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Ellerbe Creek near Gorman water level

River gauge, Ellerbe Creek, North Carolina, United States

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Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

0.79ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
28.8 cfs
0 5 10 15 Minor floodstage 15.00 ft Highest onrecord 12.96 ft

History

History
12ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 2112ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
24ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 13Oct 2124ftSep 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

Low water at Ellerbe Creek near Gorman: the gauge reads 0.79 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.58 ft, based on 20 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.79 ft below typical. It is 14.21 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.34 ft, a difference of −0.55 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 0.65 ft – 2.23 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.58 ft0.79 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.46 ft – 2.83 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
Same day last year
1.34 ft−0.55 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
0.65 ft – 2.23 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
0.76 ft – 3.90 ft
Highest on record
12.96 ftSeptember 17, 2018

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 15.00 ft.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft
Estimated Moderate Flood Stage
15.00 ft
Estimated Minor Flood Stage
0.79 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
112.96 ftSeptember 17, 2018
210.40 ftOctober 11, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on Ellerbe Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Ellerbe Creek at Club Boulevard at DurhamRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek 1.00 ft Very high −0.01 ft 4.4 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Little River below Little R Tributary at FairntoshRiver gauge, Little River 2.68 ft Very high +0.11 ft 4.0 mi
Eno River near DurhamRiver gauge, Eno River 2.09 ft Very high −0.06 ft 4.3 mi
Knap of Reeds Creek near ButnerRiver gauge, Knap of Reeds Creek 2.27 ft Normal +0.01 ft 5.1 mi
Little Lick Creek at Nc Highway 98 at Oak GroveRiver gauge, Little Lick Creek 1.22 ft Normal −0.01 ft 5.3 mi
Flat River at Dam near BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River 0.54 ft Low −0.52 ft 6.2 mi
Little River at Sr1461 near Orange FactoryRiver gauge, Little River 0.09 ft Very low +0.01 ft 7 mi
Eno River at Cole Mill Road near Huckleberry SpringRiver gauge, Eno River 1.92 ft Low −0.03 ft 8 mi
Beaverdam Creek at Dam near CreedmoorRiver gauge, Beaverdam Creek 247.65 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 8 mi

Questions and answers

Is Ellerbe Creek near Gorman higher than last year?

No, it is 0.55 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.34 ft.

What is flood stage for Ellerbe Creek near Gorman?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 14.21 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Ellerbe Creek near Gorman in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.58 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.46 ft and 2.83 ft, based on 20 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 Ellerbe Creek near Gorman today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT, the water level was 0.79 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Ellerbe Creek near Gorman rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Ellerbe Creek near Gorman normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 20 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:02086849 (Agency page)
Coordinates
36.05931, -78.83251 (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 0.79 ft 2026-10-21 03:00 Provisional
Flow 28.8 cfs 2026-10-21 03:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ellerbe Creek near Gorman (usgs:02086849). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/ellerbe-creek-near-gorman

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.