Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon water level

Name: Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon 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, Catawba River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for late October

Water level

11.29ft Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT (40 min ago)

Water temperature: 66 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon is at 11.29 ft, in the normal range for late October.

That puts it 0.59 ft above the median of 10.70 ft for late October, based on 10 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 11.03 ft (+0.26 ft).

It has risen 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 10.36 ft and 17.88 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 66 °F.

Compared with 10 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 10.70 ft0.59 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 10.04 ft – 13.40 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (10 years of records)
Same day last year: 11.03 ft+0.26 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 10.36 ft – 17.88 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 10.10 ft – 17.88 ft

Floating and fishing near Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon

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

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 70° 40° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 72° 41° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 69° 46° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 66° 44° – Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 67° 44° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 71° 44° – Wind 6 mph

27 Tue 71° 49° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:43 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	55 mi
Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near BridgewaterRiver gauge, Catawba River	4.08 ft	High	+0.01 ft	42 mi
Catawba River at RhodhissRiver gauge, Catawba River	11.23 ft	Normal	+0.20 ft	19 mi
Catawba River at Nc Highway 16 near MillersvilleRiver gauge, Catawba River	4.36 ft	Very low	−2.29 ft	7 mi
Catawba River at Rr Bridge above NC 73 at Cowans FordRiver gauge, Catawba River	3.23 ft	Low	±0	24 mi
Catawba River below Lake Wylie Dam Fewell IslandRiver gauge, Catawba River	8.56 ft	No reference yet	−0.48 ft	51 mi
Catawba River near Rock HillRiver gauge, Catawba River	3.62 ft	Normal	±0	54 mi
Catawba River below CatawbaRiver gauge, Catawba River	7.59 ft	Very high	−0.02 ft	65 mi
Catawba River at Great FallsRiver gauge, Catawba River	353.21 ft	Normal	+0.34 ft	81 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Middle Little River at Moretz Dam near BethlehemRiver gauge, Middle Little River	4.47 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	12 mi
Lower Little River near All Healing SpringsRiver gauge, Lower Little River	0.67 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Upper Little River at Sr1740 at Petra MillsRiver gauge, Upper Little River	34.9 cfs	Normal	−1.9 cfs	16 mi
Henry Fork near Henry RiverRiver gauge, Henry Fork	1.31 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	18 mi
Killian Creek near MariposaRiver gauge, Killian Creek	3.01 ft	High	+0.11 ft	23 mi
South Yadkin River near MocksvilleRiver gauge, South Yadkin River	2.02 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	25 mi
Indian Creek near LaboratoryRiver gauge, Indian Creek	0.92 ft	Normal	+0.07 ft	25 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon compare with last year?

It is 0.26 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 11.03 ft.

What is a normal level for the Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon in late October?

The median for late October is 10.70 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 10.04 ft and 13.40 ft, based on 10 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 below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT, the water level was 11.29 ft. Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon rising or falling?

Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.96 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon normal?

Normal for late October. Compared with 10 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:0214244102 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.75719, -81.08915 (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	11.29 ft	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional
Water temperature	66 °F	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near Sharon (usgs:0214244102). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/catawba-river-below-lookout-shoals-dam-near-sharon

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