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Flat River at Bahama water level

River gauge, Flat River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Low for mid-October

Water level

0.82ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
1.3 cfs
0 10 Highest onrecord 17.26 ft Minor floodstage 12.00 ft

History

History
123ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 19123ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
123ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19123ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
24ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 202624ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
24ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202624ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Flat River at Bahama is running below normal at 0.82 ft.

That puts it 0.34 ft below the median of 1.16 ft for mid-October, based on 25 years of readings. It is 11.18 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.72 ft (−0.90 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 0.78 ft and 1.35 ft.

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

Compared with 25 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.16 ft0.34 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
0.81 ft – 1.73 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (25 years of records)
Same day last year
1.72 ft−0.90 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
0.78 ft – 1.35 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
0.78 ft – 2.43 ft
Highest on record
17.26 ftSeptember 6, 1996

Floating and fishing near Flat River at Bahama

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 11.18 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft
Minor flooding begins. The Flat River overflows its natural banks. Above this point the banks are very steep and flooding is likely limited to recreational property along the river.
0.82 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
117.26 ftSeptember 6, 1996
212.28 ftSeptember 17, 2018
37.26 ftOctober 12, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on the Flat River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Flat River at Dam near BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River 1.05 ft Normal +0.03 ft 3.7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Little River at Sr1461 near Orange FactoryRiver gauge, Little River 0.08 ft Very low −0.01 ft 3.6 mi
Little River below Little R Tributary at FairntoshRiver gauge, Little River 2.55 ft Very high −0.05 ft 4.9 mi
Knap of Reeds Creek near ButnerRiver gauge, Knap of Reeds Creek 2.27 ft Normal −0.01 ft 5.9 mi
Eno River near DurhamRiver gauge, Eno River 2.14 ft High −0.12 ft 8 mi
Ellerbe Creek near GormanRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek 0.83 ft Very low −0.10 ft 9 mi
Eno River at Cole Mill Road near Huckleberry SpringRiver gauge, Eno River 1.95 ft Low −0.14 ft 10 mi
Ellerbe Creek at Club Boulevard at DurhamRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek 1.02 ft Very high −0.05 ft 11 mi
Little Lick Creek at Nc Highway 98 at Oak GroveRiver gauge, Little Lick Creek 1.23 ft Normal −0.01 ft 14 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Flat River at Bahama compare with last year?

It is 0.90 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.72 ft.

What is flood stage for the Flat River at Bahama?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 11.18 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Flat River at Bahama in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.16 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.81 ft and 1.73 ft, based on 25 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 Flat River at Bahama today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:45 PM EDT, the water level was 0.82 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Flat River at Bahama rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Flat River at Bahama normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 25 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:02085500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
36.18278, -78.87889 (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 0.82 ft 2026-10-19 21:45 Provisional
Flow 1.3 cfs 2026-10-19 21:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Flat River at Bahama (usgs:02085500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/flat-river-at-bahama

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.