Big Swamp near Tar Heel water level

Name: Big Swamp near Tar Heel water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Big Swamp, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

5.29ft Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 42.4 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

At 5.29 ft, the Big Swamp near Tar Heel is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 1.24 ft below the median of 6.53 ft for mid-October, based on 35 years of readings. It is 10.71 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 5.33 ft (−0.04 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.41 ft and 7.65 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.53 ft1.24 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.08 ft – 10.24 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.33 ft−0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.41 ft – 7.65 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.85 ft – 9.75 ft
Highest on record: 18.72 ftOctober 10, 2016

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 16.00 ft, still 10.71 ft away.

What happens at each level

16.50 ft: Water will reach the level of the road at the bridge on Tar Heel Road where the gage is located.
5.29 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	18.72 ft	October 10, 2016
2	17.25 ft	September 17, 2018
3	14.63 ft	November 13, 2020
4	14.34 ft	September 17, 1999
5	13.89 ft	October 19, 1999
6	13.70 ft	August 10, 2024
7	13.48 ft	September 23, 1999
8	13.36 ft	December 26, 2015
9	13.34 ft	January 10, 1993
10	13.24 ft	February 20, 2021

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 11 hr, 10 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near TarheelRiver gauge, Cape Fear River	1.32 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	9 mi
Lumber River at LumbertonRiver gauge, Lumber River	7.32 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	12 mi
Lumber River at BoardmanRiver gauge, Lumber River	2.62 ft	Very low	−0.13 ft	20 mi
Beaver Creek at CumberlandRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	2.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	22 mi
Blounts Creek at Winslow Street at FayettevilleRiver gauge, Blounts Creek	3.60 ft	Low	±0	23 mi
Cape Fear River at FayettevilleRiver gauge, Cape Fear River	9.65 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	23 mi
Cross Creek at Blue Street at FayettevilleRiver gauge, Cross Creek	3.89 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	25 mi
Lumber River near MaxtonRiver gauge, Lumber River	6.86 ft	Low	+0.15 ft	28 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Big Swamp near Tar Heel compare with last year?

It is 0.04 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.33 ft.

What is flood stage for the Big Swamp near Tar Heel?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 10.71 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Big Swamp near Tar Heel in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.53 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.08 ft and 10.24 ft, based on 35 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 Big Swamp near Tar Heel today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT, the water level was 5.29 ft. Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Swamp near Tar Heel rising or falling?

Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.19 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Swamp near Tar Heel normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 35 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:02134480 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.71028, -78.83639 (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	5.29 ft	2026-10-20 19:00	Provisional
Flow	42.4 cfs	2026-10-20 19:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Swamp near Tar Heel (usgs:02134480). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/big-swamp-near-tar-heel

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