Roanoke River at Hamilton water level
River gauge, Roanoke River, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
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
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18.17 ft | September 19, 1999 |
| 2 | 18.09 ft | March 29, 1998 |
| 3 | 18.05 ft | November 27, 2020 |
| 4 | 17.94 ft | April 27, 2003 |
| 5 | 17.90 ft | May 8, 2017 |
| 6 | 17.56 ft | February 8, 2012 |
| 7 | 17.40 ft | January 26, 2007 |
| 8 | 17.28 ft | December 31, 2003 |
| 9 | 17.19 ft | April 13, 2001 |
| 10 | 17.18 ft | April 9, 2005 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
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
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 1.92 ft | 2026-10-20 02:30 | Provisional |
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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.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer