Catawba River near Rock Hill water level

Name: Catawba River near Rock Hill 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, Catawba River, South Carolina, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

6.01ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT (25 min ago)

Flow: 8,370 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Catawba River near Rock Hill is well above normal at 6.01 ft.

That puts it 2.38 ft above the median of 3.64 ft for mid-October, based on 34 years of readings. It is 8.99 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.70 ft (+2.31 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.32 ft and 7.24 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.64 ft2.38 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.22 ft – 5.39 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.70 ft+2.31 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.32 ft – 7.24 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.13 ft – 7.24 ft
Highest on record: 24.15 ftMay 23, 1901

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: AREAS BETWEEN THE RIVER AND RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND ALONG PUMP STATION ROAD WILL BE FLOODED.
14.00 ft: BUILDINGS AND PARKING LOTS WILL BE FLOODED ON HERRONS FERRY RD BELOW CHERRY RD/HWY 21
13.00 ft: RIVER WILL FLOOD PIEDMONT MEDICAL TRAIL AREA AND PARTS OF BRAKFIELD DRIVE AREA ON HERRONS FERRY ROAD.
6.01 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.15 ft	May 23, 1901
2	20.84 ft	September 19, 1945
3	19.70 ft	December 30, 1901
4	18.00 ft	March 20, 1899
5	17.79 ft	November 28, 1948
6	16.54 ft	February 7, 2020
7	16.41 ft	October 1, 1990
8	15.90 ft	September 10, 2004
9	15.17 ft	April 10, 2003
10	14.84 ft	May 8, 2013

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.06 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 77° 38° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 74° 42° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 73° 42° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 71° 50° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 68° 49° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 69° 48° – Wind 10 mph

26 Mon 73° 49° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:35 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Catawba River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Catawba River near Pleasant GardensRiver gauge, Catawba River	1.83 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	78 mi
Catawba River at Sr1223 below Lake James near BridgewaterRiver gauge, Catawba River	4.08 ft	High	±0	71 mi
Catawba River at RhodhissRiver gauge, Catawba River	11.23 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	60 mi
Catawba River at Nc Highway 16 near MillersvilleRiver gauge, Catawba River	6.67 ft	High	+2.18 ft	59 mi
Catawba River below Lookout Shoals Dam near SharonRiver gauge, Catawba River	11.34 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	54 mi
Catawba River at Rr Bridge above NC 73 at Cowans FordRiver gauge, Catawba River	3.16 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	31 mi
Catawba River below Lake Wylie Dam Fewell IslandRiver gauge, Catawba River	8.15 ft	No reference yet	+1.20 ft	2.7 mi
Catawba River below CatawbaRiver gauge, Catawba River	5.59 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Catawba River at Great FallsRiver gauge, Catawba River	352.54 ft	Normal	−0.33 ft	27 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Dutchman Creek at Rock HillRiver gauge, Big Dutchman Creek	1.04 ft	Very low	±0	2.0 mi
Manchester Creek at Rock HillRiver gauge, Manchester Creek	1.40 ft	Very low	±0	2.8 mi
Sugar Creek near Fort MillRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	3.99 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	4.3 mi
McAlpine Creek at Sr2964 near Camp CoxRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek	−0.34 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	6.1 mi
Tools Fork Creek near Rock HillRiver gauge, Tools Fork Creek	1.95 ft	Low	±0	8 mi
McAlpine Creek below McMullen Creek near PinevilleRiver gauge, McAlpine Creek	1.10 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	8 mi
Steele Creek at Sr1441 near PinevilleRiver gauge, Steele Creek	0.97 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Six Mile Creek near PinevilleRiver gauge, Six Mile Creek	3.17 ft	High	+0.02 ft	8 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Catawba River near Rock Hill compare with last year?

It is 2.31 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.70 ft.

What is flood stage for the Catawba River near Rock Hill?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 8.99 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Catawba River near Rock Hill in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.64 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.22 ft and 5.39 ft, based on 34 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 Catawba River near Rock Hill today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT, the water level was 6.01 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Catawba River near Rock Hill rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 1.23 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Catawba River near Rock Hill normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 34 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:02146000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.98487, -80.97397 (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	6.01 ft	2026-10-21 03:00	Provisional
Flow	8,370 cfs	2026-10-21 03:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Catawba River near Rock Hill (usgs:02146000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/catawba-river-near-rock-hill

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