Neuse River at Kinston water level

Name: Neuse River at Kinston 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, Neuse River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

3.07ft Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:15 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 404 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Neuse River at Kinston is running far below normal at 3.07 ft.

The median for mid-October is 4.39 ft, based on 29 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.32 ft below typical. It is 10.93 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.33 ft, a difference of −0.26 ft.

It has dropped 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 2.70 ft and 4.31 ft.

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

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.39 ft1.32 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.34 ft – 10.73 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.33 ft−0.26 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.70 ft – 4.31 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.52 ft – 11.89 ft
Highest on record: 28.31 ftOctober 14, 2016
Lowest on record: 1.46 ftOctober 24, 1996

Floating and fishing near Neuse River at Kinston

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 10.93 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft: Catastrophic flooding. Comparable to the floods from Hurricanes Matthew and Floyd. All major roads on the south side of Kinston are flooded. Numerous businesses and homes have significant inundation. Most creeks in Lenoir County are backed up and cause widespread flooding, with many homes and businesses inundated.
25.00 ft: Devastating flooding. Countless homes and businesses are flooded mostly south of the river in Lenoir county. Water floods the intersection of Highway 258 and 70, as well as most of the businesses on this stretch of road south of Kinston. All major highways on the south side of Kinston are impassible, especially Highways 70 and 11. East of Kinston, Highway 55 is impassable at low spots around the bridge with some homes flooded.
23.00 ft: Many homes and businesses on the south side of the river from Seven Springs to Kinston are flooded. Highway 11 and numerous secondary roads are impassable. Water floods the Rivermont area.
21.00 ft: Some homes and businesses southeast of Kinston are flooded. Water floods several secondary roads southeast of Kinston as well as Highway 11. Small streams across Lenoir, southern Pitt and northern Craven Counties flood secondary roads and may affect some homes.
18.00 ft: Widespread lowland flooding adjacent to the river. Water approaches some secondary roads over the southeast sections of Kinston. Campgrounds and picnic areas at the Nature Center in Kinston are inundated.
16.00 ft: Flooding of the campground at the Nature Center is expected. Water encroaches onto other properties along the south side of the river.
14.00 ft: Water overflows into lowlands adjacent to the river. Water access docks are also affected.
3.07 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 8 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.31 ft	October 14, 2016
2	27.71 ft	September 23, 1999
3	25.78 ft	September 21, 2018
4	25.00 ft	July 24, 1919
5	24.70 ft	October 1, 1924
6	24.20 ft	September 25, 1928
7	23.30 ft	September 17, 1996
8	22.90 ft	October 13, 1964
9	22.80 ft	October 10, 1929
10	22.40 ft	September 27, 1945

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 06:30 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the Neuse River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Neuse River near FallsRiver gauge, Neuse River	1.24 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	73 mi
Neuse River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Neuse River	1.43 ft	Normal	−0.15 ft	53 mi
Neuse River at SmithfieldRiver gauge, Neuse River	4.75 ft	Normal	−0.45 ft	46 mi
Neuse River near Cox MillRiver gauge, Neuse River	70.25 ft	No reference yet	+0.57 ft	35 mi
Neuse River near GoldsboroRiver gauge, Neuse River	2.72 ft	Very low	+0.08 ft	24 mi
Neuse River near Fort BarnwellRiver gauge, Neuse River	3.47 ft	Normal	−0.38 ft	16 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Contentnea Creek at HookertonRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek	4.62 ft	Low	±0	12 mi
Trent River near TrentonRiver gauge, Trent River	3.62 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Nahunta Swamp near ShineRiver gauge, Nahunta Swamp	2.24 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	20 mi
Swift Creek at Highway 43 near Streets FerryRiver gauge, Swift Creek	3.25 ft	Very high	−0.28 ft	27 mi
Trent River at PollocksvilleRiver gauge, Trent River	3.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	27 mi
Tar River at GreenvilleRiver gauge, Tar River	4.86 ft	Normal	+0.11 ft	28 mi
New River near Gum BranchRiver gauge, New River	2.74 ft	Normal	+0.42 ft	28 mi
Northeast Cape Fear River near ChinquapinRiver gauge, Northeast Cape Fear River	2.13 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	33 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Neuse River at Kinston higher than last year?

No, it is 0.26 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.33 ft.

What is flood stage for the Neuse River at Kinston?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 10.93 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Neuse River at Kinston in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.39 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.34 ft and 10.73 ft, based on 29 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 Neuse River at Kinston today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:15 PM EDT, the water level was 3.07 ft. Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Neuse River at Kinston rising or falling?

Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.37 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Neuse River at Kinston normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 29 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:02089500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.25778, -77.58556 (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	3.07 ft	2026-10-20 02:15	Provisional
Flow	404 cfs	2026-10-20 02:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Neuse River at Kinston (usgs:02089500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/neuse-river-at-kinston

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