Little River near Zebulon water level

Name: Little River near Zebulon 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

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.58ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:15 PM EDT (33 min ago)

Flow: 2.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Little River near Zebulon, where the gauge shows 1.58 ft.

The median for mid-October is 1.63 ft, based on 18 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.05 ft below typical. It is 4.42 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.49 ft, a difference of +0.09 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.34 ft – 1.60 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 18 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.63 ft0.05 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.81 ft – 1.97 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.49 ft+0.09 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.34 ft – 1.60 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.25 ft – 2.79 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 6.00 ft.

What happens at each level

6.00 ft: WATER BEGINS TO FLOOD LITTLE RIVER PARK ADJACENT TO HWY 97.
1.58 ft: Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Little River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little River near DoswellRiver gauge, Little River	15.9 cfs	Normal	−2.3 cfs	149 mi
Little River at Sr1461 near Orange FactoryRiver gauge, Little River	0.09 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	39 mi
Little River below Little R Tributary at FairntoshRiver gauge, Little River	2.65 ft	Very high	+0.10 ft	35 mi
Little River near PrincetonRiver gauge, Little River	0.36 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	24 mi
Little River near Mount PleasantRiver gauge, Little River	2.94 ft	Low	−0.14 ft	64 mi
Little River at ManchesterRiver gauge, Little River	6.16 ft	Normal	−0.14 ft	56 mi
Little River near StarRiver gauge, Little River	1.07 ft	Very low	±0	88 mi
Little River at GraysontownRiver gauge, Little River	1.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	149 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Neuse River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Neuse River	1.40 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	12 mi
Marsh Creek near New HopeRiver gauge, Marsh Creek	2.79 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	13 mi
Walnut Creek at Sunnybrook Drive near RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	2.34 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	14 mi
Crabtree Creek at US 1 at RaleighRiver gauge, Crabtree Creek	0.36 ft	Low	−0.15 ft	15 mi
Walnut Creek at Rose Lane at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	4.00 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	15 mi
Pigeon House Creek at Fenton Street at RaleighRiver gauge, Pigeon House Creek	3.90 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Neuse River near FallsRiver gauge, Neuse River	1.23 ft	Normal	±0	15 mi
Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring HopeRiver gauge, Tar River	1.97 ft	Very low	+0.03 ft	15 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Little River near Zebulon higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.09 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.49 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little River near Zebulon?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 4.42 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 1.63 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.81 ft and 1.97 ft, based on 18 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 Zebulon today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:15 PM EDT, the water level was 1.58 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little River near Zebulon rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little River near Zebulon normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 18 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:02088383 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.82194, -78.35222 (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	1.58 ft	2026-10-20 21:15	Provisional
Flow	2.7 cfs	2026-10-20 21:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little River near Zebulon (usgs:02088383). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/little-river-near-zebulon

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