McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville water level

Name: McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville 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, McAlpine Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Low for late October

Water level

1.09ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:30 AM EDT (25 min ago)

Flow: 4.2 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville: the gauge reads 1.09 ft, below normal for late October.

That puts it 0.17 ft below the median of 1.26 ft for late October, based on 34 years of readings. It is 16.91 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.15 ft (−0.06 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 0.98 ft – 3.64 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.26 ft0.17 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.02 ft – 2.25 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.15 ft−0.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.98 ft – 3.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.98 ft – 7.97 ft
Highest on record: 19.40 ftAugust 27, 1995

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 18.00 ft.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: WASTE TREATMENT PLANT BEGINS TO FLOOD. SOME HOMES IN THE BALLANTYNE AREA MAY BE EFFECTED DUE TO BACKWATER.
1.50 ft: BASIN AVERAGE OF 1.5 INCH IN 2 HOURS WILL CAUSE CREEK TO RISE TO 5.0 FT. CREST AT FMCN7 OF 9.73 FT WILL CAUSE A 3 FT RISE AT MCPN7.
1.09 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.40 ft	August 27, 1995
2	18.65 ft	September 16, 2018
3	16.62 ft	July 24, 1997
4	15.41 ft	August 27, 2008
5	14.92 ft	October 2, 1989
6	14.58 ft	November 22, 2006
7	13.86 ft	January 25, 2010
8	13.68 ft	April 22, 1992
9	13.50 ft	March 24, 1979
10	13.32 ft	March 20, 2003

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 72° 40° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 73° 41° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 71° 50° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 69° 50° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 69° 50° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 71° 49° – Wind 6 mph

27 Tue 72° 51° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

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

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	−0.01 ft	11 mi
McAlpine Creek at Sardis Road near CharlotteRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek	0.45 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	8 mi
McAlpine Creek at Colony Road near Olde ProvidenceRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek	1.54 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	5.1 mi
McAlpine Creek at Sr2964 near Camp CoxRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek	−0.28 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	2.2 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Sugar Creek at PinevilleRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek	1.63 ft	Normal	+0.06 ft	1.5 mi
Sugar Creek at NC 51 near PinevilleRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	0.79 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	2.4 mi
Four Mile Creek near PinevilleRiver gauge, Four Mile Creek	3.33 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	2.8 mi
Six Mile Creek near PinevilleRiver gauge, Six Mile Creek	3.16 ft	High	±0	4.5 mi
Sugar Creek near Fort MillRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	4.06 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	4.6 mi
Steele Creek at Sr1441 near PinevilleRiver gauge, Steele Creek	0.95 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	5.4 mi
Sugar Creek at Arrowood Road near CharlotteRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	0.14 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	5.6 mi
Little Sugar Creek at Archdale Drain at CharlotteRiver gauge, Little Sugar Creek	1.98 ft	Very low	−0.19 ft	5.7 mi

Questions and answers

How does McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville compare with last year?

It is 0.06 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.15 ft.

What is flood stage for McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 16.91 ft below it.

What is a normal level for McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville in late October?

The median for late October is 1.26 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.02 ft and 2.25 ft, based on 34 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 below McMullen Creek near Pineville today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.09 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.23 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville normal?

Low for late October. Compared with 34 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:02146750 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.06650, -80.86985 (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	1.09 ft	2026-10-21 09:30	Provisional
Flow	4.2 cfs	2026-10-21 09:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near Pineville (usgs:02146750). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/mcalpine-creek-below-mcmullen-creek-near-pineville

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