Tar River at Greenville water level

Name: Tar River at Greenville 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, Tar River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.04ft Down 0.68 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Tar River at Greenville, where the gauge shows 4.04 ft.

The median for mid-October is 4.28 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.24 ft below typical. It is 8.96 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.98 ft, a difference of +0.06 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.68 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.42 ft – 5.33 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.28 ft0.24 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.64 ft – 8.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.98 ft+0.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.42 ft – 5.33 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.21 ft – 7.75 ft
Highest on record: 29.74 ftSeptember 21, 1999
Lowest on record: 0.80 ftJuly 3, 1971

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Devastating flooding similar to Hurricane Floyd. Numerous homes adjacent to the river in the city of Greenville are inundated. All roads in and around Greenville are flooded and impassable. Tributaries back up and flood homes, businesses, and roads in areas that are miles away from the river.
24.00 ft: Widespread flooding for all areas adjacent to the river and tributaries. Water floods the Pitt-Greenville Airport and terminal. Many homes and apartments north of First Street in Greenville are flooded. Some major roads around the city of Greenville are impassable.
22.00 ft: Water overflows into numerous areas within the city of Greenville. Several secondary roads are also flooded. Some homes along the river are inundated. Water threatens several housing developments along the south side of the river. Homes and businesses are inundated along Mumford Road. Numerous tributaries flood roads that are miles away from the river.
20.00 ft: Water floods some homes near the river. Water overflows into several streets in the City of Greenville, surrounding numerous homes. Many acres of farmland flooded.
19.00 ft: Secondary roads adjacent to the river are flooded. The river inundates portions of Pitt-Greenville Airport. Water reaches a few homes near the river. Most of River Drive and the end of Warren Street, in Greenville, is impassable, with several houses surrounded by water.
17.00 ft: Water inundates some secondary roads near the river. Much of River Park North is flooded. Water approaches and surrounds homes at the east end of River Drive in Greenville.
16.00 ft: Widespread low land flooding adjacent to the river. Some farmland flooded across Pitt County.
13.00 ft: Minor flooding of low lying areas adjacent to the river can be expected.
4.04 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 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	29.74 ft	September 21, 1999
2	24.50 ft	July 28, 1919
3	24.46 ft	October 14, 2016
4	23.50 ft	October 6, 1928
5	22.30 ft	November 7, 1887
6	22.07 ft	August 22, 1940
7	21.90 ft	September 25, 1928
8	19.89 ft	November 17, 2020
9	19.70 ft	March 14, 1958
10	19.70 ft	October 8, 1929

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Tar River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tar River near Tar RiverRiver gauge, Tar River	1.27 ft	Low	±0	79 mi
Tar River at US 401 at LouisburgRiver gauge, Tar River	3.52 ft	Very low	−0.25 ft	61 mi
Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring HopeRiver gauge, Tar River	1.94 ft	Very low	±0	44 mi
Tar River below Dam near Langley CrossroadsRiver gauge, Tar River	0.65 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	35 mi
Tar River at NC 97 at Rocky MountRiver gauge, Tar River	2.98 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	33 mi
Tar River at TarboroRiver gauge, Tar River	1.31 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	21 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Contentnea Creek at HookertonRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek	4.64 ft	Low	+0.03 ft	18 mi
Pamlico River at WashingtonEstuary gauge, Pamlico River	1.64 ft	Normal	−0.28 ft	18 mi
Neuse River near Fort BarnwellRiver gauge, Neuse River	2.94 ft	Low	−0.32 ft	21 mi
Roanoke River at HamiltonRiver gauge, Roanoke River	1.50 ft	Very low	−0.52 ft	25 mi
Roanoke River at WilliamstonRiver gauge, Roanoke River	3.56 ft	Normal	−0.41 ft	25 mi
Nahunta Swamp near ShineRiver gauge, Nahunta Swamp	2.20 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	26 mi
Neuse River at KinstonRiver gauge, Neuse River	2.99 ft	Very low	−0.15 ft	28 mi
Roanoke River at JamesvilleRiver gauge, Roanoke River	0.65 ft	Very low	−0.17 ft	30 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Tar River at Greenville higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.06 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.98 ft.

What is flood stage for the Tar River at Greenville?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 8.96 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Tar River at Greenville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.28 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.64 ft and 8.06 ft, based on 33 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 Tar River at Greenville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT, the water level was 4.04 ft. Down 0.68 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Tar River at Greenville rising or falling?

Down 0.68 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.52 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Tar River at Greenville normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 33 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:02084000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.61667, -77.37278 (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	4.04 ft	2026-10-20 14:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Tar River at Greenville (usgs:02084000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/tar-river-at-greenville

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