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Killian Creek near Mariposa water level

River gauge, Killian Creek, North Carolina, United States

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Right now

High for late October

Water level

3.01ft Up 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
14.1 cfs
10 20 Minor floodstage 21.00 ft Highest onrecord 15.25 ft

History

History
2.53.0ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 212.53.0ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
2.02.53.03.5ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 13Oct 212.02.53.03.5ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
234ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026234ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
234ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026234ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Killian Creek near Mariposa is above normal at 3.01 ft.

That puts it 0.24 ft above the median of 2.77 ft for late October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 17.99 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.36 ft (−0.35 ft).

It has risen 0.11 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. In the last month it has stayed between 2.61 ft and 3.73 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.77 ft0.24 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.52 ft – 3.24 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year
3.36 ft−0.35 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.61 ft – 3.73 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.45 ft – 4.21 ft
Highest on record
15.25 ftApril 29, 1997

Floating and fishing near Killian Creek near Mariposa

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 21.00 ft, 17.99 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

40.00 ft
NOTHING IN THE AREA TO FLOOD. FLOODING MAY OCCUR FURTHER DOWNSTREAM.
18.00 ft
STARTS TO FLOOD PARTS OF A SUBSTATION AT DUKE ENERGY SUBSTATION SITE.
13.00 ft
BANKFULL STAGE...FLOODS FOREST AREA
3.30 ft
3 - 4 INCH IN 2-3 HOURS WIDE SPREAD RAIN WILL CAUSE THEE RIVER TO GO FROM 2.77 TO 15.77 FT
3.01 ft
Right now
2.10 ft
2.1 INCH IN 1 HR (HVY RAIN WAS HERE AND SOUTH OF GAGE) CAUSED A 1 FT RISE IN A DROUGHT AND TOOK RIVER UP 4 FT IN WET PERIOD.
1.50 ft
1.5 INCH IN 2 HOUR PERIOD WILL CAUSE A 1 FT RISE IN RIVER IN A DROOUGHT.

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
115.25 ftApril 29, 1997
213.44 ftJune 11, 1992
313.31 ftJanuary 25, 2010
412.99 ftMarch 20, 2003
512.52 ftFebruary 16, 1995
612.51 ftAugust 27, 2008
710.84 ftMay 27, 2009
810.54 ftNovember 11, 2009
99.27 ftMarch 29, 2001
108.09 ftMarch 20, 2000

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 73° 38° – Wind 9 mph
21 Wed 70° 43° – Wind 10 mph
22 Thu 74° 47° – Wind 8 mph
23 Fri 71° 46° – Wind 7 mph
24 Sat 67° 44° – Wind 9 mph
25 Sun 69° 42° – Wind 7 mph
26 Mon 73° 44° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:36 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Catawba River at Rr Bridge above NC 73 at Cowans FordRiver gauge, Catawba River 3.26 ft Low +0.01 ft 4.1 mi
McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks CrossroadsRiver gauge, McDowell Creek Tributary 1.22 ft Very low −0.01 ft 7 mi
McDowell Creek near Charlotte, Nc Csw10River gauge, McDowell Creek 3.84 ft High +0.11 ft 7 mi
Catawba River Dnstrm Deck Mountain Is Dam near MountainRiver gauge, Catawba River Dnstrm Deck Mountain Is Dam 8.73 ft Normal +0.05 ft 7 mi
McDowell Creek near HuntersvilleRiver gauge, McDowell Creek 1.54 ft Normal +0.01 ft 8 mi
Torrence Creek at Bradford Hill Ln near HuntersvlleRiver gauge, Torrence Creek 1.19 ft Very low +0.01 ft 9 mi
Gar Creek at Sr2074 near CroftRiver gauge, Gar Creek 1.02 ft Low ±0 9 mi
Long Creek near RhyneRiver gauge, Long Creek 2.18 ft Very high +0.02 ft 10 mi

Questions and answers

How does Killian Creek near Mariposa compare with last year?

It is 0.35 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.36 ft.

What is flood stage for Killian Creek near Mariposa?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 17.99 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Killian Creek near Mariposa in late October?

The median for late October is 2.77 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.52 ft and 3.24 ft, based on 33 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 Killian Creek near Mariposa today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 01:15 AM EDT, the water level was 3.01 ft. Up 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Killian Creek near Mariposa rising or falling?

Up 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Killian Creek near Mariposa normal?

High for late October. Compared with 33 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:0214269560 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.43417, -81.03000 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.01 ft 2026-10-21 05:15 Provisional
Flow 14.1 cfs 2026-10-21 05:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Killian Creek near Mariposa (usgs:0214269560). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/killian-creek-near-mariposa

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.