Canada
United States
Belgium
France
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Austria
Czechia
Germany
Poland
Slovenia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Türkiye
Denmark
Finland
Norway
SwedenHaw River at Haw River water level
River gauge, Haw River, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 73.7 cfs
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.50 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:40 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
At 1.61 ft, the Haw River at Haw River is far below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.35 ft below the median of 1.96 ft for mid-October, based on 30 years of readings. It is 16.39 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.72 ft (−0.11 ft).
The level is falling, down 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.50 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.51 ft and 2.85 ft.
Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1.96 ft0.35 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.70 ft – 2.89 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.72 ft−0.11 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.51 ft – 2.85 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.51 ft – 9.28 ft
- Highest on record
- 32.83 ftSeptember 6, 1996
- Forecast peak
- 1.60 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM
What the stage means on the water
Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 18.00 ft, still 16.39 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 30.00 ft
- A mill on the left bank begins to flood.
- 28.00 ft
- Flood waters reach the bottom of the bridge across I40.
- 27.00 ft
- Major flooding begins. The town of Haw River begins to flood.
- 26.00 ft
- Trailer homes adjacent to the river and the water treatment plant flood. Evacuations may be necessary.
- 25.50 ft
- The water treatment plant building floods.
- 23.00 ft
- Moderate flooding begins. Flooding reaches the base of the water treatment plant building. There is also significant flooding of the Red Slide Park upstream of the Main St. Bridge, and Lang St will be impassable
- 20.00 ft
- There is significant overflow on the right bank opposite the water treatment plant. Water also reaches the Red Slide Park upstream of the Main St. Bridge.
- 18.00 ft
- Minor flooding begins. Overflow begins on both banks at the water treatment plant.
- 1.61 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 | 32.83 ft | September 6, 1996 |
| 2 | 31.10 ft | September 18, 1945 |
| 3 | 27.89 ft | September 26, 1947 |
| 4 | 27.37 ft | April 16, 1987 |
| 5 | 26.50 ft | June 29, 1995 |
| 6 | 26.27 ft | September 17, 2018 |
| 7 | 26.20 ft | October 9, 1959 |
| 8 | 25.62 ft | November 13, 2018 |
| 9 | 25.50 ft | October 16, 1954 |
| 10 | 24.64 ft | February 7, 2020 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Haw River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haw River near BynumRiver gauge, Haw River | 2.86 ft | Low | +0.03 ft | 26 mi |
| Haw River near MoncureRiver gauge, Haw River | 2.12 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 36 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cane Creek near Orange GroveRiver gauge, Cane Creek | 0.79 ft | Low | −0.03 ft | 11 mi |
| Reedy Fork near GibsonvilleRiver gauge, Reedy Fork | 0.28 ft | Very low | +0.02 ft | 15 mi |
| Eno River at HillsboroughRiver gauge, Eno River | 1.56 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 15 mi |
| Buffalo Creek at Sr2819 near McLeansvilleRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek | 1.93 ft | Very low | −0.06 ft | 17 mi |
| Morgan Creek near White CrossRiver gauge, Morgan Creek | 1.84 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 18 mi |
| North Buffalo Creek near GreensboroRiver gauge, North Buffalo Creek | 0.85 ft | Very low | −0.05 ft | 19 mi |
| South Buffalo Creek near GreensboroRiver gauge, South Buffalo Creek | 1.16 ft | Very low | −0.04 ft | 20 mi |
| Bolin Creek at Village Drive at Chapel HillRiver gauge, Bolin Creek | 1.09 ft | Very low | −0.06 ft | 20 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Haw River at Haw River compare with last year?
It is 0.11 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.72 ft.
What is flood stage for the Haw River at Haw River?
The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 16.39 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Haw River at Haw River in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 1.96 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.70 ft and 2.89 ft, based on 30 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 Haw River at Haw River today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 01:45 PM EDT, the water level was 1.61 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Haw River at Haw River rising or falling?
Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.29 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Haw River at Haw River normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 30 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:02096500(Agency page)- Coordinates
36.08722, -79.36611(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 | 1.61 ft | 2026-10-20 17:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 73.7 cfs | 2026-10-20 17:45 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Haw River at Haw River (usgs:02096500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/haw-river-at-haw-river
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