Oconaluftee River at Birdtown water level

Name: Oconaluftee River at Birdtown 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, Oconaluftee River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.20ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:00 AM EDT (58 min ago)

Flow: 163 cfs
Water temperature: 53 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Oconaluftee River at Birdtown reads 1.20 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.25 ft, based on 31 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.05 ft below typical. It is 8.80 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.28 ft, a difference of −0.08 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.13 ft and 2.17 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 53 °F.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.25 ft0.05 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.87 ft – 1.77 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.28 ft−0.08 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.13 ft – 2.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.13 ft – 3.01 ft
Highest on record: 18.00 ftNovember 19, 1906

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 10.00 ft, still 8.80 ft away.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: Record flooding will be observed.
17.00 ft: Expect most stores, motels, and other businesses in Birdtown and Cherokee, as well as parts of Highways 19a and 441, to be flooded.
15.00 ft: Many buildings will likely be flooded in Birdtown between McCoy Branch Rd. and Adams Creek Rd.
13.00 ft: Businesses and hotels in Birdtown and Cherokee may begin to flood.
12.00 ft: Some homes along the river near Cherokee and Birdtown may begin to flood. Parts of Highway 19A may also be covered with water.
11.50 ft: Water approaches US 19 just west of Goose Creek Rd.
10.00 ft: Parts of Old Highway 4 near Keener Road may be flooded and buildings near Cline and Haiger Streets may start to get water in them. Floodwater levels will be similar to the levels that occurred on May 6, 2003.
9.00 ft: Water will approach the water treatment plant on Old Highway Number 4. Water will approach residential yards on Highway 19 between Adams Creek and McCoy Branch Rd.
8.00 ft: Flooding will be likely upstream along the Oconaluftee River in the Yellow Hill community especially along White Water Drive.
3.50 ft: 3.5 inch in headwaters in 12 hrs caused the river to rise from 1.83 ft to 7.71 ft
2.50 ft: 2.5 to 3.0 basin avg in 8 hr in headwaters will cause a 6 ft rise on river.
1.20 ft: Right now
1.10 ft: 1.25 basin average in 5 hours in headwaters caused a 2.3 ft rise.

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	18.00 ft	November 19, 1906
2	14.50 ft	March 27, 1913
3	12.46 ft	December 30, 1969
4	12.29 ft	March 16, 1973
5	12.00 ft	January 7, 1946
6	11.90 ft	March 6, 1963
7	11.47 ft	March 26, 1965
8	10.71 ft	March 17, 1990
9	10.69 ft	January 21, 1959
10	10.67 ft	February 13, 1966

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:53 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 65%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tuckasegee River at Bryson CityRiver gauge, Tuckasegee River	1.83 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	5.8 mi
Tuckasegee River at Barker's CreekRiver gauge, Tuckasegee River	3.34 ft	Low	±0	6 mi
Little Tennessee River at NeedmoreRiver gauge, Little Tennessee River	1.92 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Tuckasegee River at SR 1172 near CullowheeRiver gauge, Tuckasegee River	4.49 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	17 mi
West Prong Little Pigeon River near GatlinburgRiver gauge, West Prong Little Pigeon River	2.84 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	19 mi
Nantahala River near HewittRiver gauge, Nantahala River	1.23 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	20 mi
Cataloochee Creek near CataloocheeRiver gauge, Cataloochee Creek	2.21 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Cartoogechaye Creek at SR 1148 near FranklinRiver gauge, Cartoogechaye Creek	0.21 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	21 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Oconaluftee River at Birdtown higher than last year?

No, it is 0.08 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.28 ft.

What is flood stage for the Oconaluftee River at Birdtown?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.80 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Oconaluftee River at Birdtown in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.25 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.87 ft and 1.77 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 Oconaluftee River at Birdtown today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:00 AM EDT, the water level was 1.20 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Oconaluftee River at Birdtown rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.27 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Oconaluftee River at Birdtown 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:03512000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.46139, -83.35361 (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	1.20 ft	2026-10-20 04:00	Provisional
Flow	163 cfs	2026-10-20 04:00	Provisional
Water temperature	53 °F	2026-10-20 04:00	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/10211?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Oconaluftee River at Birdtown water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Oconaluftee River at Birdtown (usgs:03512000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/oconaluftee-river-at-birdtown

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