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Contentnea Creek near Lucama water level

River gauge, Contentnea Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.13ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
33.4 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 17.53 ft Minor floodstage 17.00 ft

History

234ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20234ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
246ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 20246ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
51015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage51015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
510ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026510ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Contentnea Creek near Lucama, where the gauge shows 2.13 ft.

That puts it 0.03 ft above the median of 2.10 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 14.87 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.19 ft (−0.06 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.12 ft – 2.14 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.10 ft0.03 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.89 ft – 2.91 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year
2.19 ft−0.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.12 ft – 2.14 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.04 ft – 3.06 ft
Highest on record
17.53 ftOctober 10, 2016

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 17.00 ft.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft
BRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 581 FLOODS.
19.00 ft
WATER REACHES THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 581.
17.00 ft
FLOOD STAGE. LOW LAND FLOODING ADJACENT TO HIGHWAY 581.
13.00 ft
CONTENTNEA CREEK IS NEAR BANKFULL.
2.13 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
117.53 ftOctober 10, 2016
216.28 ftOctober 6, 1964
314.12 ftSeptember 7, 1996
412.50 ftSeptember 17, 2018
510.91 ftOctober 10, 1996

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on Contentnea Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Contentnea Creek near Black CreekRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek 6.82 ft Normal −0.01 ft 11 mi
Contentnea Creek at HookertonRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek 4.64 ft Low +0.03 ft 35 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Little River near PrincetonRiver gauge, Little River 0.36 ft Very low −0.02 ft 13 mi
Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring HopeRiver gauge, Tar River 1.97 ft Very low +0.03 ft 13 mi
Little River near ZebulonRiver gauge, Little River 1.58 ft Normal +0.01 ft 16 mi
Neuse River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Neuse River 1.39 ft Low −0.05 ft 17 mi
Neuse River at SmithfieldRiver gauge, Neuse River 4.67 ft Normal −0.18 ft 18 mi
Tar River below Dam near Langley CrossroadsRiver gauge, Tar River 0.65 ft Low ±0 19 mi
Nahunta Swamp near ShineRiver gauge, Nahunta Swamp 2.20 ft Normal −0.05 ft 22 mi
Swift Creek at Sr1555 near ClaytonRiver gauge, Swift Creek 1.06 ft Very low −0.06 ft 23 mi

Questions and answers

How does Contentnea Creek near Lucama compare with last year?

It is 0.06 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.19 ft.

What is flood stage for Contentnea Creek near Lucama?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 14.87 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Contentnea Creek near Lucama in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.10 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.89 ft and 2.91 ft, based on 29 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 Contentnea Creek near Lucama today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 PM EDT, the water level was 2.13 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Contentnea Creek near Lucama rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Contentnea Creek near Lucama normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 29 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:02090380 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.69111, -78.10972 (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 2.13 ft 2026-10-20 22:15 Provisional
Flow 33.4 cfs 2026-10-20 22:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Contentnea Creek near Lucama (usgs:02090380). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/contentnea-creek-near-lucama

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