Nivelmap
EN

How to read levelsSources and methods

North America

Western Europe

Central Europe

Mediterranean

Nordic countries

South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro water level

River gauge, South Buffalo Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Low for late October

Water level

1.98ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
1.3 cfs
0 5 10 15 Minor floodstage 18.00 ft Highest onrecord 16.77 ft

History

2.02.5ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 212.02.5ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
2345ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 212345ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

At 1.98 ft, South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro is below normal for late October.

That puts it 0.15 ft below the median of 2.13 ft for late October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 16.02 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.97 ft (+0.01 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.94 ft and 3.03 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
2.13 ft0.15 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.91 ft – 2.74 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year
1.97 ft+0.01 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.94 ft – 3.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.85 ft – 7.23 ft
Highest on record
16.77 ftSeptember 17, 2018

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 18.00 ft, still 16.02 ft away.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft
FLOODING OF AREAS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE CREEK CAN BE EXPECTED. FLOOD WATERS WILL BACK UP RYAN CREEK THREATENING BOTH ROADS AND BUSUNESSES. SEVERAL BUSINESSES ALONG BUFFALO AND RYAN THE CREEK WILL FLOOD.
18.00 ft
WATER WILL RISE AND FLOOD PORTIONS OF SPRING VALLEY PARK ON WEST MEADOWVIEW ROAD. IF WATERS LEVEL CONTINUE TO RISE FLOODING COULD OCCUR IN BUSINESSES DOWNSTREAM.
1.98 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
116.77 ftSeptember 17, 2018
214.73 ftSeptember 1, 2000
314.23 ftOctober 11, 2018
411.42 ftJanuary 3, 1999
510.59 ftMarch 29, 2001

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:32 AM Sunset 06:37 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on South Buffalo Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
South Buffalo Creek near PomonaRiver gauge, South Buffalo Creek 0.89 ft Normal +0.01 ft 3.2 mi
South Buffalo Creek near GreensboroRiver gauge, South Buffalo Creek 1.15 ft Very low −0.02 ft 4.4 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Ryan Creek below US 220 at GreensboroRiver gauge, Ryan Creek 1.01 ft Normal +0.01 ft 0.5 mi
North Buffalo Creek at Westover Terrace at GreensboroRiver gauge, North Buffalo Creek 0.59 ft Very low +0.04 ft 2.9 mi
North Buffalo Creek at Church St at GreensboroRiver gauge, North Buffalo Creek 1.99 ft Normal +0.02 ft 4.2 mi
North Buffalo Creek near GreensboroRiver gauge, North Buffalo Creek 0.84 ft Very low −0.07 ft 8 mi
Horsepen Creek at US 220 near GreensboroRiver gauge, Horsepen Creek 1.90 ft Normal +0.01 ft 8 mi
East Fork Deep River near High PointRiver gauge, East Fork Deep River 2.00 ft Very low ±0 8 mi
Brush Creek at Muirfield Road at GreensboroRiver gauge, Brush Creek 1.77 ft Low −0.03 ft 9 mi
Buffalo Creek at Sr2819 near McLeansvilleRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek 1.94 ft Very low −0.02 ft 10 mi

Questions and answers

How does South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro compare with last year?

It is 0.01 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.97 ft.

What is flood stage for South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 16.02 ft below it.

What is a normal level for South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro in late October?

The median for late October is 2.13 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.91 ft and 2.74 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 South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:35 AM EDT, the water level was 1.98 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro normal?

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:02094770 (Agency page)
Coordinates
36.03806, -79.79972 (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 1.98 ft 2026-10-21 09:35 Provisional
Flow 1.3 cfs 2026-10-21 09:35 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: South Buffalo Creek at US 220 at Greensboro (usgs:02094770). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/south-buffalo-creek-at-us-220-at-greensboro

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