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Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope water level

River gauge, Tar River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.94ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
27.8 cfs
0 10 20 Minor floodstage 25.00 ft Highest onrecord 23.88 ft

History

2468ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 202468ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
1020ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 20Minor flood stage1020ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20Minor flood stage
-01020ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-01020ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
51015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202651015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope: the gauge reads 1.94 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.57 ft below the median of 2.51 ft for mid-October, based on 14 years of readings. It is 23.06 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.20 ft (−0.26 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 1.88 ft – 2.38 ft.

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

Compared with 14 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.51 ft0.57 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.13 ft – 4.68 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (14 years of records)
Same day last year
2.20 ft−0.26 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.88 ft – 2.38 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.85 ft – 9.15 ft
Highest on record
23.88 ftOctober 10, 2016

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 25.00 ft.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft
Moderate flooding begins. Water will reach the NC-581 roadway and flood nearby wooded areas.
25.00 ft
Minor flooding begins. There is significant flooding of low-lying wooded areas below the NC-581 bridge and water will reach the base of the bridge.
11.00 ft
BANKFULL STAGE.
1.94 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
123.88 ftOctober 10, 2016
221.73 ftApril 28, 2017
315.99 ftSeptember 21, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Tar River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Tar River near Tar RiverRiver gauge, Tar River 1.26 ft Low −0.03 ft 35 mi
Tar River at US 401 at LouisburgRiver gauge, Tar River 3.47 ft Very low −0.24 ft 19 mi
Tar River below Dam near Langley CrossroadsRiver gauge, Tar River 0.65 ft Low ±0 12 mi
Tar River at NC 97 at Rocky MountRiver gauge, Tar River 2.98 ft Very low +0.01 ft 18 mi
Tar River at TarboroRiver gauge, Tar River 1.29 ft Very low −0.05 ft 31 mi
Tar River at GreenvilleRiver gauge, Tar River 4.58 ft Normal +0.60 ft 44 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Contentnea Creek near LucamaRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek 2.13 ft Normal +0.01 ft 13 mi
Little River near ZebulonRiver gauge, Little River 1.58 ft Normal +0.01 ft 15 mi
Contentnea Creek near Black CreekRiver gauge, Contentnea Creek 6.73 ft Normal −0.06 ft 18 mi
Little Fishing Creek near White OakRiver gauge, Little Fishing Creek 1.30 ft Very low −0.01 ft 24 mi
Neuse River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Neuse River 1.38 ft Low −0.09 ft 24 mi
Little River near PrincetonRiver gauge, Little River 0.37 ft Very low −0.03 ft 26 mi
Neuse River near FallsRiver gauge, Neuse River 1.23 ft Normal ±0 28 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope compare with last year?

It is 0.26 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.20 ft.

What is flood stage for the Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 23.06 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.51 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.13 ft and 4.68 ft, based on 14 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 Nc-581 near Spring Hope today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:15 PM EDT, the water level was 1.94 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 14 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:02081942 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.88209, -78.08954 (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 1.94 ft 2026-10-20 19:15 Provisional
Flow 27.8 cfs 2026-10-20 19:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope (usgs:02081942). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/tar-river-at-nc-581-near-spring-hope

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