Nivelmap
EN

Roanoke River at Hamilton water level

River gauge, Roanoke River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.92ft Down 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours

0 10 20 Minor floodstage 19.00 ft Highest onrecord 18.17 ft

History

History
5101520ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20Minor flood stage5101520ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20Minor flood stage
5101520ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 20Minor flood stage5101520ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20Minor flood stage
5101520ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage5101520ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
51015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202651015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Roanoke River at Hamilton is running far below normal at 1.92 ft.

That puts it 1.87 ft below the median of 3.79 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 17.08 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.37 ft (−1.45 ft).

It has dropped 0.64 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 1.89 ft and 3.82 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3.79 ft1.87 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.39 ft – 17.02 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year
3.37 ft−1.45 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.89 ft – 3.82 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.17 ft – 7.12 ft
Highest on record
18.17 ftSeptember 19, 1999

Floating and fishing near Roanoke River at Hamilton

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 19.00 ft, 17.08 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

19.00 ft
The boat ramp at the end of East Main Street in Hamilton is flooded. Minor flooding in low lands adjacent to the river is expected.
1.92 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
118.17 ftSeptember 19, 1999
218.09 ftMarch 29, 1998
318.05 ftNovember 27, 2020
417.94 ftApril 27, 2003
517.90 ftMay 8, 2017
617.56 ftFebruary 8, 2012
717.40 ftJanuary 26, 2007
817.28 ftDecember 31, 2003
917.19 ftApril 13, 2001
1017.18 ftApril 9, 2005

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 73° 49° 0.40 in, 95% Wind 16 mph
18 Sun 60° 45° – Wind 15 mph
19 Mon 66° 47° – Wind 18 mph
20 Tue 71° 48° – Wind 16 mph
21 Wed 68° 49° – Wind 14 mph
22 Thu 68° 45° – Wind 13 mph
23 Fri 69° 45° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:20 AM Sunset 06:28 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the Roanoke River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Roanoke River at AltavistaRiver gauge, Roanoke River 1.58 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 141 mi
Roanoke River at Buggs IslandRiver gauge, Roanoke River 3.57 ft No reference yet +0.23 ft 76 mi
Roanoke River at Roanoke RapidsRiver gauge, Roanoke River 2.60 ft Very low −0.01 ft 43 mi
Roanoke River at HalifaxRiver gauge, Roanoke River 16.73 ft Very low −0.02 ft 34 mi
Roanoke River near Scotland NeckRiver gauge, Roanoke River 4.12 ft Very low −0.01 ft 21 mi
Roanoke River at WilliamstonRiver gauge, Roanoke River 3.74 ft Normal −0.70 ft 11 mi
Roanoke River at JamesvilleRiver gauge, Roanoke River 0.39 ft Very low −0.68 ft 20 mi
Roanoke River at NC 45 near WestoverRiver gauge, Roanoke River 0.45 ft Very low −0.62 ft 27 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cashie River at Sr1257 near WindsorRiver gauge, Cashie River 4.29 ft Very high ±0 14 mi
Tar River at TarboroRiver gauge, Tar River 1.30 ft Very low +0.05 ft 19 mi
Tar River at GreenvilleRiver gauge, Tar River 4.86 ft Normal +0.11 ft 25 mi
Ahoskie Creek at AhoskieRiver gauge, Ahoskie Creek 1.35 ft Normal +0.01 ft 26 mi
Pamlico River at WashingtonEstuary gauge, Pamlico River 2.20 ft Very high +0.08 ft 29 mi
Van Swamp near HokeRiver gauge, Van Swamp 1.97 ft Normal +0.02 ft 30 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Roanoke River at Hamilton compare with last year?

It is 1.45 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.37 ft.

What is flood stage for the Roanoke River at Hamilton?

The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 17.08 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Roanoke River at Hamilton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.79 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.39 ft and 17.02 ft, based on 29 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 Roanoke River at Hamilton today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:30 PM EDT, the water level was 1.92 ft. Down 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Roanoke River at Hamilton rising or falling?

Down 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.39 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Roanoke River at Hamilton normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 29 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:02081028 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.94750, -77.20250 (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 1.92 ft 2026-10-20 02:30 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

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

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Roanoke River at Hamilton (usgs:02081028). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/roanoke-river-at-hamilton

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.