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Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte water level

River gauge, Ltl Sugar Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for late October

Water level

1.89ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
3.4 cfs
0 5 10 15 Highest onrecord 14.83 ft Minor floodstage 13.50 ft

History

History
1.51.82.02.3ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 211.51.82.02.3ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
23ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 2123ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
23ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 202623ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
23ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202623ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte reads 1.89 ft, a normal level for late October.

The median for late October is 1.70 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.19 ft above typical. It is 11.61 ft below the flood stage of 13.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.94 ft, a difference of −0.05 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.88 ft and 3.19 ft.

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

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.70 ft0.19 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.56 ft – 2.12 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year
1.94 ft−0.05 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.88 ft – 3.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.88 ft – 3.79 ft
Highest on record
14.83 ftJuly 23, 1997

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 13.50 ft, still 11.61 ft away.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft
Major Flood Stage.
16.00 ft
Moderate Flood Stage.
13.50 ft
Minor Flood Stage. The lowest elevations of the Medical Center parking lot may begin to flood.
11.50 ft
Action Stage continues. Flooding may be ongoing along Dilworth Rd near Morehead St.
9.50 ft
Action Stage. Freedom Park walkways are beginning to flood and the East Boulevard parking lot may begin to flood.
1.89 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
114.83 ftJuly 23, 1997
213.89 ftJune 7, 2003
313.78 ftAugust 5, 2011
413.66 ftAugust 19, 2010
513.59 ftApril 30, 2020
613.17 ftAugust 16, 2009
713.09 ftAugust 27, 2008
812.95 ftAugust 15, 2006
912.79 ftAugust 27, 1995
1012.39 ftSeptember 3, 2014

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:35 AM Sunset 06:42 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Briar Creek at Providence Road at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek 1.17 ft Normal ±0 1.7 mi
Briar Creek below Edwards Branch near CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek 0.96 ft High −0.02 ft 1.8 mi
Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek 0.87 ft Low ±0 1.8 mi
Briar Creek above Colony Road at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek 2.12 ft Normal ±0 2.0 mi
Briar Creek at Independence Blvd at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek 0.72 ft Normal ±0 2.1 mi
Stewart Creek at West Morehead St at CharlotteRiver gauge, Stewart Creek 1.05 ft Very low +0.78 ft 2.5 mi
Little Hope Creek at Seneca Place at CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Hope Creek 3.05 ft Low +0.01 ft 2.9 mi
Stewart Creek at State St at CharlotteRiver gauge, Stewart Creek 0.93 ft Low −0.01 ft 3.1 mi

Questions and answers

Is Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte higher than last year?

No, it is 0.05 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.94 ft.

What is flood stage for Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte?

The official flood stage is 13.50 ft. The level is currently 11.61 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte in late October?

The median for late October is 1.70 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.56 ft and 2.12 ft, based on 32 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 Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT, the water level was 1.89 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte normal?

Normal for late October. Compared with 32 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:02146409 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.20361, -80.83694 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.89 ft 2026-10-21 09:15 Provisional
Flow 3.4 cfs 2026-10-21 09:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ltl Sugar Creek at Medical Center Drain at Charlotte (usgs:02146409). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/ltl-sugar-creek-at-medical-center-drain-at-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.