McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence water level
River gauge, McAlpine Creek, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Normal for late October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence reads 1.54 ft, a normal level for late October.
The median for late October is 1.71 ft, based on 18 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.17 ft below typical. It is 15.46 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.73 ft, a difference of −0.19 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.46 ft and 3.72 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
- 1.71 ft0.17 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.33 ft – 2.58 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.73 ft−0.19 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.46 ft – 3.72 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.43 ft – 5.40 ft
- Highest on record
- 19.98 ftSeptember 16, 2018
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 17.00 ft, still 15.46 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 17.00 ft
- FLOOD STAGE... HOMES WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
- 16.50 ft
- HOMES ON WEIRTON PLACE NEAR THE GAGE SITE ON COLONY ROAD WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
- 14.00 ft
- THIS IS BANKFULL STAGE.
- 3.00 ft
- 2.5 TO 3.5 INCHES IN 3 HRS ACRS THE HEADWATERS RESULTED IN A RISE FROM 2 FT TO THE BANKFULL LEVEL OF 14 FT (FS 17 FT).
- 1.54 ft
- Right now
- 1.40 ft
- BASIN AVG 1.4 IN 6 HOURS TOOK CREEK UP 7 FT.. (1.5 TO 8.5)
- 1.00 ft
- 0.75 TO 1 IN 2 HR TOOK CREEK UP ARD 5 FT WHEN GRD IS WET.
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19.98 ft | September 16, 2018 |
| 2 | 18.49 ft | August 27, 2008 |
| 3 | 17.18 ft | January 25, 2010 |
| 4 | 16.73 ft | July 12, 2010 |
| 5 | 15.13 ft | December 22, 2015 |
| 6 | 14.88 ft | May 6, 2008 |
| 7 | 14.61 ft | June 8, 2013 |
| 8 | 14.49 ft | August 5, 2011 |
| 9 | 14.22 ft | March 7, 2014 |
| 10 | 14.22 ft | January 23, 2017 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.17 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on McAlpine Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAlpine Creek at Sr3150 near IdlewildRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek | 1.87 ft | High | ±0 | 6 mi |
| McAlpine Creek at Sardis Road near CharlotteRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek | 0.45 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 2.6 mi |
| McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near PinevilleRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek | 1.09 ft | Low | −0.03 ft | 5.1 mi |
| McAlpine Creek at Sr2964 near Camp CoxRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek | −0.29 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 7 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McMullen Creek at Sharon View Road near CharlotteRiver gauge, McMullen Creek | 0.77 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 1.7 mi |
| Four Mile Creek near PinevilleRiver gauge, Four Mile Creek | 3.33 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 3.0 mi |
| Little Sugar Creek at Archdale Drain at CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek | 2.06 ft | Very low | −0.13 ft | 3.5 mi |
| McMullen Creek above Lincrest Place at CharlotteRiver gauge, McMullen Creek | 1.06 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 3.8 mi |
| Little Hope Creek at Seneca Place at CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Hope Creek | 3.05 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 4.1 mi |
| Briar Creek above Colony Road at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek | 2.12 ft | Normal | ±0 | 4.2 mi |
| Briar Creek at Providence Road at CharlotteRiver gauge, Briar Creek | 1.17 ft | Normal | ±0 | 4.5 mi |
| Little Sugar Creek at Hillside Ave, CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek | 0.87 ft | Low | ±0 | 4.8 mi |
Questions and answers
Is McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence higher than last year?
No, it is 0.19 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.73 ft.
What is flood stage for McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence?
The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 15.46 ft below it.
What is a normal level for McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence in late October?
The median for late October is 1.71 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.33 ft and 2.58 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 McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM EDT, the water level was 1.54 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence normal?
Normal for late 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:02146614(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.11833, -80.80667(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 | 1.54 ft | 2026-10-21 08:15 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde Providence (usgs:02146614). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/mcalpine-creek-at-colony-road-near-olde-providence
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