Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory water level

Name: Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Little River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Very low for late October

Water level

0.09ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 0.6 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

At 0.09 ft, the Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory is far below normal for late October.

The median for late October is 1.39 ft, based on 37 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.30 ft below typical. It is 11.91 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 0.45 ft, a difference of −0.36 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.39 ft1.30 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.87 ft – 1.98 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
Same day last year: 0.45 ft−0.36 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.06 ft – 1.25 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: −0.04 ft – 2.09 ft
Highest on record: 10.91 ftSeptember 17, 2018

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 12.00 ft, still 11.91 ft away.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: Vintage Hill Parkway bridge is flooded and road becomes impassible.
18.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Water reaches the lower trusses of the bridge over Vintage Hill Parkway.
12.00 ft: Minor Flood Stage. Overflow begins on both banks.
0.09 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.91 ft	September 17, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Little River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little River near DoswellRiver gauge, Little River	13.3 cfs	Normal	−1.5 cfs	143 mi
Little River below Little R Tributary at FairntoshRiver gauge, Little River	2.68 ft	Very high	+0.08 ft	3.9 mi
Little River near ZebulonRiver gauge, Little River	1.60 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	39 mi
Little River near PrincetonRiver gauge, Little River	0.37 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	61 mi
Little River near Mount PleasantRiver gauge, Little River	2.96 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	67 mi
Little River at ManchesterRiver gauge, Little River	6.11 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	66 mi
Little River near StarRiver gauge, Little River	1.07 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	73 mi
Little River at GraysontownRiver gauge, Little River	1.14 ft	Below flood stage	±0	110 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Flat River at BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River	0.82 ft	Very low	±0	3.6 mi
Eno River near DurhamRiver gauge, Eno River	2.07 ft	Very high	−0.05 ft	4.8 mi
Flat River at Dam near BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River	0.54 ft	Low	−0.54 ft	5.1 mi
Eno River at Cole Mill Road near Huckleberry SpringRiver gauge, Eno River	1.93 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Knap of Reeds Creek near ButnerRiver gauge, Knap of Reeds Creek	2.18 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	7 mi
Ellerbe Creek near GormanRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek	0.79 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Ellerbe Creek at Club Boulevard at DurhamRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek	1.00 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	9 mi
Eno River at HillsboroughRiver gauge, Eno River	1.54 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory higher than last year?

No, it is 0.36 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.45 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 11.91 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory in late October?

The median for late October is 1.39 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.87 ft and 1.98 ft, based on 37 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 Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT, the water level was 0.09 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory normal?

Very low for late October. Compared with 37 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:0208521324 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.14167, -78.91917 (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	0.09 ft	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional
Flow	0.6 cfs	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little River at Sr1461 near Orange Factory (usgs:0208521324). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/little-river-at-sr1461-near-orange-factory

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