Elk River near Pelham water level

Name: Elk River near Pelham 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, Elk River, Tennessee, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.03ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:00 AM EDT (25 min ago)

Flow: 6.2 cfs

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 Elk River near Pelham reads 3.03 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.66 ft above the median of 2.37 ft for mid-October, based on 24 years of readings. It is 10.97 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.78 ft (+1.25 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.64 ft and 3.03 ft.

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

Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.37 ft0.66 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.52 ft – 3.92 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (24 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.78 ft+1.25 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.64 ft – 3.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.57 ft – 9.29 ft
Highest on record: 14.08 ftMarch 16, 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 14.00 ft, still 10.97 ft away.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: Water reaches a house on the left bank downstream of gauge. Water may inundate parts of Bells Mills Rd between Interstate 24 and US-41 (Dixie Highway).
11.00 ft: Water begins to inundate low lying wooded and agricultural areas along the river.
3.03 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.08 ft	March 16, 1973
2	14.05 ft	April 4, 1977
3	13.17 ft	March 12, 1963
4	13.08 ft	April 5, 1983
5	12.72 ft	May 6, 2003
6	12.64 ft	December 30, 1969
7	12.50 ft	April 28, 2013
8	12.42 ft	December 26, 1973
9	12.32 ft	March 21, 1980
10	12.31 ft	March 13, 1975

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 61° 46° – Wind 13 mph

18 Sun 69° 43° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 67° 46° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 71° 47° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 74° 49° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 73° 50° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 76° 48° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:54 AM Sunset 07:03 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the Elk River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elk River above FayettevilleRiver gauge, Elk River	1.44 ft	Below flood stage	±0	39 mi
Elk River at ProspectRiver gauge, Elk River	0.76 ft	Below flood stage	±0	66 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bradley Creek near Prairie PlainsRiver gauge, Bradley Creek	2.3 cfs	Low	+0.2 cfs	7 mi
Sinking Pond at AedcRiver gauge, Sinking Pond	1.92 ft	Normal	±0	14 mi
Duck River below ManchesterRiver gauge, Duck River	15.7 cfs	Very low	+0.7 cfs	19 mi
Sequatchie River near WhitwellRiver gauge, Sequatchie River	0.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	22 mi
Collins River near McMinnvilleRiver gauge, Collins River	80.2 cfs	Low	−4.9 cfs	29 mi
Wartrace Creek below County Road at WartraceRiver gauge, Wartrace Creek	1.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	31 mi
Estill Fork at EstillforkRiver gauge, Estill Fork	4.54 ft	Normal	±0	32 mi
Mountain Creek near GlendaleRiver gauge, Mountain Creek	0.3 cfs	Low	±0	34 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Elk River near Pelham compare with last year?

It is 1.25 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.78 ft.

What is flood stage for the Elk River near Pelham?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 10.97 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 2.37 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.52 ft and 3.92 ft, based on 24 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 Elk River near Pelham today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:00 AM EDT, the water level was 3.03 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Elk River near Pelham rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Elk River near Pelham normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 24 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:03578000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.29683, -85.86974 (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	3.03 ft	2026-10-20 11:00	Provisional
Flow	6.2 cfs	2026-10-20 11:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elk River near Pelham (usgs:03578000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/tennessee/elk-river-near-pelham

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