New River near Gum Branch water level

Name: New River near Gum Branch 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, New River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.61ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 7.3 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The New River near Gum Branch is at 2.61 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.07 ft below the median of 2.68 ft for mid-October, based on 25 years of readings. It is 11.39 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.63 ft (−0.02 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.72 ft and 3.46 ft.

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

Compared with 25 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.68 ft0.07 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.26 ft – 4.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (25 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.63 ft−0.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.72 ft – 3.46 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.77 ft – 8.54 ft
Highest on record: 25.76 ftSeptember 15, 2018

Floating and fishing near New River near Gum Branch

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

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 11.39 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: Catastrophic flooding along the New River north of Jacksonville. Numerous homes and businesses inundated by several feet of water both north and south of the river. Water backs up small tributaries and severely floods homes in those areas as well. Travel in northern Onslow county is next to impossible.
22.00 ft: Significant flooding along the New River around Gum Branch. Water inundates homes in the River Bluff, River Hill, and Rock Creek subdivisions. Additionally, along Briar Hollow Drive, Old Beechtree Lane, and Rhodestown Road many homes have water up to thier foundations, while some homes are inundated. Water overtops the bridges on Northwest Bridge Road and Rhodestown Road. Farmland along the river experiences severe losses.
20.00 ft: Several raised homes are cut off at the end of Forest Bluff Drive. Water threatens homes of South Bluff Circle, Falls Creek Court, Rivers Edge Court, and Old Beechtree Lane. Northwest Bridge Road and Rhodestown Road are likely impassable due to water flowing over the road near the bridges.
16.00 ft: Water surrounds homes towards the end of Forest Bluff Drive. Water inundates Lazy River Court. Many acres of farmland along the river are flooded.
14.00 ft: Water threatens homes at the end of Forest Bluff Drive. Minor farmland flooding along the river occurs.
2.61 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	25.76 ft	September 15, 2018
2	25.12 ft	September 16, 1999
3	20.61 ft	October 9, 2016
4	20.55 ft	October 1, 2010
5	20.32 ft	October 9, 2005
6	19.99 ft	September 2, 2006
7	19.99 ft	September 20, 1955
8	19.18 ft	November 23, 2006
9	18.22 ft	August 28, 1998
10	16.75 ft	August 10, 2024

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.35 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 71° 45° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 67° 47° – Wind 14 mph

22 Thu 69° 45° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 71° 46° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 67° 49° – Wind 13 mph

25 Sun 71° 49° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 73° 52° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 06:30 PM Daylight 11 hr, 10 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Trent River near TrentonRiver gauge, Trent River	3.60 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Northeast Cape Fear River near ChinquapinRiver gauge, Northeast Cape Fear River	2.10 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	18 mi
Trent River at PollocksvilleRiver gauge, Trent River	2.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.63 ft	20 mi
Northeast Cape Fear River near BurgawRiver gauge, Northeast Cape Fear River	2.01 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	27 mi
Neuse River at KinstonRiver gauge, Neuse River	2.95 ft	Very low	−0.13 ft	28 mi
Neuse River near Fort BarnwellRiver gauge, Neuse River	2.97 ft	Low	−0.22 ft	34 mi
Swift Creek at Highway 43 near Streets FerryRiver gauge, Swift Creek	2.79 ft	High	−0.27 ft	35 mi
Contentnea Creek at HookertonRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek	4.64 ft	Low	+0.03 ft	40 mi

Questions and answers

How does the New River near Gum Branch compare with last year?

It is 0.02 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.63 ft.

What is flood stage for the New River near Gum Branch?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 11.39 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the New River near Gum Branch in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.68 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.26 ft and 4.06 ft, based on 25 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 New River near Gum Branch today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 PM EDT, the water level was 2.61 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is New River near Gum Branch rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.17 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of New River near Gum Branch normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 25 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:02093000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.84917, -77.51944 (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	2.61 ft	2026-10-20 22:45	Provisional
Flow	7.3 cfs	2026-10-20 22:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: New River near Gum Branch (usgs:02093000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/new-river-near-gum-branch

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