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Valley River at Tomotla water level

River gauge, Valley River, North Carolina, United States

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Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.77ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
65.6 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 21.20 ft Minor floodstage 12.00 ft

History

History
1.52.02.5ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 201.52.02.5ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
23ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 2023ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
24ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 202624ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
24ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202624ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Valley River at Tomotla is at 1.77 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.10 ft below the median of 1.87 ft for mid-October, based on 31 years of readings. It is 10.23 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.83 ft (−0.06 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.76 ft and 2.75 ft.

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

Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.87 ft0.10 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.53 ft – 2.33 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
Same day last year
1.83 ft−0.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.76 ft – 2.75 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.74 ft – 3.88 ft
Highest on record
21.20 ftSeptember 1, 1998

Floating and fishing near Valley River at Tomotla

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 10.23 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft
ROADS IN THE VICINITY OF THE GAGE AND DOWNSTREAM ARE CLOSED.
12.00 ft
PROPERIES AND BUILDINGS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN ARE FLOODED AND MAY BE INACCESSIBLE. NEARBY FIELDS ARE FLOODED. THE CITY OF MURPHY BEGINS TO BE THREATENED.
6.00 ft
ALTHOUGH WELL BELOW OFFICIAL FLOOD STAGE, CAMPGROUNDS AND BUILDINGS DOWNSTREAM WILL HAVE PROBLEMS.
1.77 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
121.20 ftSeptember 1, 1998
220.50 ftNovember 19, 1906
317.10 ftMarch 27, 1994
415.87 ftFebruary 16, 1990
515.40 ftMarch 21, 1980
614.57 ftMarch 4, 1979
714.53 ftFebruary 6, 2020
814.43 ftDecember 2, 2015
914.08 ftJanuary 16, 2013
1013.81 ftJuly 21, 2022

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:47 AM Sunset 06:56 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 65%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Nantahala River near Rainbow SpringsRiver gauge, Nantahala River 0.94 ft Normal −0.01 ft 20 mi
Nottely River near BlairsvilleRiver gauge, Nottely River 1.59 ft Normal −0.01 ft 21 mi
Cheoah River near Bearpen Gap near TapocoRiver gauge, Cheoah River 2.78 ft Normal ±0 21 mi
Nantahala River near HewittRiver gauge, Nantahala River 1.24 ft Very low −0.11 ft 22 mi
Tellico River at Tellico PlainsRiver gauge, Tellico River 60.0 cfs Normal −2.9 cfs 23 mi
Hiwassee River at Riverside Drain, near HiawasseeRiver gauge, Hiwassee River 2.42 ft Low ±0 23 mi
Ocoee River at CopperhillRiver gauge, Ocoee River 225 cfs Very low −1,005.0 cfs 25 mi
Toccoa River near DialRiver gauge, Toccoa River 0.94 ft Low ±0 28 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Valley River at Tomotla compare with last year?

It is 0.06 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.83 ft.

What is flood stage for the Valley River at Tomotla?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 10.23 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Valley River at Tomotla in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.87 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.53 ft and 2.33 ft, based on 31 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 Valley River at Tomotla today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 PM EDT, the water level was 1.77 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Valley River at Tomotla rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Valley River at Tomotla normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 31 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:03550000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
35.13889, -83.98056 (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 1.77 ft 2026-10-20 03:30 Provisional
Flow 65.6 cfs 2026-10-20 03:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Valley River at Tomotla (usgs:03550000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/valley-river-at-tomotla

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.