Little River near Star water level

Name: Little River near Star 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 mid-October

Water level

1.05ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT (48 min ago)

Flow: 1.9 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Little River near Star is running far below normal at 1.05 ft.

That puts it 0.24 ft below the median of 1.29 ft for mid-October, based on 30 years of readings. It is 12.95 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.28 ft (−0.23 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 0.90 ft and 1.73 ft.

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

Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.29 ft0.24 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.10 ft – 1.88 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.28 ft−0.23 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.90 ft – 1.73 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.90 ft – 3.69 ft
Highest on record: 16.46 ftOctober 15, 1954

Floating and fishing near Little River near Star

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 12.95 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: MAJOR FLOOD STAGE. THE BRIDGE OVER OKEEWEEMEE ROAD IS FLOODED.
18.00 ft: MODERATE FLOOD STAGE. WATER REACHES THE BOTTOM OF THE BRIDGE OVER OKEEWEEMEE ROAD.
14.00 ft: FLOOD STAGE. LOWER ENTRANCE TO THE USGS GAGE SITE IS FLOODED. FLOODING REMAINS CONFINED TO AREAS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE RIVER.
13.00 ft: ACTION STAGE. WATER EXCEEDS NATURAL BANKS AND REACHES THE BASE OF THE USGS GAGE SITE.
1.05 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.46 ft	October 15, 1954
2	12.31 ft	September 6, 1996

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:30 AM Sunset 06:39 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Little River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little River at Sr1461 near Orange FactoryRiver gauge, Little River	0.10 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	73 mi
Little River below Little R Tributary at FairntoshRiver gauge, Little River	2.64 ft	Very high	+0.12 ft	74 mi
Little River near ZebulonRiver gauge, Little River	1.58 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	88 mi
Little River near PrincetonRiver gauge, Little River	0.37 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	94 mi
Little River near Mount PleasantRiver gauge, Little River	2.96 ft	Low	−0.17 ft	39 mi
Little River at ManchesterRiver gauge, Little River	6.22 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	50 mi
Little River at Clark Bridge Road near WinnsboroRiver gauge, Little River	26.80 ft	No reference yet	−0.01 ft	106 mi
Little River at LaurensRiver gauge, Little River	2.16 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	138 mi
Little River near SilverstreetRiver gauge, Little River	2.59 ft	High	−0.03 ft	136 mi
Little River at GraysontownRiver gauge, Little River	1.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	121 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Uwharrie River near EldoradoRiver gauge, Uwharrie River	1.91 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	11 mi
Little Mountain Creek at Nc Highway 740 at BadinRiver gauge, Little Mountain Creek	1.81 ft	High	±0	16 mi
Pee Dee River at Hwy731 below Lake Tillery near NorwoodRiver gauge, Pee Dee River	3.59 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	18 mi
Pee Dee River at Pee Dee Refuge near AnsonvilleRiver gauge, Pee Dee River	5.85 ft	Below flood stage	−1.46 ft	23 mi
Rocky River near NorwoodRiver gauge, Rocky River	3.87 ft	High	−0.06 ft	25 mi
Deep River at RamseurRiver gauge, Deep River	0.63 ft	Very low	−0.85 ft	25 mi
Pee Dee River below Powerhouse Dam near Pee DeeRiver gauge, Pee Dee River	4.85 ft	Normal	+0.07 ft	28 mi
Drowning Creek near HoffmanRiver gauge, Drowning Creek	1.54 ft	Very low	−0.31 ft	30 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Little River near Star compare with last year?

It is 0.23 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.28 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little River near Star?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 12.95 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little River near Star in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.29 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.10 ft and 1.88 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 Little River near Star today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT, the water level was 1.05 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little River near Star rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.39 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little River near Star normal?

Very low 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:02128000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.38722, -79.83139 (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	1.05 ft	2026-10-20 16:30	Provisional
Flow	1.9 cfs	2026-10-20 16:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little River near Star (usgs:02128000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/little-river-near-star

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