Mills River near Mills River water level

Name: Mills River near Mills River 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, Mills River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.83ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT (17 min ago)

Flow: 69.6 cfs
Water temperature: 49 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Mills River near Mills River is at 1.83 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.94 ft, based on 31 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.11 ft below typical. It is 7.17 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.76 ft, a difference of +0.07 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.62 ft and 3.56 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 49 °F.

Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.94 ft0.11 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.52 ft – 2.31 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.76 ft+0.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.62 ft – 3.56 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.60 ft – 3.56 ft
Highest on record: 13.62 ftAugust 30, 1940

Floating and fishing near Mills River near Mills River

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 9.00 ft, 7.17 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: SOME HOMES ON SHADY BOTTOM ROAD AND VILLAGE DRIVE MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE RIVER AND BACKWTER EFFECTS ON OTHER STREAMS.
13.40 ft: HOUSES NEAR THE RIVER ALONG SOUTH MILLS RIVER ROAD AND MILLS RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH WILL FLOOD.
12.31 ft: FLOODING WILL BE SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH OCCURRED WITH HURRICANE FRANCES SEPTEMBER 2004
12.00 ft: MINOR FARMLAND FLOODING
10.00 ft: RIVER LOOP ROAD NEAR THE RIVER WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
9.00 ft: SOUTH MILLS RIVER ROAD AT WHITAKER ROAD AND HOOPER LANE WILL BE FLOODED.
8.00 ft: RIVER LOOP ROAD NEAR THE RIVER WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
7.50 ft: BANKFULL STAGE
1.83 ft: Right now
1.50 ft: 1.5 WIDE SPREAD RAIN IN 12 HOURS WILL TAKE THE RIVER TO 4.6 FT

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.62 ft	August 30, 1940
2	13.50 ft	August 16, 1928
3	13.15 ft	August 13, 1940
4	12.31 ft	September 8, 2004
5	12.27 ft	October 4, 1964
6	11.84 ft	September 17, 2004
7	11.52 ft	August 17, 1994
8	11.22 ft	May 28, 1973
9	11.22 ft	June 16, 1949
10	10.97 ft	January 8, 1998

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:41 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
French Broad River near FletcherRiver gauge, French Broad River	4.27 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	3.2 mi
French Broad River at BlantyreRiver gauge, French Broad River	5.58 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	7 mi
Mud Creek at Secondary Road 1503 near BalfourRiver gauge, Mud Creek	5.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	9 mi
Davidson River near BrevardRiver gauge, Davidson River	0.72 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Hominy Creek near West AshevilleRiver gauge, Hominy Creek	1.16 ft	Very low	−0.06 ft	11 mi
Swannanoa River at BiltmoreRiver gauge, Swannanoa River	1.37 ft	Low	±0	12 mi
French Broad River at AshevilleRiver gauge, French Broad River	1.24 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	15 mi
East Fork Pigeon River near CantonRiver gauge, East Fork Pigeon River	−0.06 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	16 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Mills River near Mills River higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.07 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.76 ft.

What is flood stage for the Mills River near Mills River?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 7.17 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Mills River near Mills River in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.94 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.52 ft and 2.31 ft, based on 31 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 Mills River near Mills River today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.83 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Mills River near Mills River rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.39 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Mills River near Mills River normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 31 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:03446000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.39806, -82.59500 (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	1.83 ft	2026-10-20 15:30	Provisional
Flow	69.6 cfs	2026-10-20 15:30	Provisional
Water temperature	49 °F	2026-10-20 15:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Mills River near Mills River (usgs:03446000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/mills-river-near-mills-river

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