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Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton water level

River gauge, Swift Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.07ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
4.7 cfs
0 5 10 15 Minor floodstage 15.00 ft

History

1234ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 211234ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
-051015ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 13Oct 21Minor flood stage-051015ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21Minor flood stage
-051015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-051015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
-0510ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-0510ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton: the gauge reads 1.07 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.75 ft, based on 18 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.68 ft below typical. It is 13.93 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 0.97 ft, a difference of +0.10 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 18 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.75 ft0.68 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.08 ft – 2.81 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year
0.97 ft+0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
0.54 ft – 1.22 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
0.28 ft – 6.08 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 15.00 ft.

What happens at each level

19.00 ft
WATER REACHES THE ROAD SURFACE OF THE BRIDGE ON GOVERNMENT ROAD (SR1555).
15.00 ft
WATER REACHES THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE ON GOVERNMENT ROAD (SR1555).
7.00 ft
BANKFULL.
1.07 ft
Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on Swift Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Swift Creek near ApexRiver gauge, Swift Creek 1.65 ft Very low −1.08 ft 17 mi
Swift Creek near McCullars CrossroadsRiver gauge, Swift Creek 1.71 ft Normal −0.01 ft 14 mi
Swift Creek at Highway 43 near Streets FerryRiver gauge, Swift Creek 2.98 ft Very high −0.28 ft 82 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Middle Creek near ClaytonRiver gauge, Middle Creek 1.53 ft Very low −0.07 ft 5.2 mi
Neuse River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Neuse River 1.40 ft Low −0.03 ft 7 mi
Neuse River at SmithfieldRiver gauge, Neuse River 4.62 ft Normal −0.12 ft 9 mi
Walnut Creek at Sunnybrook Drive near RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 2.30 ft Low −0.07 ft 14 mi
Walnut Creek at Rose Lane at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 3.99 ft Low −0.04 ft 14 mi
Walnut Creek at South State Street at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 1.59 ft Very low −0.20 ft 14 mi
Walnut Creek at South Wilmington St at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 0.69 ft Normal −0.09 ft 15 mi
Rocky Branch below Pullen Road at RaleighRiver gauge, Rocky Branch 4.73 ft High ±0 17 mi

Questions and answers

Is Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.10 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.97 ft.

What is flood stage for Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 13.93 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.75 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.08 ft and 2.81 ft, based on 18 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 Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 PM EDT, the water level was 1.07 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.12 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 18 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:0208773375 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.57500, -78.49861 (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 1.07 ft 2026-10-21 03:15 Provisional
Flow 4.7 cfs 2026-10-21 03:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Swift Creek at Sr1555 near Clayton (usgs:0208773375). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/swift-creek-at-sr1555-near-clayton

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