Second Creek near Barber water level

Name: Second Creek near Barber water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Second Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

2.44ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 03:00 AM EDT (22 min ago)

Flow: 43.2 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Second Creek near Barber is above normal at 2.44 ft.

That puts it 0.31 ft above the median of 2.13 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 11.56 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.13 ft (−0.69 ft).

It has dropped 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.08 ft and 6.70 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.13 ft0.31 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.90 ft – 2.63 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.13 ft−0.69 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.08 ft – 6.70 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.85 ft – 10.67 ft
Highest on record: 18.58 ftFebruary 7, 2020

Floating and fishing near Second Creek near Barber

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 11.56 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. Extremely rare and catastrophic flooding of N Second Creek is developing with disastrous impacts to property. Campgrounds may be experiencing devastating flooding greater than 4 ft deep, causing severe damage. Basements and crawl spaces may be completely submerged. First-floor building elevations may be experiencing ruinous flooding greater than 1 ft deep. Travel may be severely restricted with roadway inundation exceeding 3-4 ft, stranding several homes and businesses.
19.00 ft: Moderate flooding continues. Water may surround the Mid South Industrial Park waste treatment ponds south of US 70 and approach nearby infrastructure. Godbey Rd, Sherrills Ford Rd, Woodleaf Rd, and Gupton Dr may be experiencing significant inundation.
17.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Unusual, damaging flooding is developing adjacent to N Second Creek with considerable impacts to property. Significant flooding reaching 4-6 ft deep is ongoing for low-lying areas and low-water crossings. Campgrounds may be experiencing dangerous inundation up to 2-4 ft deep, capable of moving RVs and other vehicles. Flooding less than 1 ft deep may begin for first-floor building elevations. Some homes and businesses may be stranded. Significant impacts to travel are likely.
14.00 ft: Minor Flood Stage. Common, deeper flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to N Second Creek is developing with lesser impacts to vulnerable property. Nearby farmland and other low-lying areas are experiencing inundation approximately 2-4 ft deep. In fast-response situations, upstream tributaries have likely already crested and will have flooded several low-water crossings. Impacted crossings upstream may include at White Rd, Lyerly Rd, Upright Rd, Graham Rd, Hall Rd, Childers Rd, and Bear Poplar Rd.
12.00 ft: Action/Advisory Stage. N Second Creek is out of its banks up and downstream of the gauge site on US 70, flooding adjacent farmland and other low-lying areas with up to 2 feet of inundation. In fast-response situations, upstream tributaries will likely already be flooding several low-water crossings. Impacted crossings upstream may include at White Rd, Lyerly Rd, Upright Rd, Graham Rd, Hall Rd, Childers Rd, and Bear Poplar Rd.
2.44 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	18.58 ft	February 7, 2020
2	18.13 ft	October 12, 2018
3	17.28 ft	August 28, 1995
4	16.92 ft	April 16, 1987
5	16.65 ft	March 1, 1987
6	16.58 ft	November 13, 2020
7	16.39 ft	April 11, 2003
8	16.17 ft	May 28, 2020
9	15.99 ft	March 24, 1993
10	15.87 ft	September 17, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:42 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 66%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Yadkin River near MocksvilleRiver gauge, South Yadkin River	2.03 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	9 mi
Yadkin River at Yadkin CollegeRiver gauge, Yadkin River	1.55 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	15 mi
Coddle Creek at SR 1612 near DavidsonRiver gauge, Coddle Creek	2.05 ft	High	−0.01 ft	17 mi
West Branch Rocky R B Mouth of South Prong River near CorneliusRiver gauge, West Branch Rocky R B Mouth of South Prong River	2.98 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	20 mi
Abbotts Creek at LexingtonRiver gauge, Abbotts Creek	3.12 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	21 mi
Hunting Creek near HarmonyRiver gauge, Hunting Creek	0.34 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Clarke Creek near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Clarke Creek	3.87 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	23 mi
Torrence Creek at Bradford Hill Ln near HuntersvlleRiver gauge, Torrence Creek	1.18 ft	Very low	±0	27 mi

Questions and answers

How does Second Creek near Barber compare with last year?

It is 0.69 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.13 ft.

What is flood stage for Second Creek near Barber?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 11.56 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Second Creek near Barber in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.13 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.90 ft and 2.63 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 Second Creek near Barber today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.44 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Second Creek near Barber rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.55 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Second Creek near Barber normal?

High 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:02120780 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.71761, -80.59607 (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	2.44 ft	2026-10-20 07:00	Provisional
Flow	43.2 cfs	2026-10-20 07:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Second Creek near Barber (usgs:02120780). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/second-creek-near-barber

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