Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel water level

Name: Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel 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, Cape Fear River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Low for late October

Water level

1.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 03:00 AM EDT (56 min ago)

Flow: 938 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

At 1.27 ft, the Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel is below normal for late October.

That puts it 0.21 ft below the median of 1.49 ft for late October, based on 30 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 1.27 ft as well.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.11 ft and 1.64 ft.

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

Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.49 ft0.21 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.11 ft – 6.52 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.27 ft0.00 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.11 ft – 1.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.75 ft – 4.23 ft

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.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:34 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Other gauges on the Cape Fear River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cape Fear River at LillingtonRiver gauge, Cape Fear River	2.07 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	39 mi
Cape Fear River at FayettevilleRiver gauge, Cape Fear River	9.71 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	15 mi
Cape Fear River at Lock 1 near KellyRiver gauge, Cape Fear River	14.81 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	42 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Swamp near Tar HeelRiver gauge, Big Swamp	5.23 ft	Low	−0.11 ft	9 mi
Beaver Creek at CumberlandRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	2.49 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	15 mi
Blounts Creek at Winslow Street at FayettevilleRiver gauge, Blounts Creek	3.58 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Cross Creek at Blue Street at FayettevilleRiver gauge, Cross Creek	3.83 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	16 mi
Lumber River at LumbertonRiver gauge, Lumber River	7.32 ft	Very low	+0.03 ft	18 mi
Beaver Creek at All American Freeway Fort BraggRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	2.60 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Beaver Creek at Gruber Road at Fort BraggRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	6.85 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	22 mi
Tank Creek at Longstreet Road at Fort BraggRiver gauge, Tank Creek	1.50 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel compare with last year?

It is about the same as on this day last year, when the reading was 1.27 ft.

What is a normal level for the Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel in late October?

The median for late October is 1.49 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.11 ft and 6.52 ft, based on 30 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 Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:00 AM EDT, the water level was 1.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.15 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel normal?

Low for late October. Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02105500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.83556, -78.82361 (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	1.27 ft	2026-10-21 07:00	Provisional
Flow	938 cfs	2026-10-21 07:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cape Fear River at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel (usgs:02105500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/cape-fear-river-at-wilm-o-huske-lock-near-tarheel

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