Little Tennessee River near Prentiss water level
River gauge, Little Tennessee River, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Low for late October
Water level
- Flow
- 113 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The Little Tennessee River near Prentiss is running below normal at 1.42 ft.
The median for late October is 1.73 ft, based on 31 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.31 ft below typical. It is 13.58 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.59 ft, a difference of −0.17 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 1.27 ft and 3.48 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1.73 ft0.31 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.21 ft – 2.38 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.59 ft−0.17 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.27 ft – 3.48 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.27 ft – 3.97 ft
- Highest on record
- 17.30 ftNovember 4, 1964
Floating and fishing near Little Tennessee River near Prentiss
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 15.00 ft, 13.58 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 16.00 ft
- BUSINESSES AND SOME HOMES ALONG HUDSON AND KOVACS ROADS WILL HAVE A FEW FEET OF WATER IN THEM.
- 15.00 ft
- WATER WILL ENTER HOMES AND FARM BUILDINGS ALONG THE RIVER.
- 14.00 ft
- WATER WILL APPROACH FARM HOMES AND BUILDINGS ON KOVACS AND HUDSON ROADS. WIDESPREAD FAMLAND FLOODING WILL OCCURR.
- 12.00 ft
- WIDE SPREAD FARMLAND FLOODING.
- 11.50 ft
- WATER WILL START TO SURROUND HOMES UPSTREAM FROM GAGE ON PATTON ROAD.
- 8.00 ft
- FARMLAND FLOODING
- 2.80 ft
- GENERAL RAIN OF 2.8 INCH IN 4 HR CAUSED THE RIVER TO RISE FROM 2.6 TO 8.29 FT
- 1.42 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17.30 ft | November 4, 1964 |
| 2 | 15.92 ft | September 17, 2004 |
| 3 | 15.82 ft | September 17, 2004 |
| 4 | 15.00 ft | October 4, 1998 |
| 5 | 14.54 ft | March 4, 1979 |
| 6 | 14.44 ft | February 16, 1990 |
| 7 | 12.91 ft | February 19, 1966 |
| 8 | 12.85 ft | June 16, 1949 |
| 9 | 12.50 ft | July 1, 1916 |
| 10 | 12.50 ft | August 30, 1940 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Little Tennessee River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Tennessee River at NeedmoreRiver gauge, Little Tennessee River | 1.91 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 15 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartoogechaye Creek at SR 1148 near FranklinRiver gauge, Cartoogechaye Creek | 0.19 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 2.6 mi |
| Nantahala River near Rainbow SpringsRiver gauge, Nantahala River | 0.92 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 14 mi |
| Tuckasegee River at SR 1172 near CullowheeRiver gauge, Tuckasegee River | 3.95 ft | Very low | −0.11 ft | 16 mi |
| Tuckasegee River at Barker's CreekRiver gauge, Tuckasegee River | 3.14 ft | Low | ±0 | 17 mi |
| Nantahala River near HewittRiver gauge, Nantahala River | 1.21 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 19 mi |
| Chattooga River at Burrells Ford, near Pine MountainRiver gauge, Chattooga River | 0.77 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 19 mi |
| Tuckasegee River at Bryson CityRiver gauge, Tuckasegee River | 1.98 ft | Normal | ±0 | 20 mi |
| Tallulah River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Tallulah River | 1.77 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 20 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Little Tennessee River near Prentiss higher than last year?
No, it is 0.17 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.59 ft.
What is flood stage for the Little Tennessee River near Prentiss?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 13.58 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Little Tennessee River near Prentiss in late October?
The median for late October is 1.73 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.21 ft and 2.38 ft, based on 31 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 Tennessee River near Prentiss today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 04:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.42 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Little Tennessee River near Prentiss rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.21 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Little Tennessee River near Prentiss normal?
Low for late October. Compared with 31 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:03500000(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.15000, -83.37972(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 | 1.42 ft | 2026-10-21 08:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 113 cfs | 2026-10-21 08:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Little Tennessee River near Prentiss (usgs:03500000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/little-tennessee-river-near-prentiss
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