McDowell Creek near Huntersville water level
River gauge, McDowell Creek, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Normal for late October
Water level
- Flow
- 0.6 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
McDowell Creek near Huntersville is at 1.50 ft, in the normal range for late October.
That puts it 0.02 ft below the median of 1.52 ft for late October, based on 20 years of readings. It is 12.50 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.59 ft (−0.09 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.50 ft and 2.87 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1.52 ft0.02 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.82 ft – 1.72 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.59 ft−0.09 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.50 ft – 2.87 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.50 ft – 3.64 ft
- Highest on record
- 16.00 ftJune 29, 2013
Floating and fishing near McDowell Creek near Huntersville
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 12.50 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 20.00 ft
- GILEAD ROAD WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD
- 16.00 ft
- HOMES NEAR GILEAD ST ARE FLOODED
- 15.00 ft
- PARTS OF GILEAD AND MCLLWAINE ROADS WILL BE FLOODED.
- 14.00 ft
- SOME HOMES DOWNSTREAM OF GILEAD ROAD WILL HAVE WATER IN THEIR BASEMENTS.
- 12.00 ft
- WATER WILL COVER YARDS OF HOMES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK NORTH AND SOUTH OF GILEAD ROAD.
- 10.55 ft
- NO FLOOD PROBLEMS.
- 6.50 ft
- GAGE HEIGHT RISE CAUSED BY BACKWATER AFFECTS FROM RELEASES FROM COWANS FORD RESERVOIR ON CATAWBA RIVER. CWAN7 HP WAS 102 FT.
- 2.25 ft
- 2.25 IN 6 HOUR CAUSED A 9 FT RISE IN CREEK.
- 1.50 ft
- Right now
- 1.25 ft
- 1.25 INCH IN 1.5 HOURS WILL CAUSE CREEK TO RISE 4.5 FEET.
- 1.10 ft
- 1.1 IN 1 HR WILL CAUSE A 4 FT RISE.
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16.00 ft | June 29, 2013 |
| 2 | 14.14 ft | August 27, 2008 |
| 3 | 11.34 ft | January 25, 2010 |
| 4 | 10.93 ft | March 2, 2007 |
| 5 | 9.64 ft | November 11, 2009 |
| 6 | 8.05 ft | November 16, 2006 |
| 7 | 7.16 ft | November 22, 2006 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on McDowell Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell Creek near Charlotte, Nc Csw10River gauge, McDowell Creek | 3.91 ft | High | +0.19 ft | 2.1 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torrence Creek at Bradford Hill Ln near HuntersvlleRiver gauge, Torrence Creek | 1.19 ft | Very low | +0.02 ft | 0.5 mi |
| McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks CrossroadsRiver gauge, McDowell Creek Tributary | 1.22 ft | Very low | +0.01 ft | 1.6 mi |
| Gar Creek at Sr2074 near CroftRiver gauge, Gar Creek | 1.02 ft | Low | ±0 | 3.2 mi |
| Catawba River at Rr Bridge above NC 73 at Cowans FordRiver gauge, Catawba River | 3.24 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 4.0 mi |
| Long Creek near Paw CreekRiver gauge, Long Creek | 1.43 ft | Normal | +0.10 ft | 5.5 mi |
| West Branch Rocky R B Mouth of South Prong River near CorneliusRiver gauge, West Branch Rocky R B Mouth of South Prong River | 2.97 ft | High | −0.01 ft | 7 mi |
| Catawba River Dnstrm Deck Mountain Is Dam near MountainRiver gauge, Catawba River Dnstrm Deck Mountain Is Dam | 8.72 ft | Normal | −0.09 ft | 7 mi |
| Clarke Creek near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Clarke Creek | 3.87 ft | Very high | ±0 | 8 mi |
Questions and answers
How does McDowell Creek near Huntersville compare with last year?
It is 0.09 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.59 ft.
What is flood stage for McDowell Creek near Huntersville?
The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 12.50 ft below it.
What is a normal level for McDowell Creek near Huntersville in late October?
The median for late October is 1.52 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.82 ft and 1.72 ft, based on 20 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 McDowell Creek near Huntersville today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 04:25 AM EDT, the water level was 1.50 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is McDowell Creek near Huntersville rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.17 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of McDowell Creek near Huntersville normal?
Normal for late October. Compared with 20 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:02142654(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.40694, -80.89056(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 | 1.50 ft | 2026-10-21 08:25 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.6 cfs | 2026-10-21 08:25 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: McDowell Creek near Huntersville (usgs:02142654). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/mcdowell-creek-near-huntersville
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