Pamlico River at Washington water level

Name: Pamlico River at Washington water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Estuary gauge, Pamlico River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

2.14ft Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 AM EDT (56 min ago)

History

7 days

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

What this means

High water at Pamlico River at Washington: the latest reading is 2.14 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.61 ft above the median of 1.53 ft for mid-October, based on 19 years of readings. It is 1.86 ft below the flood stage of 4.00 ft. The record high is 10.56 ft, set on September 3, 1913.

It is on the way up, by 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. The 30-day range is 1.03 ft – 2.60 ft.

Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.53 ft0.61 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.00 ft – 2.09 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (19 years of records)
Highest on record: 10.56 ftSeptember 3, 1913
Lowest on record: −3.81 ftMarch 2, 2018

Staying safe in high water

Flood stage is only the first threshold. Above it the National Weather Service sets moderate and major flood stages, and the forecast crest tells you which of those the river is expected to reach.

Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.

What happens at each level

7.00 ft: Widespread and significant flooding of the town of Washington (including the Washington Park and River Road areas), as well as the community of Whichards Beach. Many homes and businesses will flood in Washington.Many roads will be impassable, especially those adjacent to the Pamlico River and adjacent creeks.
5.00 ft: Flooding in and around the town of Washington and in the Whichards Beach area. Water will flood up to Main Street in the town of Washington. Numerous residences in Whichards Beach, Portside and Bayside Shores will flood.
4.00 ft: Minor flooding in the town of Washington, flooding docks and yards adjacent to the Pamlico River and creeks. As well in areas south of River Road on Swan Point Road, Shady Banks, Summer Haven Road, Griffins Beach Road, and River Acres Road.Both the Pamlico River and Chocowinity Bay will flood the Twin Lakes Campground as well as Bayside Shores and Portside communities. Water will reach homes in Bayside Shores and access to locations in and around Whichards Beach will be cut off by flood waters.
3.50 ft: Water backs up Rodmand Creek and will flood Whichards Beach Road. This road is the only access into Whichards Beach and surrounding areas such as Twin Lakes, Portside and Bayside Shores in Bayside Shores. Roads in Bayside Shores will see minor flooding.
2.14 ft: Right now
−2.00 ft: Low water levels wil make navigation hazardous on the Pamlico and Pungo Rivers.

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.56 ft	September 3, 1913
2	9.48 ft	September 14, 2018
3	9.07 ft	September 16, 1999
4	8.46 ft	August 27, 2011
5	8.36 ft	September 19, 1955
6	8.26 ft	August 17, 1955
7	8.06 ft	September 16, 1933
8	7.56 ft	October 15, 1954
9	7.18 ft	September 18, 2003
10	7.06 ft	September 12, 1960

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:20 AM Sunset 06:28 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 66%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tar River at GreenvilleRiver gauge, Tar River	4.64 ft	Normal	+0.12 ft	18 mi
Neuse River near Fort BarnwellRiver gauge, Neuse River	3.51 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	21 mi
Roanoke River at JamesvilleRiver gauge, Roanoke River	0.52 ft	Very low	−0.52 ft	21 mi
Swift Creek at Highway 43 near Streets FerryRiver gauge, Swift Creek	3.05 ft	Very high	−0.23 ft	22 mi
Roanoke River at WilliamstonRiver gauge, Roanoke River	3.59 ft	Normal	−0.63 ft	22 mi
Van Swamp near HokeRiver gauge, Van Swamp	1.98 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	22 mi
Roanoke River at HamiltonRiver gauge, Roanoke River	1.77 ft	Very low	−0.61 ft	29 mi
Contentnea Creek at HookertonRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek	4.62 ft	Low	±0	30 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Pamlico River at Washington?

The official flood stage is 4.00 ft. The level is currently 1.86 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pamlico River at Washington in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.53 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.00 ft and 2.09 ft, based on 19 years of records.

What is the water level of Pamlico River at Washington today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.14 ft. Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Pamlico River at Washington rising or falling?

Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Pamlico River at Washington normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Pamlico River at Washington?

The highest level on record is 10.56 ft on September 3, 1913. The lowest is −3.81 ft on March 2, 2018.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02084472 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.54333, -77.06194 (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	2.14 ft	2026-10-20 06:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pamlico River at Washington (usgs:02084472). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/pamlico-river-at-washington

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