Indian Creek near Laboratory water level
River gauge, Indian Creek, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 29.4 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Indian Creek near Laboratory, where the gauge shows 0.87 ft.
That puts it 0.03 ft above the median of 0.84 ft for mid-October, based on 30 years of readings. It is 9.13 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.18 ft (−1.31 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 0.67 ft – 4.33 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.84 ft0.03 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.70 ft – 1.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.18 ft−1.31 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.67 ft – 4.33 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.58 ft – 4.33 ft
- Highest on record
- 11.70 ftOctober 1, 1929
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 10.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 24.00 ft
- A FEW HOMES AND A WATER TANK SOUTH OF LABORATORY WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
- 18.00 ft
- ONE HOUSE NEAR THE RIVER ON LABORATORY ROAD WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
- 10.00 ft
- BRIDGE ON LABORATORY ROAD WILL BE OVERTOPPED AND ANDY LOGAN AND RIVER ROAD WILL BE CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING. STAGE AT LOWN7 WAS 14 FT.
- 8.00 ft
- LABATORY ROAD WILL LIKELY BEGIN TO FLOOD ESPECAILLY IF SOUTH FORK RIVER IS AT HIGH LEVELS.
- 2.00 ft
- GENERAL RAIN OF 2 TO 2.5 INCHES IN 2 TO 3 HOURS WILL CAUSE INDIAN CREEK TO RISE 3 FEET. INDIAN CREEK FLOWS INTO SOUTH FORK CATAWBA RIVER ABOVE LOWN7.
- 0.87 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.70 ft | October 1, 1929 |
| 2 | 10.61 ft | August 10, 1970 |
| 3 | 9.10 ft | October 16, 1964 |
| 4 | 9.06 ft | March 20, 2003 |
| 5 | 8.74 ft | March 4, 1952 |
| 6 | 8.60 ft | October 16, 1971 |
| 7 | 8.39 ft | October 9, 1976 |
| 8 | 7.74 ft | October 13, 1990 |
| 9 | 7.70 ft | March 1, 1987 |
| 10 | 7.58 ft | January 23, 1954 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on Indian Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Creek at Red Sulphur SpringsRiver gauge, Indian Creek | 0.78 ft | Below flood stage | −0.11 ft | 148 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Creek near Bessemer CityRiver gauge, Long Creek | 0.92 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 8 mi |
| South Fork Catawba River at LowellRiver gauge, South Fork Catawba River | 2.25 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 13 mi |
| Killian Creek near MariposaRiver gauge, Killian Creek | 3.00 ft | Normal | +0.08 ft | 13 mi |
| First Broad River at LawndaleRiver gauge, First Broad River | 0.98 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 17 mi |
| Catawba River Dnstrm Deck Mountain Is Dam near MountainRiver gauge, Catawba River Dnstrm Deck Mountain Is Dam | 10.74 ft | Very high | −0.01 ft | 17 mi |
| Catawba River at Rr Bridge above NC 73 at Cowans FordRiver gauge, Catawba River | 7.43 ft | Very high | +0.16 ft | 17 mi |
| Long Creek near RhyneRiver gauge, Long Creek | 2.17 ft | Very high | +0.02 ft | 18 mi |
| McDowell Creek near Charlotte, Nc Csw10River gauge, McDowell Creek | 3.93 ft | Very high | +0.04 ft | 20 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Indian Creek near Laboratory compare with last year?
It is 1.31 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.18 ft.
What is flood stage for Indian Creek near Laboratory?
The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 9.13 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Indian Creek near Laboratory in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.84 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.70 ft and 1.06 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 Indian Creek near Laboratory today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 08:00 PM EDT, the water level was 0.87 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Indian Creek near Laboratory rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.25 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Indian Creek near Laboratory normal?
Normal 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:02143500(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.42056, -81.26528(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 | 0.87 ft | 2026-10-21 00:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 29.4 cfs | 2026-10-21 00:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Indian Creek near Laboratory (usgs:02143500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/indian-creek-near-laboratory
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