Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill water level

Name: Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill 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, Morgan Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.17ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 PM EDT (45 min ago)

Flow: 9.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill, where the gauge shows 4.17 ft.

The median for mid-October is 4.14 ft, based on 28 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.03 ft above typical. It is 6.83 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.01 ft – 4.87 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.14 ft0.03 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.86 ft – 4.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.01 ft – 4.87 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.13 ft – 6.19 ft
Highest on record: 12.75 ftAugust 8, 2024

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 11.00 ft.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Estimated Moderate Flood Stage
11.00 ft: Estimated Minor Flood Stage
4.17 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.75 ft	August 8, 2024
2	12.09 ft	September 27, 2024
3	11.37 ft	May 15, 2025

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:29 AM Sunset 06:34 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on Morgan Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Morgan Creek near White CrossRiver gauge, Morgan Creek	1.84 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	5.7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
New Hope Creek near BlandsRiver gauge, New Hope Creek	4.09 ft	Normal	±0	3.1 mi
Bolin Creek at Village Drive at Chapel HillRiver gauge, Bolin Creek	1.07 ft	Very low	−0.06 ft	3.3 mi
Booker Creek at SR 1751 near Chapel HillRiver gauge, Booker Creek	3.85 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	3.7 mi
Third Fork Creek at Woodcroft Parkway near BlandsRiver gauge, Third Fork Creek	1.29 ft	Normal	±0	4.3 mi
Northeast Creek at Sr1100 near GenleeRiver gauge, Northeast Creek	4.08 ft	Normal	±0	6.1 mi
Third Fork Creek at M.l. King Parkway at DurhamRiver gauge, Third Fork Creek	0.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	7 mi
Sandy Creek at Cornwallis Road near DurhamRiver gauge, Sandy Creek	1.97 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Northeast Creek Tributary at Sr1182 near Lowes GroveRiver gauge, Northeast Creek Tributary	1.69 ft	Very high	−0.08 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 6.83 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.14 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.86 ft and 4.41 ft, based on 28 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 Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 PM EDT, the water level was 4.17 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill?

The highest level on record is 12.75 ft on August 8, 2024.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02097517 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.89333, -79.01972 (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	4.17 ft	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional
Flow	9.5 cfs	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Morgan Creek near Chapel Hill (usgs:02097517). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/morgan-creek-near-chapel-hill

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