Yadkin River at Patterson water level

Name: Yadkin River at Patterson 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, Yadkin River, North Carolina, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.07ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:45 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 23.6 cfs
Water temperature: 51 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Yadkin River at Patterson reads 1.07 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.08 ft, based on 30 years of readings, and the gauge is right on it. It is 3.93 ft below the flood stage of 5.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.06 ft, a difference of +0.01 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.92 ft and 3.56 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 51 °F.

Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.08 ft0.00 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.87 ft – 1.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.06 ft+0.01 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.92 ft – 3.56 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.84 ft – 3.56 ft
Highest on record: 12.80 ftAugust 7, 1973

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 5.00 ft, still 3.93 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: STATE HIGHWAY 286 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
9.00 ft: HOMES BETWEEN THE DAM AND STATE HIGHWAY 268 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD
8.00 ft: ROADS AND BRIDGES BELOW THE DAM WILL BE FLOODED. LOADING DOCKS WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD IN THE SEALED AIR CORPATION PARKING LOT.
7.00 ft: STATE HIGHWAY 1514 AND 1515 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
6.00 ft: WATER WILL ENTER PARKING LOT NEAR LOADING DOCKS OF SEALED AIR COMPANY. HOMES BETWEEN HIGHWAY 268 AND THE RIVER WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD. THE HAPPY VALLEY COMMUNITY WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
5.00 ft: INDIAN GRAVE ROAD IN THE HAPPY VALLEY COMMUNITY AND CHEEKS CROSS ROAD JUST BELOW THE DAM WILL BE FLOODED. HOMES NEAR THE RIVER WILL GET WATER INTO BACKYARDS.
3.25 ft: 3.25 INCH 12 HR BASIN WIDE RAINFALL CAUSED A 3.5 FT RISE...FROM 1.1 FT TO 4.55 FT
2.50 ft: 2.5 BASIN WIDE WILL TAKE PATN7 UP TO 3.5 IN DROUGHT AND 4.5 FT IN NORMAL TIMES.
2.00 ft: 2 INCHES IN 45 MINS CAUSED RIVER TO RISE TO 3.0 FEET...NO FLOODING REPORTED.
1.90 ft: 1.9 INCHES IN 1.5 HOURS DID NOT CAUSE FLOODING. RIVER ROSE TO 5 FT (IN DROUGHT).
1.75 ft: 1.75 IN 1 HOUR WILL CAUSE THE RIVER TO RISE TO AROUND 3 FT...NO FLOODING REPORTED.
1.50 ft: GENERAL RAIN OF 1.5 IN 6 TO 12 HOURS CAUSED PATN7 TO RISE FROM 1.13 FT TO 2.8 FT
1.07 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.80 ft	August 7, 1973
2	12.70 ft	August 13, 1940
3	9.38 ft	August 17, 1994
4	8.44 ft	November 16, 1989
5	8.25 ft	October 12, 1990
6	7.83 ft	November 6, 1977
7	7.70 ft	March 11, 1952
8	7.56 ft	October 20, 2003
9	7.32 ft	September 22, 1990
10	7.13 ft	August 12, 1996

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:38 AM Sunset 06:45 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the Yadkin River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Yadkin River below W Kerr Scott Dam near BuckRiver gauge, Yadkin River	1.88 ft	Normal	−1.18 ft	21 mi
Yadkin River at WilkesboroRiver gauge, Yadkin River	2.37 ft	Normal	−0.94 ft	26 mi
Yadkin River at ElkinRiver gauge, Yadkin River	1.59 ft	Normal	−1.08 ft	43 mi
Yadkin River at EnonRiver gauge, Yadkin River	3.57 ft	High	−0.12 ft	63 mi
Yadkin River at Yadkin CollegeRiver gauge, Yadkin River	1.51 ft	Normal	−0.17 ft	66 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elk Creek at ElkvilleRiver gauge, Elk Creek	1.01 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Johns River at Arneys StoreRiver gauge, Johns River	2.42 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	14 mi
Upper Little River at Sr1740 at Petra MillsRiver gauge, Upper Little River	36.8 cfs	Normal	±0	15 mi
Catawba River at RhodhissRiver gauge, Catawba River	11.11 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	17 mi
Lower Little River near All Healing SpringsRiver gauge, Lower Little River	0.68 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	18 mi
Middle Little River at Moretz Dam near BethlehemRiver gauge, Middle Little River	4.47 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	19 mi
West Kerr Scott Reservoir at Dam near WilkesboroReservoir, West Kerr Scott Reservoir	1,029.68 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	21 mi
Watauga River near Sugar GroveRiver gauge, Watauga River	1.75 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	23 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Yadkin River at Patterson higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.01 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.06 ft.

What is flood stage for the Yadkin River at Patterson?

The official flood stage is 5.00 ft. The level is currently 3.93 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Yadkin River at Patterson in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.08 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.87 ft and 1.41 ft, based on 30 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 Yadkin River at Patterson today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:45 AM EDT, the water level was 1.07 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Yadkin River at Patterson rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.43 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Yadkin River at Patterson normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 30 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:02111000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.99083, -81.55833 (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	1.07 ft	2026-10-20 08:45	Provisional
Flow	23.6 cfs	2026-10-20 08:45	Provisional
Water temperature	51 °F	2026-10-20 08:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Yadkin River at Patterson (usgs:02111000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-carolina/yadkin-river-at-patterson

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