Davidson River near Brevard water level

Name: Davidson River near Brevard 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, Davidson River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

0.72ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:30 AM EDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 59.5 cfs
Water temperature: 51 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Davidson River near Brevard, where the gauge shows 0.72 ft.

That puts it 0.12 ft below the median of 0.84 ft for mid-October, based on 31 years of readings. It is 5.28 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 0.63 ft (+0.09 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 0.51 ft – 2.79 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 51 °F.

Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 0.84 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.49 ft – 1.16 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
Same day last year: 0.63 ft+0.09 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.51 ft – 2.79 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.48 ft – 2.79 ft
Highest on record: 14.36 ftAugust 17, 2021

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 6.00 ft.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Catastrophic, historic flooding continues. The English Chapel Church may be devastated by floodwaters.
16.50 ft: Catastropic, historic flooding is developing. Buildings along and near US 64 and US 276 may be inundated by several feet of water. The Dike at Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp will likely be overtopped. Buildings along Vanderbilt Rd may flood. Significant, damaging flooding will continue within the Pisgah National Forest.
16.00 ft: Major, historic flooding continues. Some of the Pisgan Ranger District Station Buildings may begin to flood. The English Chapel Church will be surrounded by flood waters.
14.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. The Davidson River will reaching levels similar to those observed during Tropical Cyclone Fred in August 2021. Devastating flooding of the Pisgah National Forest above Pisgah Forest will be developing, capable of washing out low-water crossings, and inundating structures and recreational areas within the park. Floodwaters several feet deep will impact Deavor Rd and Davidson River Rd downstream.
12.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Floodwaters will approach buildings near and at the junction of US 64 and US 276. Floodwaters will reach levels seen during Hurricane Frances in September 2004.
9.50 ft: Minor Flooding continues. Deavor Rd along the Davidson River will become impassible.
6.00 ft: Minor Flood Stage. The Davidson River will begin to flood Davidson River Rd and Wilson Rd in Pisgah Forest. Backwater flooding occurs along Turkey Creek affection Deavor Rd.
5.00 ft: Action/Advisory Stage. Low areas adjacent to Davidson River Rd near the river will begin to flood.
0.72 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.36 ft	August 17, 2021
2	12.08 ft	August 17, 1994
3	11.90 ft	June 1, 1976
4	11.86 ft	September 9, 2004
5	11.80 ft	August 15, 1928
6	10.90 ft	October 1, 1918
7	10.74 ft	May 28, 1973
8	10.64 ft	October 4, 1964
9	10.30 ft	July 16, 1916
10	10.04 ft	October 16, 1932

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:42 AM Sunset 06:51 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 66%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
French Broad River at BlantyreRiver gauge, French Broad River	5.61 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	5.0 mi
Mills River near Mills RiverRiver gauge, Mills River	1.84 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	11 mi
French Broad River at RosmanRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.08 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	11 mi
French Broad River near FletcherRiver gauge, French Broad River	4.29 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	14 mi
Middle Saluda River near ClevelandRiver gauge, Middle Saluda River	1.53 ft	Very low	−0.09 ft	14 mi
Slicking Creek near Rocky BottomRiver gauge, Slicking Creek	6.0 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	14 mi
Mud Creek at Secondary Road 1503 near BalfourRiver gauge, Mud Creek	5.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Table Rock Reservoir near ClevelandReservoir, Table Rock Reservoir	42.10 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	15 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Davidson River near Brevard compare with last year?

It is 0.09 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.63 ft.

What is flood stage for the Davidson River near Brevard?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 5.28 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Davidson River near Brevard in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 0.84 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.49 ft and 1.16 ft, based on 31 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 Davidson River near Brevard today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:30 AM EDT, the water level was 0.72 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Davidson River near Brevard rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.36 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Davidson River near Brevard normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 31 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:03441000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.27306, -82.70583 (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	0.72 ft	2026-10-20 05:30	Provisional
Flow	59.5 cfs	2026-10-20 05:30	Provisional
Water temperature	51 °F	2026-10-20 05:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Davidson River near Brevard (usgs:03441000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/davidson-river-near-brevard

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