Nivelmap
EN

Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco water level

River gauge, Cheoah River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for late October

Water level

2.77ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
97.6 cfs
Water temperature
60 °F
5 10 15 Minor floodstage 18.00 ft Highest onrecord 13.30 ft

History

History
2.02.53.0ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 212.02.53.0ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
2.02.53.03.5ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 212.02.53.03.5ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco reads 2.77 ft, a normal level for late October.

That puts it 0.12 ft above the median of 2.65 ft for late October, based on 27 years of readings. It is 15.23 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.65 ft (+0.12 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.74 ft and 3.16 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 60 °F.

Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.65 ft0.12 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.97 ft – 2.95 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year
2.65 ft+0.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.74 ft – 3.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.63 ft – 4.65 ft
Highest on record
13.30 ftMay 6, 2003

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 18.00 ft, still 15.23 ft away.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft
HOMES AND HIGHWAY 129 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD
8.00 ft
DAM RELEASES WILL LIKELY BE AROUND 7000 CFS AND PARTS OF TAPOCO ROAD WILL BE CLOSE TO FLOODING. CHECK EAP
2.77 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
113.30 ftMay 6, 2003
212.08 ftOctober 15, 2014
39.34 ftJanuary 16, 2013
49.30 ftJanuary 7, 2009
58.58 ftJanuary 23, 2002
68.23 ftDecember 9, 2004
77.96 ftDecember 28, 2007
87.92 ftFebruary 24, 2019
97.71 ftFebruary 11, 2018
107.70 ftFebruary 5, 2010

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:54 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Nantahala River near HewittRiver gauge, Nantahala River 1.21 ft Very low −0.01 ft 18 mi
Little River above TownsendRiver gauge, Little River 55.9 cfs Low −2.9 cfs 20 mi
Tellico River at Tellico PlainsRiver gauge, Tellico River 58.6 cfs Normal −1.4 cfs 21 mi
Valley River at TomotlaRiver gauge, Valley River 1.75 ft Normal −0.01 ft 21 mi
Little Tennessee River at NeedmoreRiver gauge, Little Tennessee River 1.91 ft Low −0.01 ft 23 mi
Little River near MaryvilleRiver gauge, Little River 5.20 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 24 mi
Little River near AlcoaRiver gauge, Little River 1.74 ft Low −0.03 ft 26 mi
Tuckasegee River at Bryson CityRiver gauge, Tuckasegee River 1.98 ft Normal ±0 27 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco compare with last year?

It is 0.12 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.65 ft.

What is flood stage for the Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 15.23 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco in late October?

The median for late October is 2.65 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.97 ft and 2.95 ft, based on 27 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 Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.77 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco normal?

Normal for late October. Compared with 27 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:0351706800 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.43833, -83.91889 (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 2.77 ft 2026-10-21 09:00 Provisional
Flow 97.6 cfs 2026-10-21 09:00 Provisional
Water temperature 60 °F 2026-10-21 09:00 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near Tapoco (usgs:0351706800). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/cheoah-river-near-bearpen-gap-near-tapoco

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.