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Roanoke River at Williamston water level

River gauge, Roanoke River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.74ft Down 0.70 ft over the last 24 hours

0 10 20 Highest onrecord 20.50 ft Minor floodstage 12.00 ft Lowest on record 1.80 ft

History

510ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20Minor flood stage510ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20Minor flood stage
510ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 20Minor flood stage510ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20Minor flood stage
510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
510ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026510ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Roanoke River at Williamston is at 3.74 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.00 ft, based on 39 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.26 ft below typical. It is 8.26 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 5.21 ft, a difference of −1.47 ft.

It has dropped 0.70 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.74 ft and 5.64 ft.

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

Compared with 39 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
5.00 ft1.26 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.49 ft – 10.90 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (39 years of records)
Same day last year
5.21 ft−1.47 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3.74 ft – 5.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
3.28 ft – 6.37 ft
Highest on record
20.50 ftAugust 22, 1940
Lowest on record
1.80 ftSeptember 8, 1932

Floating and fishing near Roanoke River at Williamston

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

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 8.26 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft
Homes north and south of Williamston are flooded. Secondary roads adjacent to the river are under water and impassable.
15.00 ft
Many secondary roads near the river are flooded. Thousands of acres of farmland are flooded. Several homes and livestock areas are threatened around Island Farms.
13.00 ft
Many acres of farmland are flooded. Water will begin to reach some secondary roads near the river.
12.00 ft
Widespread low land flooding is expected adjacent to the river. Operations at the water treatment plant in Williamston are impacted by water.
3.74 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

RankLevelDate
120.50 ftAugust 22, 1940
218.10 ftJanuary 1, 1877
316.10 ftJanuary 1, 1919
416.00 ftApril 18, 1957
515.00 ftSeptember 26, 1945
614.70 ftJanuary 27, 1936
714.30 ftJanuary 1, 1923
814.00 ftJanuary 27, 1937
913.10 ftFebruary 22, 1948
1013.01 ftSeptember 18, 1999

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:20 AM Sunset 06:27 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 152 mi
Roanoke River at Buggs IslandRiver gauge, Roanoke River 3.68 ft No reference yet +0.46 ft 87 mi
Roanoke River at Roanoke RapidsRiver gauge, Roanoke River 2.59 ft Very low −0.02 ft 53 mi
Roanoke River at HalifaxRiver gauge, Roanoke River 16.73 ft Very low −0.02 ft 44 mi
Roanoke River near Scotland NeckRiver gauge, Roanoke River 4.12 ft Very low −0.01 ft 31 mi
Roanoke River at HamiltonRiver gauge, Roanoke River 1.86 ft Very low −0.64 ft 11 mi
Roanoke River at JamesvilleRiver gauge, Roanoke River 0.39 ft Very low −0.68 ft 9 mi
Roanoke River at NC 45 near WestoverRiver gauge, Roanoke River 0.45 ft Very low −0.62 ft 18 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 13 mi
Van Swamp near HokeRiver gauge, Van Swamp 1.97 ft Normal +0.02 ft 19 mi
Pamlico River at WashingtonEstuary gauge, Pamlico River 2.20 ft Very high +0.08 ft 22 mi
Tar River at GreenvilleRiver gauge, Tar River 4.86 ft Normal +0.11 ft 25 mi
Tar River at TarboroRiver gauge, Tar River 1.30 ft Very low +0.05 ft 28 mi
Ahoskie Creek at AhoskieRiver gauge, Ahoskie Creek 1.35 ft Normal +0.01 ft 29 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Roanoke River at Williamston higher than last year?

No, it is 1.47 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.21 ft.

What is flood stage for the Roanoke River at Williamston?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 8.26 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 5.00 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.49 ft and 10.90 ft, based on 39 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 Williamston today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT, the water level was 3.74 ft. Down 0.70 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Roanoke River at Williamston rising or falling?

Down 0.70 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.40 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Roanoke River at Williamston normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 39 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:02081054 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.85972, -77.04028 (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 3.74 ft 2026-10-20 03:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Roanoke River at Williamston (usgs:02081054). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/roanoke-river-at-williamston

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