Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte water level
River gauge, Little Sugar Creek, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte: the gauge reads 0.88 ft, below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.06 ft below the median of 0.94 ft for mid-October, based on 21 years of readings. It is 11.12 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 0.92 ft (−0.04 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 0.86 ft – 1.89 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.94 ft0.06 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.85 ft – 1.10 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 0.92 ft−0.04 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.86 ft – 1.89 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.86 ft – 2.70 ft
- Highest on record
- 13.98 ftAugust 7, 2010
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 20.00 ft
- Major Flood Stage.
- 15.00 ft
- Moderate Flood Stage.
- 14.50 ft
- Minor Flooding continues. Little Sugar Creek floodwaters may begin impacting residential yards along Devon Dr.
- 12.00 ft
- Minor Flood Stage. The 400 block of Wakefield Drive may begin to flood and floodwaters may approach Wakefield Apartments.
- 9.00 ft
- Action Stage. Little Sugar Creek will begin to overflow its banks into the flood plain below the Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
- 0.88 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.98 ft | August 7, 2010 |
| 2 | 12.78 ft | August 16, 2009 |
| 3 | 12.63 ft | September 23, 2011 |
| 4 | 12.45 ft | August 16, 2006 |
| 5 | 12.41 ft | August 5, 2011 |
| 6 | 12.04 ft | June 1, 2010 |
| 7 | 11.79 ft | August 21, 1965 |
| 8 | 11.60 ft | January 6, 1962 |
| 9 | 11.03 ft | September 26, 2016 |
| 10 | 10.65 ft | September 4, 2014 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on Little Sugar Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Sugar Creek below 36th Street near CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek | 0.29 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 5.4 mi |
| Little Sugar Creek at Archdale Drain at CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek | 2.37 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 2.2 mi |
| Little Sugar Creek at PinevilleRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek | 1.65 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 7 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar Creek above Colony Road at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek | 2.15 ft | Normal | +0.04 ft | 0.9 mi |
| Little Hope Creek at Seneca Place at CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Hope Creek | 3.05 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 1.1 mi |
| Briar Creek at Providence Road at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek | 1.20 ft | High | +0.03 ft | 1.5 mi |
| Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at CharlotteRiver gauge, Ltl Sugar Creek | 1.89 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 1.8 mi |
| Briar Creek below Edwards Branch near CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek | 0.97 ft | High | +0.01 ft | 3.0 mi |
| McMullen Creek at Sharon View Road near CharlotteRiver gauge, McMullen Creek | 0.77 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 3.0 mi |
| Briar Creek at Independence Blvd at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek | 0.72 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 3.4 mi |
| McMullen Creek above Lincrest Place at CharlotteRiver gauge, McMullen Creek | 1.07 ft | Normal | ±0 | 3.5 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte compare with last year?
It is 0.04 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.92 ft.
What is flood stage for Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte?
The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 11.12 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.94 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.85 ft and 1.10 ft, based on 21 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 Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 10:40 PM EDT, the water level was 0.88 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 21 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:02146420(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.17917, -80.84639(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 | 0.88 ft | 2026-10-21 02:40 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, Charlotte (usgs:02146420). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/little-sugar-creek-at-hillside-ave-charlotte
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