Irwin Creek near Charlotte water level
River gauge, Irwin Creek, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 13.8 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
At 0.35 ft, Irwin Creek near Charlotte is far below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 0.55 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.20 ft below typical. It is 24.65 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 0.48 ft, a difference of −0.13 ft.
The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.29 ft and 2.28 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.55 ft0.20 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.40 ft – 0.92 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 0.48 ft−0.13 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.29 ft – 2.28 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.05 ft – 3.01 ft
- Highest on record
- 20.38 ftJuly 23, 1997
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 25.00 ft, still 24.65 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 25.00 ft
- Minor Flood Stage. At this stage, floodwaters may be impacting the Charlotte Water Zone 4 treatment facility.
- 0.35 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20.38 ft | July 23, 1997 |
| 2 | 19.83 ft | August 5, 2011 |
| 3 | 17.30 ft | April 6, 1936 |
| 4 | 16.38 ft | October 9, 1976 |
| 5 | 16.29 ft | September 23, 1975 |
| 6 | 15.69 ft | June 7, 2003 |
| 7 | 15.18 ft | April 11, 1962 |
| 8 | 15.14 ft | August 16, 2006 |
| 9 | 15.02 ft | August 27, 1995 |
| 10 | 14.98 ft | June 10, 1982 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on Irwin Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irwin Creek at Statesville Ave at CharlotteRiver gauge, Irwin Creek | 1.73 ft | Very low | ±0 | 5.8 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taggart Creek at West Boulevard near CharlotteRiver gauge, Taggart Creek | 1.42 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 1.2 mi |
| Stewart Creek at West Morehead St at CharlotteRiver gauge, Stewart Creek | 0.03 ft | Very low | −0.98 ft | 2.9 mi |
| Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek | 0.88 ft | Low | ±0 | 3.5 mi |
| Stewart Creek at State St at CharlotteRiver gauge, Stewart Creek | 0.91 ft | Low | −0.04 ft | 3.6 mi |
| Little Hope Creek at Seneca Place at CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Hope Creek | 3.04 ft | Low | ±0 | 3.7 mi |
| Coffey Creek near CharlotteRiver gauge, Coffey Creek | 2.18 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 3.8 mi |
| Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at CharlotteRiver gauge, Ltl Sugar Creek | 1.89 ft | Normal | ±0 | 3.8 mi |
| Sugar Creek at Arrowood Road near CharlotteRiver gauge, Sugar Creek | 0.17 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 4.0 mi |
Questions and answers
Is Irwin Creek near Charlotte higher than last year?
No, it is 0.13 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.48 ft.
What is flood stage for Irwin Creek near Charlotte?
The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 24.65 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Irwin Creek near Charlotte in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.55 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.40 ft and 0.92 ft, based on 26 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 Irwin Creek near Charlotte today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 09:05 PM EDT, the water level was 0.35 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Irwin Creek near Charlotte rising or falling?
Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.13 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Irwin Creek near Charlotte normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:02146300(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.19778, -80.90444(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 | 0.35 ft | 2026-10-21 01:05 | Provisional |
| Flow | 13.8 cfs | 2026-10-21 01:05 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Irwin Creek near Charlotte (usgs:02146300). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/irwin-creek-near-charlotte
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