Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh water level

Name: Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh 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 high for late October

Water level

2.68ft Up 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 01:45 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 10.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh shows 2.68 ft, well above normal for late October.

That puts it 1.17 ft above the median of 1.51 ft for late October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 9.32 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.53 ft (+0.15 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.44 ft and 2.68 ft.

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

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.51 ft1.17 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.25 ft – 2.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.53 ft+0.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.44 ft – 2.68 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.70 ft – 2.91 ft
Highest on record: 16.09 ftMarch 19, 1998

High water at Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Water floods the bridge on Vintage Hill Parkway.
18.00 ft: Flooding reaches the bridge trusses on Vintage Hill Parkway.
12.00 ft: Minor Flood Stage. There is significant overflow on both banks.
2.68 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.09 ft	March 19, 1998
2	16.06 ft	September 6, 1996
3	16.04 ft	September 17, 2018
4	15.12 ft	September 6, 20
5	14.63 ft	November 13, 2018
6	13.45 ft	September 27, 2024
7	13.31 ft	December 25, 2020
8	12.91 ft	September 25, 2024
9	12.52 ft	January 3, 2021
10	12.39 ft	September 18, 2024

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 75%

Map

Other gauges on the Little River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little River near DoswellRiver gauge, Little River	13.8 cfs	Normal	−1.5 cfs	142 mi
Little River at Sr1461 near Orange FactoryRiver gauge, Little River	0.09 ft	Very low	±0	3.9 mi
Little River near ZebulonRiver gauge, Little River	1.59 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	35 mi
Little River near PrincetonRiver gauge, Little River	0.37 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	57 mi
Little River near Mount PleasantRiver gauge, Little River	2.96 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	66 mi
Little River at ManchesterRiver gauge, Little River	6.18 ft	Normal	−0.12 ft	64 mi
Little River near StarRiver gauge, Little River	1.08 ft	Very low	+0.02 ft	74 mi
Little River at GraysontownRiver gauge, Little River	1.14 ft	Below flood stage	±0	114 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Flat River at Dam near BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River	0.55 ft	Low	−0.52 ft	3.0 mi
Knap of Reeds Creek near ButnerRiver gauge, Knap of Reeds Creek	2.29 ft	Normal	±0	3.6 mi
Eno River near DurhamRiver gauge, Eno River	2.08 ft	Very high	−0.05 ft	3.9 mi
Ellerbe Creek near GormanRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek	0.82 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	4.0 mi
Flat River at BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River	0.82 ft	Very low	±0	4.9 mi
Ellerbe Creek at Club Boulevard at DurhamRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek	1.00 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Eno River at Cole Mill Road near Huckleberry SpringRiver gauge, Eno River	1.93 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	8 mi
Little Lick Creek at Nc Highway 98 at Oak GroveRiver gauge, Little Lick Creek	1.21 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh compare with last year?

It is 0.15 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.53 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 9.32 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh in late October?

The median for late October is 1.51 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.25 ft and 2.06 ft, based on 29 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 below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 01:45 AM EDT, the water level was 2.68 ft. Up 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh rising or falling?

Up 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.17 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh normal?

Very high for late October. Compared with 29 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:0208524975 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.11333, -78.85972 (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	2.68 ft	2026-10-21 05:45	Provisional
Flow	10.7 cfs	2026-10-21 05:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little River below Little R Tributary at Fairntosh (usgs:0208524975). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/little-river-below-little-r-tributary-at-fairntosh

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