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Swift Creek near Apex water level

River gauge, Swift Creek, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.65ft Down 1.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
0.8 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 13.86 ft Minor floodstage 11.00 ft

History

History
23ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 2023ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
24ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 2024ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Swift Creek near Apex is running far below normal at 1.65 ft.

The median for mid-October is 1.94 ft, based on 23 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.29 ft below typical. It is 9.35 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.81 ft, a difference of −0.16 ft.

It has dropped 1.07 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 1.10 ft and 3.38 ft.

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

Compared with 23 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.94 ft0.29 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.68 ft – 2.21 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (23 years of records)
Same day last year
1.81 ft−0.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.10 ft – 3.38 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.01 ft – 4.31 ft
Highest on record
13.86 ftJune 14, 2016

Floating and fishing near Swift Creek near Apex

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 9.35 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft
Moderate flooding begins. Floodwaters completely inundate the Swift Creek bridge on Holly Springs Road, making it impassable.
11.00 ft
Minor flooding begins. Water reaches the lower trusses of the Swift Creek bridge on Holly Springs Road.
9.00 ft
Action stage. Swift Creek overtops its natural banks near Holly Springs Road.
1.65 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
113.86 ftJune 14, 2016
212.22 ftOctober 8, 2016
311.73 ftJuly 17, 2017
411.71 ftAugust 11, 2003
511.50 ftAugust 6, 2025
611.45 ftOctober 9, 2021
711.17 ftNovember 13, 2018
810.81 ftOctober 12, 2018
98.56 ftSeptember 17, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:34 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on Swift Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Swift Creek near McCullars CrossroadsRiver gauge, Swift Creek 1.71 ft Normal ±0 3.8 mi
Swift Creek at Sr1555 near ClaytonRiver gauge, Swift Creek 1.08 ft Very low −0.06 ft 17 mi
Swift Creek at Highway 43 near Streets FerryRiver gauge, Swift Creek 2.73 ft High −0.08 ft 98 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Walnut Creek at Buck Jones Road at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 0.99 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 3.8 mi
Lake Johnson above Dam at RaleighReservoir, Lake Johnson 343.26 ft Highest on record −0.02 ft 4.0 mi
Walnut Creek at Trailwood Drive at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 3.77 ft Very low −0.13 ft 4.8 mi
Rocky Branch below Pullen Road at RaleighRiver gauge, Rocky Branch 4.74 ft High ±0 6 mi
Walnut Creek at South Wilmington St at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 0.71 ft Normal −0.10 ft 7 mi
Pigeon House Creek at Cameron Village at RaleighRiver gauge, Pigeon House Creek 1.41 ft Normal +0.01 ft 7 mi
Walnut Creek at South State Street at RaleighRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 1.60 ft Very low −0.04 ft 8 mi
Pigeon House Creek at Dortch Street at RaleighRiver gauge, Pigeon House Creek 1.94 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 8 mi

Questions and answers

Is Swift Creek near Apex higher than last year?

No, it is 0.16 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.81 ft.

What is flood stage for Swift Creek near Apex?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 9.35 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Swift Creek near Apex in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.94 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.68 ft and 2.21 ft, based on 23 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 near Apex today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:10 PM EDT, the water level was 1.65 ft. Down 1.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Swift Creek near Apex rising or falling?

Down 1.07 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.10 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Swift Creek near Apex normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 23 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:02087580 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.71889, -78.75222 (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 1.65 ft 2026-10-20 21:10 Provisional
Flow 0.8 cfs 2026-10-20 21:10 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Swift Creek near Apex (usgs:02087580). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/swift-creek-near-apex

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.