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McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads water level

River gauge, McDowell Creek Tributary, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Very low for late October

Water level

1.22ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
0.0 cfs
1.5 2.0

History

History
1.21.41.61.8ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 211.21.41.61.8ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
123ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 21123ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
123ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026123ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
123ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026123ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Low water at McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads: the gauge reads 1.22 ft, far below normal for late October.

The median for late October is 1.57 ft, based on 11 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.35 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 1.26 ft, a difference of −0.04 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 1.07 ft – 1.62 ft.

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

Compared with 11 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.57 ft0.35 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.26 ft – 2.09 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (11 years of records)
Same day last year
1.26 ft−0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.07 ft – 1.62 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.07 ft – 2.29 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:36 AM Sunset 06:42 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
McDowell Creek near Charlotte, Nc Csw10River gauge, McDowell Creek 3.91 ft High +0.19 ft 0.9 mi
McDowell Creek near HuntersvilleRiver gauge, McDowell Creek 1.50 ft Normal −0.01 ft 1.6 mi
Torrence Creek at Bradford Hill Ln near HuntersvlleRiver gauge, Torrence Creek 1.19 ft Very low +0.02 ft 2.0 mi
Catawba River at Rr Bridge above NC 73 at Cowans FordRiver gauge, Catawba River 3.24 ft Low +0.01 ft 2.9 mi
Gar Creek at Sr2074 near CroftRiver gauge, Gar Creek 1.02 ft Low ±0 3.0 mi
Long Creek near Paw CreekRiver gauge, Long Creek 1.43 ft Normal +0.10 ft 5.1 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 6.1 mi
Killian Creek near MariposaRiver gauge, Killian Creek 3.01 ft High +0.09 ft 7 mi

Questions and answers

Is McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads higher than last year?

No, it is 0.04 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.26 ft.

What is a normal level for McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads in late October?

The median for late October is 1.57 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.26 ft and 2.09 ft, based on 11 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 Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT, the water level was 1.22 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.09 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads normal?

Very low for late October. Compared with 11 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:0214265828 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.40179, -80.91752 (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 1.22 ft 2026-10-21 09:15 Provisional
Flow 0.0 cfs 2026-10-21 09:20 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: McDowell Creek Tributary at Sr2131 near Hicks Crossroads (usgs:0214265828). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/mcdowell-creek-tributary-at-sr2131-near-hicks-crossroads

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.