Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville water level

Name: Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville 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, Pigeon River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Very high for late October

Water level

6.92ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:00 AM EDT (14 min ago)

Flow: 140 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville is well above normal at 6.92 ft.

The median for late October is 4.57 ft, based on 28 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.35 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 7.32 ft, a difference of −0.40 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.91 ft and 8.92 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.57 ft2.35 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.75 ft – 5.70 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.32 ft−0.40 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.91 ft – 8.92 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.87 ft – 9.56 ft

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:51 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Pigeon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pigeon River near CantonRiver gauge, Pigeon River	1.43 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Pigeon River near HepcoRiver gauge, Pigeon River	1.78 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	12 mi
Pigeon River at NewportRiver gauge, Pigeon River	2.78 ft	Below flood stage	±0	13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cataloochee Creek near CataloocheeRiver gauge, Cataloochee Creek	2.20 ft	Normal	±0	8 mi
French Broad River near NewportRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	14 mi
French Broad River at Hot SpringsRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.70 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	18 mi
Nolichucky River below Nolichucky DamRiver gauge, Nolichucky River	695 cfs	Normal	+172 cfs	24 mi
Nolichucky River near LowlandRiver gauge, Nolichucky River	6.89 ft	Normal	−0.25 ft	24 mi
West Prong Little Pigeon River near GatlinburgRiver gauge, West Prong Little Pigeon River	2.79 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	24 mi
West Fork Pigeon River at BethelRiver gauge, West Fork Pigeon River	0.12 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	25 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville higher than last year?

No, it is 0.40 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.32 ft.

What is a normal level for the Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville in late October?

The median for late October is 4.57 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.75 ft and 5.70 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 Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:00 AM EDT, the water level was 6.92 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.26 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville normal?

Very high for late October. Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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:03460795 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.78361, -83.11194 (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	6.92 ft	2026-10-21 09:00	Provisional
Flow	140 cfs	2026-10-21 09:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville (usgs:03460795). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/pigeon-river-below-power-plant-near-waterville

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