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SwedenRocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River water level
River gauge, Rocky River, North Carolina, United States
Right now
Very low for late October
Water level
- Flow
- 58.2 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River is running far below normal at 1.14 ft.
That puts it 0.28 ft below the median of 1.42 ft for late October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 16.86 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.21 ft (−0.07 ft).
It has risen 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 0.97 ft and 5.79 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1.42 ft0.28 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.18 ft – 2.62 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.21 ft−0.07 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.97 ft – 5.79 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.92 ft – 7.06 ft
- Highest on record
- 29.91 ftAugust 27, 2008
Floating and fishing near Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 18.00 ft, 16.86 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 40.00 ft
- Major Flood Stage. Some homes near the streamgauge site and areas around the waste treatment plan may begin to flood.
- 26.00 ft
- Moderate Flood Stage. Rocky River is flooding the Intersection of Mt Pleasant Rd and NC 200 with extensive flooding of farmland and other low-lying areas along NC 200. Floodwaters may also approach NC 200 and backwater effects will likely cause significant flooding of Parks Lafferty Rd. Floodwaters may also approach a driveway to a care facility at the 5300 block of NC 200 and access may be restricted.
- 22.00 ft
- Minor Flooding continues. Cox Mill Road, N.C. Route 200, and Mount Pleasant Road may flood.
- 19.00 ft
- Minor Flooding continues. Mount Pleasant Road, N.C. Route 200, and Bonaza Drive may flood.
- 18.50 ft
- Minor Flooding continues. Flooding of Dutch Buffalo Creek, a tributary to the Rocky River, may cause flooding of Bowman Barrier Road between Long Run Farm Road and the Mount Pleasant City Limits.
- 18.00 ft
- Minor Flood Stage. Flooding of Muddy Creek, a tributary to the Rocky River, may cause flooding of Hopewell Church Road.
- 17.00 ft
- Minor Flooding continues. Stallings Road and Poplar Tent Road may be flooded.
- 16.50 ft
- Legacy Minor Flood Stage. Pharr Mill Road between Rocky River Road and Sequoia Hill Road may be submerged by up to 1 foot of water. Floodwaters may approach Stallings Road and Mount Pleasant Road.
- 14.00 ft
- Action Stage. Flooding along Back Creek south of Harrisburg may occur near the intersection of Robinson Church Road and Stallings Road which is near Middleton and Rocky Meadows subdivisions.
- 12.00 ft
- Legacy Action or Bankfull Stage. Flooding from Back Creek may approach but not reach Pharr Mill Road due to backwater effects from Rocky River.
- 7.00 ft
- At this level, some low lying areas downstream around Midland, along Muddy Creek, may start to flood due to backwater effects of the Rocky River.
- 1.14 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29.91 ft | August 27, 2008 |
| 2 | 24.60 ft | January 25, 2010 |
| 3 | 23.46 ft | February 7, 2020 |
| 4 | 23.21 ft | April 11, 2003 |
| 5 | 23.21 ft | September 17, 2018 |
| 6 | 22.51 ft | December 31, 2015 |
| 7 | 22.36 ft | September 28, 2004 |
| 8 | 22.10 ft | March 21, 2003 |
| 9 | 21.75 ft | June 29, 2013 |
| 10 | 21.27 ft | March 2, 2007 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Rocky River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky River at Sr1300 near Crutchfield CrossroadsRiver gauge, Rocky River | 3.52 ft | Very high | ±0 | 66 mi |
| Rocky River at US 64 near Siler CityRiver gauge, Rocky River | 2.03 ft | Normal | ±0 | 69 mi |
| Rocky River near NorwoodRiver gauge, Rocky River | 3.90 ft | High | −0.03 ft | 24 mi |
| Rocky River near StarrRiver gauge, Rocky River | 2.87 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 132 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back Creek at Sr1173 near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Back Creek | 2.29 ft | Normal | ±0 | 8 mi |
| McKee Creek at Sr2804 near WilgroveRiver gauge, McKee Creek | 1.78 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 8 mi |
| Clear Creek at Sr3181 near Mint HillRiver gauge, Clear Creek | 1.00 ft | Very low | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Reedy Creek below I-485 near Pine RidgeRiver gauge, Reedy Creek | 1.63 ft | Normal | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Mallard Creek below Stony Creek near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Mallard Creek | 2.57 ft | Very low | ±0 | 10 mi |
| Reedy Creek at SR 2803 near CharlotteRiver gauge, Reedy Creek | 1.44 ft | Normal | ±0 | 10 mi |
| Clarke Creek near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Clarke Creek | 3.86 ft | Very high | −0.01 ft | 14 mi |
| Goose Creek at Sr1525 near Indian TrailRiver gauge, Goose Creek | 1.02 ft | Low | ±0 | 14 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River compare with last year?
It is 0.07 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.21 ft.
What is flood stage for the Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River?
The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 16.86 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River in late October?
The median for late October is 1.42 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.18 ft and 2.62 ft, based on 26 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 Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 01:15 AM EDT, the water level was 1.14 ft. Up 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River rising or falling?
Up 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.42 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River normal?
Very low for late October. Compared with 26 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:0212433550(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.32167, -80.54083(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 | 1.14 ft | 2026-10-21 05:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 58.2 cfs | 2026-10-21 05:15 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Rocky River above Irish Buffalo Creek near Rocky River (usgs:0212433550). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/rocky-river-above-irish-buffalo-creek-near-rocky-river
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