French Broad River at Asheville water level

Name: French Broad River at Asheville 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, French Broad River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

1.23ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 947 cfs
Water temperature: 57 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.10 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 02:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 09:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Low water at French Broad River at Asheville: the gauge reads 1.23 ft, below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.60 ft, based on 38 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.37 ft below typical. It is 8.27 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.06 ft, a difference of +0.17 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.10 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 02:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.

The water temperature at the gauge is 57 °F.

Compared with 38 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.60 ft0.37 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.04 ft – 2.38 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.06 ft+0.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.86 ft – 5.74 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.83 ft – 5.74 ft
Highest on record: 24.82 ftSeptember 27, 2024
Forecast peak: 1.20 ftTuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM

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 9.50 ft.

What happens at each level

23.10 ft: Record Flood Stage. This is the highest stage observed for the French Broad River at Asheville since measurements began in October 1895. Devastating flooding of adjacent areas of the French Broad River Valley is likely.
19.00 ft: Major Flooding continues. Devastating impacts are likely ongoing from Woodfin to I-240 and Carrier Park. Floodwaters are likely impacting residences as well as businesses on the left bank of the river while significant right-bank inundation continues and worsens.
18.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. Significant flooding is ongoing along the French Broad River from Carrier Park to Woodfin. Most buildings within the floodplain in this area are likely experiencing significant lower-level inundation. Roadways adjacent to the river including Riverside Dr., Lyman St., Craven Dr., Riverview Dr., and Emma Rd. are likely impassable.
15.00 ft: Moderate Flooding continues. Significant flooding of commercial and industrial buildings along Riverside Dr. is ongoing. Floodwaters are beginning to impact commercial and industrial buildings along Lyman St. and between Lyman St. and Depot St. Floodwaters have reached levels similar to those that occurred during Hurricane Frances in early September, 2004.
13.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. French Broad River floodwaters may be inundating the ground floor of industrial and commercial buildings between the river and I-26, especially south of Pearson Bridge Rd.
12.00 ft: Minor Flooding continues. French Broad River floodwaters are impacting industrial and commercial property between Woodfin and Pearson Bridge Rd. as well as along Riverside Dr. Floodwaters may begin to enter adjacent industrial and commercial structures and buildings.
10.50 ft: Minor Flooding continues. French Broad River floodwaters may be approaching industrial buildings on the right bank between Woodfin and Pearson Bridge Rd. Floodwaters may also be approaching industrial buildings between Haywood Rd. and Amboy Rd.
9.50 ft: Minor Flood Stage. The French Broad River is flooding areas between Riverside Dr., and Lyman St. on the right bank and Riverview Dr., Craven St. and Emma Rd. on the left bank, including railroad and industrial property. Parts of Emma Rd. between Pearson Bridge Rd. and Craven St. may be flooding.
8.00 ft: Action stage flooding continues. The French Broad River is beginning to flood low-lying areas near Pearson Bridge Rd. and may be approaching industrial property.
7.50 ft: Action stage flooding continues. French Broad River floodwaters continue to flood Woodfin Riverside Park, the floodplain adjacent to Craggy Dam Reservoir, Carrier Park, and French Broad River Park as well as other low-lying areas within the flood plain. Floodwaters may be approaching Amboy Rd. and Lyman St. Local small tributaries including Smith Mill Creek near Emma Rd. may be exceeding bankfull levels.
6.50 ft: Action Stage. The French Broad River is exceeding its banks and beginning to flood low-lying areas, including the Woodfin Riverside Park, the floodplain adjacent to Craggy Dam Reservoir, Carrier Park, and French Broad River Park.
1.23 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.82 ft	September 27, 2024
2	23.10 ft	July 16, 1916
3	18.00 ft	June 1, 1976
4	15.00 ft	August 1, 1952
5	14.55 ft	September 8, 2004
6	14.00 ft	April 1, 1945
7	13.27 ft	August 16, 1928
8	12.33 ft	November 16, 1978
9	12.15 ft	August 30, 1940
10	11.65 ft	August 14, 1940

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:43 AM Sunset 06:49 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on the French Broad River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
French Broad River at RosmanRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.07 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	35 mi
French Broad River at BlantyreRiver gauge, French Broad River	5.56 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	22 mi
French Broad River near FletcherRiver gauge, French Broad River	4.26 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	13 mi
French Broad River at MarshallRiver gauge, French Broad River	1.41 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	13 mi
French Broad River at Hot SpringsRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.70 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	24 mi
French Broad River near NewportRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	42 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Swannanoa River at BiltmoreRiver gauge, Swannanoa River	1.36 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	3.4 mi
Hominy Creek near West AshevilleRiver gauge, Hominy Creek	1.16 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	3.4 mi
Beetree Creek near SwannanoaRiver gauge, Beetree Creek	1.43 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Ivy River near MarshallRiver gauge, Ivy River	1.97 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Mills River near Mills RiverRiver gauge, Mills River	1.83 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
North Fork Swannanoa River near WalkertownRiver gauge, North Fork Swannanoa River	7.94 ft	Very high	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Pigeon River near CantonRiver gauge, Pigeon River	1.44 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	16 mi
East Fork Pigeon River near CantonRiver gauge, East Fork Pigeon River	−0.08 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	19 mi

Questions and answers

Is the French Broad River at Asheville higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.17 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.06 ft.

What is flood stage for the French Broad River at Asheville?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 8.27 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the French Broad River at Asheville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.60 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.04 ft and 2.38 ft, based on 38 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 French Broad River at Asheville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM EDT, the water level was 1.23 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is French Broad River at Asheville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.79 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of French Broad River at Asheville normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 38 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:03451500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.60889, -82.57806 (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	1.23 ft	2026-10-21 00:30	Provisional
Flow	947 cfs	2026-10-21 00:30	Provisional
Water temperature	57 °F	2026-10-21 00:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: French Broad River at Asheville (usgs:03451500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/french-broad-river-at-asheville

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