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Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater water level

River gauge, Catawba River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

4.08ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
1,430 cfs
Water temperature
70 °F
1 3 4 5

History

246ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 21246ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
246ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 21246ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

High water at Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater: the latest reading is 4.08 ft, above normal for late October.

That puts it 1.99 ft above the median of 2.09 ft for late October, based on 16 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 2.70 ft (+1.38 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.60 ft – 6.02 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 70 °F.

Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.09 ft1.99 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.48 ft – 4.88 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (16 years of records)
Same day last year
2.70 ft+1.38 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.60 ft – 6.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.58 ft – 6.02 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

Above-normal flows push fish to the edges and make wading risky. Wait for the river to drop and clear.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 69° 41° – Wind 4 mph
22 Thu 71° 44° – Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 69° 47° – Wind 4 mph
24 Sat 66° 45° – Wind 6 mph
25 Sun 66° 45° – Wind 8 mph
26 Mon 70° 44° – Wind 3 mph
27 Tue 70° 48° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:40 AM Sunset 06:46 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Catawba River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Catawba River near Pleasant GardensRiver gauge, Catawba River 1.81 ft Normal −0.04 ft 13 mi
Catawba River at RhodhissRiver gauge, Catawba River 11.23 ft Normal +0.20 ft 23 mi
Catawba River at Nc Highway 16 near MillersvilleRiver gauge, Catawba River 4.36 ft Very low −2.29 ft 37 mi
Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near SharonRiver gauge, Catawba River 11.29 ft Normal +0.04 ft 42 mi
Catawba River at Rr Bridge above NC 73 at Cowans FordRiver gauge, Catawba River 3.23 ft Low ±0 54 mi
Catawba River below Lake Wylie Dam Fewell IslandRiver gauge, Catawba River 8.56 ft No reference yet −0.48 ft 69 mi
Catawba River near Rock HillRiver gauge, Catawba River 3.62 ft Normal ±0 71 mi
Catawba River below CatawbaRiver gauge, Catawba River 7.59 ft Very high −0.02 ft 83 mi
Catawba River at Great FallsRiver gauge, Catawba River 353.21 ft Normal +0.34 ft 95 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Linville River near NeboRiver gauge, Linville River 2.14 ft Very high −0.07 ft 4.9 mi
Johns River at Arneys StoreRiver gauge, Johns River 2.38 ft Normal −0.04 ft 9 mi
Jacob Fork at RamseyRiver gauge, Jacob Fork 1.78 ft Normal −0.02 ft 18 mi
First Broad River near CasarRiver gauge, First Broad River 0.57 ft Normal −0.01 ft 19 mi
South Toe River near CeloRiver gauge, South Toe River 0.92 ft Normal −0.03 ft 21 mi
Yadkin River at PattersonRiver gauge, Yadkin River 1.06 ft Normal −0.01 ft 23 mi
Second Broad River near LoganRiver gauge, Second Broad River 1.81 ft Normal −0.04 ft 23 mi
Henry Fork near Henry RiverRiver gauge, Henry Fork 1.31 ft Normal −0.02 ft 25 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater compare with last year?

It is 1.38 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.70 ft.

What is a normal level for the Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater in late October?

The median for late October is 2.09 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.48 ft and 4.88 ft, based on 16 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 Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:30 AM EDT, the water level was 4.08 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 1.69 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater normal?

High for late October. Compared with 16 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:02138520 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.74125, -81.83525 (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 4.08 ft 2026-10-21 09:30 Provisional
Flow 1,430 cfs 2026-10-21 09:30 Provisional
Water temperature 70 °F 2026-10-21 09:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near Bridgewater (usgs:02138520). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/catawba-river-at-sr1223-below-lake-james-near-bridgewater

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