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Swannanoa River at Biltmore water level

River gauge, Swannanoa River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Low for mid-October

Water level

1.35ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
39.7 cfs
0 10 20 30 Highest onrecord 27.33 ft Minor floodstage 10.00 ft

History

History
1.52.0ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20Oct 22Oct 241.52.0ftOct 16Oct 20Oct 24
123ftSep 21Sep 29Oct 7Oct 16Oct 24123ftSep 21Oct 7Oct 24
123ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026123ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
123ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026123ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

At 1.35 ft, the Swannanoa River at Biltmore is below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.51 ft, based on 31 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.16 ft below typical. It is 8.65 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.39 ft, a difference of −0.04 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.25 ft and 3.65 ft.

Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.51 ft0.16 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.28 ft – 2.16 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
Same day last year
1.39 ft−0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.25 ft – 3.65 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.25 ft – 3.65 ft
Highest on record
27.33 ftSeptember 27, 2024
Forecast peak
1.40 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM

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 10.00 ft, still 8.65 ft away.

What happens at each level

26.00 ft
Estimated historical record flood stage. According to Tennessee Valley Authority historical research, the river reached similar levels in April of 1791. Note, however, that this record cannot be directly compared to more rigorous and accurate streamgauge measurements taken during the USGS period of record. Regardless, catastrophic flooding of the Swannanoa River Valley is ongoing with ruinous flooding impacting most structures within the flood plain.
21.00 ft
Major Flooding continues. Devastating flooding of the Swannanoa River Valley is likely. Biltmore Village and surrounding areas in the Swannanoa River Valley are experiencing the worst flooding since measurements began in 1920.
19.00 ft
Major Flooding continues. Significant flooding around Biltmore Village continues including Brook St., Lodge St., Swan St., Angle St., and Boston Way. Floodwater levels are similar to those which occurred during Hurricane Frances in early September 2004.
16.50 ft
Major Flood Stage. Floodwaters are likely inundating Biltmore Ave. north and south of the Swannanoa River bridge. Significant flooding of adjacent land, roadways, railroads, and buildings between Sweeten Creek Rd. and the Swannanoa River is likely.
15.00 ft
Moderate Flooding continues. Sweeten Creek Rd. and Brook St. flooding continues between Biltmore Ave. and I-40. Several inches of floodwaters are likely inundating Decatur St., Garfield St., portions of Thompson St., and the first floors of adjacent buildings. Flooding of land, roadways, and buildings between the Swannanoa River and Brook St.-Fairview Rd. is likely.
14.50 ft
Moderate Flood Stage. Sweeten Creek may be flooding portions of Sweeten Creek Rd. between Biltmore Village and I-40. Flooding of parts of Biltmore Village is likely. Swannanoa River floodwaters are impacting roads and buildings between the river and the railroad tracks.
12.00 ft
Minor Flooding continues. Swannanoa River and Sweeten Creek floodwaters may be flooding the lowest floor of buildings on Garfield St. and Decatur St. The Swannanoa River is likely flooding parts of Swannanoa River Rd. (NC 81) between Biltmore Ave. and Caledonia Rd.
11.50 ft
Minor Flooding continues. Swannanoa River and Sweeten Creek floodwaters are approaching buildings on Garfield St. and Decatur St. and initial flooding of these structures may be imminent.
10.00 ft
Minor Flood Stage. Backwater effects from the Swannanoa River may be causing flooding along Sweeten Creek forcing floodwaters onto Garfield St. Swannanoa River floodwaters are approaching and may be flooding parts of Swannanoa River Rd. (NC 81), Caledonia Rd., Glendale Ave., and Thompson St.
9.00 ft
Action Stage. The Swannanoa River has exceeded its banks and is beginning to flood adjacent low-lying areas. The Swannanoa River may be causing backwater effects on Sweeten Creek and Ram Branch, forcing both streams to exceed their banks and flood adjacent low-lying areas.
1.35 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
127.33 ftSeptember 27, 2024
220.70 ftJuly 16, 1916
319.22 ftSeptember 8, 2004
419.00 ftAugust 13, 1940
518.74 ftAugust 16, 1928
618.00 ftMay 1, 1945
717.00 ftFebruary 1, 1975
816.74 ftSeptember 17, 2004
916.00 ftMay 21, 1901
1015.79 ftJanuary 15, 1995

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:41 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 67%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Hominy Creek near West AshevilleRiver gauge, Hominy Creek 1.16 ft Very low −0.07 ft 3.0 mi
French Broad River at AshevilleRiver gauge, French Broad River 1.24 ft Low −0.05 ft 3.4 mi
French Broad River near FletcherRiver gauge, French Broad River 4.29 ft Normal −0.06 ft 10 mi
Beetree Creek near SwannanoaRiver gauge, Beetree Creek 1.43 ft Normal −0.01 ft 10 mi
Mills River near Mills RiverRiver gauge, Mills River 1.84 ft Normal +0.01 ft 12 mi
North Fork Swannanoa River near WalkertownRiver gauge, North Fork Swannanoa River 7.96 ft Very high −0.02 ft 14 mi
Ivy River near MarshallRiver gauge, Ivy River 1.98 ft Normal −0.01 ft 15 mi
French Broad River at MarshallRiver gauge, French Broad River 1.44 ft Normal −0.04 ft 16 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Swannanoa River at Biltmore higher than last year?

No, it is 0.04 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.39 ft.

What is flood stage for the Swannanoa River at Biltmore?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.65 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Swannanoa River at Biltmore in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.51 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.28 ft and 2.16 ft, based on 31 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 Swannanoa River at Biltmore today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM EDT, the water level was 1.35 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Swannanoa River at Biltmore rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.34 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Swannanoa River at Biltmore normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 31 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:03451000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.56833, -82.54472 (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 1.35 ft 2026-10-20 10:00 Provisional
Flow 39.7 cfs 2026-10-20 10:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Swannanoa River at Biltmore (usgs:03451000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/swannanoa-river-at-biltmore

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.