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Pigeon River near Hepco water level

River gauge, Pigeon River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.77ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
182 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 18.00 ft Minor floodstage 13.00 ft

History

History
1.52.02.5ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 211.52.02.5ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
1234ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 13Oct 211234ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
24ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 202624ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
24ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202624ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Pigeon River near Hepco is at 1.77 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.75 ft, based on 30 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.02 ft above typical. It is 11.23 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.79 ft, a difference of −0.02 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.52 ft and 4.19 ft.

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

Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.75 ft0.02 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.17 ft – 2.47 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
Same day last year
1.79 ft−0.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.52 ft – 4.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.52 ft – 4.19 ft
Highest on record
18.00 ftFebruary 2, 1902

Floating and fishing near Pigeon River near Hepco

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

Flood stage here is 13.00 ft, 11.23 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
Record flooding continues. Backwater effects from the Pigeon River may cause significant flooding of several feeder streams including Rabbitskin Branch, Laurel Branch, and Panther Creek. Structures upstream near the Jonathans Creek confluence and along Panther Creek Rd and Riverside Dr in the Riverside community will experience ruinous flooding.
24.50 ft
Record flooding continues. Interstate 40 may begin to flood in low-lying areas.
17.30 ft
Moderate flooding continues. Floodwaters will reach levels similar to Hurricane Frances in September 2004.
1.77 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
118.00 ftFebruary 2, 1902
218.00 ftJune 2, 1876
317.31 ftSeptember 17, 2004
416.77 ftSeptember 8, 2004
515.82 ftAugust 30, 1940
614.94 ftAugust 13, 1940
713.92 ftFebruary 13, 1966
812.63 ftAugust 16, 1928
912.55 ftAugust 17, 1994
1012.45 ftJune 16, 1949

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 74%

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 11 mi
Pigeon River below Power Plant near WatervilleRiver gauge, Pigeon River 6.92 ft Very high ±0 12 mi
Pigeon River at NewportRiver gauge, Pigeon River 2.84 ft Below flood stage ±0 25 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cataloochee Creek near CataloocheeRiver gauge, Cataloochee Creek 2.20 ft Normal −0.01 ft 5.2 mi
West Fork Pigeon River at BethelRiver gauge, West Fork Pigeon River 0.12 ft Very low ±0 13 mi
East Fork Pigeon River near CantonRiver gauge, East Fork Pigeon River −0.08 ft Low −0.03 ft 14 mi
West F Pigeon River above Lake Logan near HazelwoodRiver gauge, West F Pigeon River 0.84 ft Very low −0.02 ft 17 mi
French Broad River at Hot SpringsRiver gauge, French Broad River 2.70 ft Low −0.04 ft 20 mi
French Broad River at MarshallRiver gauge, French Broad River 1.41 ft Normal −0.03 ft 21 mi
Hominy Creek near West AshevilleRiver gauge, Hominy Creek 1.15 ft Very low −0.02 ft 23 mi
Ivy River near MarshallRiver gauge, Ivy River 1.99 ft Low −0.01 ft 23 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Pigeon River near Hepco higher than last year?

No, it is 0.02 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.79 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pigeon River near Hepco?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 11.23 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pigeon River near Hepco in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.75 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.17 ft and 2.47 ft, based on 30 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 near Hepco today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM EDT, the water level was 1.77 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pigeon River near Hepco rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.34 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pigeon River near Hepco normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 30 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:03459500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.63500, -82.99000 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.77 ft 2026-10-21 03:30 Provisional
Flow 182 cfs 2026-10-21 03:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pigeon River near Hepco (usgs:03459500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/pigeon-river-near-hepco

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.