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SwedenFrench Broad River at Marshall water level
River gauge, French Broad River, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 1,030 cfs
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.30 ft by Friday, October 23 at 02:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at French Broad River at Marshall, where the gauge shows 1.44 ft.
That puts it 0.12 ft below the median of 1.56 ft for mid-October, based on 31 years of readings. It is 6.56 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.33 ft (+0.11 ft).
It is still going down, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.30 ft by Friday, October 23 at 02:00 PM. The 30-day range is 0.99 ft – 4.97 ft.
Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1.56 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.86 ft – 2.38 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.33 ft+0.11 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.99 ft – 4.97 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.97 ft – 4.98 ft
- Highest on record
- 21.36 ftSeptember 28, 2024
- Forecast peak
- 1.50 ftMonday, October 19 at 08:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 8.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 22.00 ft
- Record Flood Stage. Extensive flood damage is likely occurring to the town of Marshall, Blannahassett Island, and the community of Rollins.
- 21.00 ft
- Major flooding continues. Near record flooding is being observed with floodwaters at least 7 feet deep in the lower elevations in the town of Marshall.
- 16.50 ft
- Major flooding continues. Flooding of buildings and businesses along Main Street is continuing and worsening with most buildings having at least 2 feet of water in them.
- 13.00 ft
- Major Flood Stage. Floodwaters in the town of Marshall are at least 1.5 ft deep. Flooding at this level is similar to the flooding that occurred on September 17, 2004.
- 11.30 ft
- Moderate flooding continues. Most buildings in the town of Marshall are inundated. Flooding at this level is similar to the flooding that occurred on September 8, 2004.
- 10.00 ft
- Moderate Flood Stage. Flooding along Rollins Road and Hayes Run Road is continuing and worsening. Parts of the town of Marshall is flooded.
- 9.00 ft
- Minor flooding continues. The French Broad River is close to the top of the railroad tracks and starting to flood areas between Highway 70 and the normal riverbank. Floodwaters may begin to reach buildings along Back Street and on Blannahassett Island.
- 8.00 ft
- Minor Flood Stage. The French Broad River is approaching some buildings on Blannahassett Island and approaching residential yards along Island Road. Minor flooding along Rollins Road is likely. The river is approaching the railroad tracks in the Back Street area.
- 7.00 ft
- The French Broad River is starting to flood low-lying areas on Blannahassett Island. Low-lying areas along Hayes Run Creek in the Rollins area are beginning to flood.
- 1.44 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 | 21.36 ft | September 28, 2024 |
| 2 | 15.00 ft | March 12, 1963 |
| 3 | 13.64 ft | November 6, 1978 |
| 4 | 13.40 ft | April 5, 1957 |
| 5 | 12.72 ft | September 17, 2004 |
| 6 | 12.40 ft | February 10, 1946 |
| 7 | 12.10 ft | June 17, 1949 |
| 8 | 11.60 ft | January 7, 1946 |
| 9 | 11.54 ft | March 26, 1965 |
| 10 | 11.33 ft | September 8, 2004 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
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 | 45 mi |
| French Broad River at BlantyreRiver gauge, French Broad River | 5.63 ft | Normal | −0.11 ft | 34 mi |
| French Broad River near FletcherRiver gauge, French Broad River | 4.31 ft | Normal | −0.07 ft | 25 mi |
| French Broad River at AshevilleRiver gauge, French Broad River | 1.26 ft | Low | −0.04 ft | 13 mi |
| French Broad River at Hot SpringsRiver gauge, French Broad River | 2.68 ft | Low | −0.08 ft | 11 mi |
| French Broad River near NewportRiver gauge, French Broad River | 2.37 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 31 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy River near MarshallRiver gauge, Ivy River | 1.98 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 2.5 mi |
| Hominy Creek near West AshevilleRiver gauge, Hominy Creek | 1.17 ft | Very low | −0.08 ft | 16 mi |
| Swannanoa River at BiltmoreRiver gauge, Swannanoa River | 1.37 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 16 mi |
| Beetree Creek near SwannanoaRiver gauge, Beetree Creek | 1.44 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 17 mi |
| North Fork Swannanoa River near WalkertownRiver gauge, North Fork Swannanoa River | 7.97 ft | Very high | −0.02 ft | 20 mi |
| Pigeon River near CantonRiver gauge, Pigeon River | 1.43 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 21 mi |
| Pigeon River near HepcoRiver gauge, Pigeon River | 1.76 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 21 mi |
| Nolichucky River below Nolichucky DamRiver gauge, Nolichucky River | 523 cfs | Low | −422.0 cfs | 22 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the French Broad River at Marshall compare with last year?
It is 0.11 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.33 ft.
What is flood stage for the French Broad River at Marshall?
The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 6.56 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the French Broad River at Marshall in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 1.56 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.86 ft and 2.38 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 French Broad River at Marshall today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT, the water level was 1.44 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is French Broad River at Marshall rising or falling?
Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.45 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of French Broad River at Marshall 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:03453500(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.78639, -82.66083(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 | 1.44 ft | 2026-10-20 02:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 1,030 cfs | 2026-10-20 02:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: French Broad River at Marshall (usgs:03453500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/french-broad-river-at-marshall
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