is developing with lesser impacts to vulnerable property. More significant floodwaters are beginning to impact low-lying areas, including the Back Creek Greenway, with inundation approximately 2-4 ft deep. Impacts continued in the 10.01 statement...
8.50 ft
Action/Advisory Stage flooding continues. Extensive flooding of adjacent low-lying areas is developing, impacting the Back Creek Greenway and low-lying areas adjacent to Stallings Rd between Middleton Cir and Quail Hollow Dr.
8.00 ft
Action/Advisory Stage. Common, nuisance flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to Back Creek is beginning. Floodwaters are beginning to impact farmland, woodlands, nurseries, parks, athletic fields, golf courses, and greenways with up to 2 feet of inundation. Adjacent secondary roads may experience floodwater inundation of up to 1 foot.
2.29 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
111.77 ftJanuary 25, 2010
210.51 ftJune 29, 2013
39.91 ftAugust 5, 2011
49.77 ftDecember 30, 2015
59.70 ftJune 6, 2013
69.61 ftAugust 7, 2012
79.53 ftNovember 11, 2009
89.39 ftDecember 25, 2009
99.35 ftJune 1, 2010
109.35 ftSeptember 23, 2011

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:35 AM Sunset 06:41 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on Back Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Back Creek near DundeeRiver gauge, Back Creek 19.3 cfs Normal −3.9 cfs 140 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Mallard Creek below Stony Creek near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Mallard Creek 2.55 ft Very low −0.01 ft 2.9 mi
Reedy Creek below I-485 near Pine RidgeRiver gauge, Reedy Creek 1.63 ft Normal ±0 3.5 mi
Reedy Creek at SR 2803 near CharlotteRiver gauge, Reedy Creek 1.45 ft Normal +0.01 ft 4.0 mi
McKee Creek at Sr2804 near WilgroveRiver gauge, McKee Creek 1.77 ft Normal ±0 4.1 mi
Briar Creek near CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek 1.34 ft Normal −0.01 ft 7 mi
Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky RiverRiver gauge, Rocky River 1.11 ft Very low −0.02 ft 8 mi
Clarke Creek near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Clarke Creek 3.87 ft Very high +0.01 ft 8 mi
Little Sugar Creek below 36th Street near CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek 0.27 ft Very low −0.02 ft 9 mi

Questions and answers

How does Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg compare with last year?

It is 0.27 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.56 ft.

What is flood stage for Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 7.71 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg in late October?

The median for late October is 2.31 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.15 ft and 2.77 ft, based on 17 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 Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT, the water level was 2.29 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg normal?

Normal for late October. Compared with 17 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:02124269 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.30917, -80.67361 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 2.29 ft 2026-10-21 09:15 Provisional
Flow 0.6 cfs 2026-10-21 09:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Back Creek at Sr1173 near Harrisburg (usgs:02124269). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/back-creek-at-sr1173-near-harrisburg

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