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Tar River near Tar River water level

River gauge, Tar River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

1.29ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
3.5 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 24.06 ft Minor floodstage 16.00 ft

History

123ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20123ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
-051015ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 20Minor flood stage-051015ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20Minor flood stage
-051015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-051015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
35810ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202635810ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at Tar River near Tar River: the gauge reads 1.29 ft, below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.42 ft, based on 28 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.12 ft below typical. It is 14.71 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.31 ft, a difference of −0.02 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 1.11 ft – 2.42 ft.

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

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.42 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.23 ft – 2.69 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Same day last year
1.31 ft−0.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.11 ft – 2.42 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
0.95 ft – 4.18 ft
Highest on record
24.06 ftSeptember 6, 1996

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 16.00 ft.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft
Water cover Sam Usry Rd east of US-15.
20.00 ft
Major flooding begins. Water cover the railroad tracks east of the railroad bridge over the Tar River.
18.00 ft
Moderate flooding begins. Water covers Tom Hunt Rd west of NC-96.
17.00 ft
Water covers Tar River Rd south of US-15 at Aycock Creek.
16.00 ft
Minor flooding begins. Water approaches Tar River Rd and Hunt Rd.
1.29 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
124.06 ftSeptember 6, 1996
220.04 ftSeptember 18, 2018
318.87 ftApril 27, 1978
417.56 ftOctober 9, 2016
512.88 ftOctober 12, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on the Tar River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Tar River at US 401 at LouisburgRiver gauge, Tar River 3.62 ft Very low +0.07 ft 17 mi
Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring HopeRiver gauge, Tar River 1.94 ft Very low ±0 35 mi
Tar River below Dam near Langley CrossroadsRiver gauge, Tar River 0.65 ft Low +0.01 ft 44 mi
Tar River at NC 97 at Rocky MountRiver gauge, Tar River 2.97 ft Very low ±0 47 mi
Tar River at TarboroRiver gauge, Tar River 1.29 ft Very low ±0 62 mi
Tar River at GreenvilleRiver gauge, Tar River 4.67 ft Normal +0.17 ft 79 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Knap of Reeds Creek near ButnerRiver gauge, Knap of Reeds Creek 2.29 ft Normal ±0 13 mi
Beaverdam Creek at Dam near CreedmoorRiver gauge, Beaverdam Creek 247.46 ft Below flood stage +0.14 ft 13 mi
Flat River at Dam near BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River 1.07 ft Normal +0.05 ft 14 mi
Little River below Little R Tributary at FairntoshRiver gauge, Little River 2.59 ft Very high −0.01 ft 16 mi
Flat River at BahamaRiver gauge, Flat River 0.82 ft Low −0.01 ft 17 mi
Ellerbe Creek near GormanRiver gauge, Ellerbe Creek 0.85 ft Very low −0.04 ft 17 mi
Falls Lake above Dam near FallsReservoir, Falls Lake 245.21 ft Very low −0.05 ft 17 mi
Neuse River near FallsRiver gauge, Neuse River 1.24 ft Normal ±0 18 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Tar River near Tar River higher than last year?

No, it is 0.02 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.31 ft.

What is flood stage for the Tar River near Tar River?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 14.71 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 1.42 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.23 ft and 2.69 ft, based on 28 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 near Tar River today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.29 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Tar River near Tar River rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.13 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Tar River near Tar River normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 28 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:02081500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
36.19417, -78.58306 (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 1.29 ft 2026-10-20 07:30 Provisional
Flow 3.5 cfs 2026-10-20 07:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Tar River near Tar River (usgs:02081500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/tar-river-near-tar-river

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