French Broad River at Hot Springs water level

Name: French Broad River at Hot Springs 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

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.72ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,090 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at French Broad River at Hot Springs reads 2.72 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.16 ft below the median of 2.88 ft for mid-October, based on 15 years of readings. It is 6.78 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.70 ft (+0.02 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.45 ft and 4.72 ft.

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

Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.88 ft0.16 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.52 ft – 3.43 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.70 ft+0.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.45 ft – 4.72 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.43 ft – 4.74 ft
Highest on record: 22.30 ftSeptember 27, 2024

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 9.50 ft, still 6.78 ft away.

What happens at each level

26.00 ft: Major flooding. Water levels in town will be around 1 to 3 ft high.
23.50 ft: Further flooding along Spring Creek, causing water levels to be around 2 ft deep in some areas between Spring creek and Andrew Ave.
22.50 ft: Water will approach camping areas and a few homes along Painted Rock Rd. Similar flooding that occurred on September 17, 2004
21.00 ft: Hot Springs Spa buildings will be flooded. Homes and some buildings between the river and river and Silver Mine Rds will be flooded.
19.00 ft: Much of the area between the river and Silver Mine and Andrews Rds will likely be flooded. Spring Creek will overflow its banks north of Bridges Rd.
16.50 ft: Areas between the railroad and the river near Divine Water Way northwest of town and areas between the river and Highway 25/70 near Lookout Loop will begin to flood.
12.50 ft: Water may approach camping areas between South Andrews Avenue and the river. Floodwater levels will be similar to levels observed on September 9, 2004.
10.00 ft: Floodwaters will approach Hot Springs Spa property and parts of River Road and Silvermine Road will flood. Floodwater levels will be similar to levels observed on May 6, 2003.
9.50 ft: Parts of Silver Mine Road and River Road may begin to flood. Areas near Spring Creek in the Hot Springs Spa area will begin to flood.
2.72 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	22.30 ft	September 27, 2024
2	22.00 ft	July 16, 1916
3	19.00 ft	February 28, 1902
4	18.00 ft	March 1, 1867
5	17.50 ft	November 7, 1977
6	17.00 ft	June 10, 1876
7	16.11 ft	August 30, 1940
8	13.10 ft	April 19, 2019
9	11.28 ft	February 6, 2020
10	9.42 ft	July 4, 2013

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 74° 47° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 72° 47° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 69° 46° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 72° 46° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 68° 45° – Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 69° 42° – Wind 7 mph

26 Mon 69° 47° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:43 AM Sunset 06:51 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min Waxing gibbous 69%

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	2.08 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	52 mi
French Broad River at BlantyreRiver gauge, French Broad River	5.58 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	42 mi
French Broad River near FletcherRiver gauge, French Broad River	4.27 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	35 mi
French Broad River at AshevilleRiver gauge, French Broad River	1.24 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	24 mi
French Broad River at MarshallRiver gauge, French Broad River	1.42 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	11 mi
French Broad River near NewportRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	20 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nolichucky River below Nolichucky DamRiver gauge, Nolichucky River	523 cfs	Low	−422.0 cfs	12 mi
Ivy River near MarshallRiver gauge, Ivy River	1.97 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	14 mi
Pigeon River below Power Plant near WatervilleRiver gauge, Pigeon River	6.93 ft	Very high	±0	18 mi
Pigeon River near HepcoRiver gauge, Pigeon River	1.75 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	20 mi
Pigeon River at NewportRiver gauge, Pigeon River	2.76 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	20 mi
Cataloochee Creek near CataloocheeRiver gauge, Cataloochee Creek	2.20 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Big Limestone Creek near LimestoneRiver gauge, Big Limestone Creek	27.3 cfs	Normal	±0	24 mi

Questions and answers

How does the French Broad River at Hot Springs compare with last year?

It is 0.02 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.70 ft.

What is flood stage for the French Broad River at Hot Springs?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 6.78 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 2.88 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.52 ft and 3.43 ft, based on 15 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 Hot Springs today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT, the water level was 2.72 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is French Broad River at Hot Springs rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 1.59 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of French Broad River at Hot Springs normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 15 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:03454500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.88992, -82.82100 (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	2.72 ft	2026-10-20 15:15	Provisional
Flow	1,090 cfs	2026-10-20 15:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: French Broad River at Hot Springs (usgs:03454500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/french-broad-river-at-hot-springs

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