Pigeon River at Newport water level

Name: Pigeon River at Newport 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, Pigeon River, Tennessee, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.77ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 205 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Pigeon River at Newport is at 2.77 ft, in the normal range.

It is 5.23 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.72 ft and 4.05 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 29.73 ftSeptember 27, 2024
Forecast peak: 3.90 ftWednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Pigeon River at Newport

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

Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 5.23 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

29.73 ft: Preliminary Flood of Record from 2024 Helene event according to USGS analysis. Water inundates Grace Baptist Church to the lowest gutters; nearby houses inundated with nearly 4 to 6 feet of water. Large swath of downtown Newport including East Broadway and East Main flood with up to a foot or two of water, between N Jefferson Ave and Bear Ave, entering numerous buildings with street-level floors. Inundation of the East Broadway and TN-73 intersection but the Dollar General, mansion, and bridge do not flood.
28.00 ft: Flooding of City Hall main floor begins. The Courthouse Annex may also be threatened with water.
27.50 ft: Flooding of dance studio building next door to City Hall begins.
23.40 ft: Previous Flood of Record from 1902. Water is perhaps beginning to enter Grace Baptist Church on TN-73 and adjacent houses.
18.00 ft: Level of berm in yard on right bank, across from gage. No damage to house, but Jimtown Road impassable. Water is getting into a few parking spaces at Grace Baptist Church on TN-73 and adjacent front yards of houses. Water begins to enter the bottom floor of a church on River Road. A building behind the Newport Police on Main Street may begin to take water (this building was wrecked by Helene floodwaters inundating at least the entire first floor).
17.00 ft: Portions of State Road TN-73 south of Newport become flooded.
16.50 ft: Flooding along Pleasant Grove Road near Edwina expands.
14.50 ft: Flooding of low spots along Pleasant Grove Road near farm land in Edwina.
14.00 ft: Flooding occurs on the north side of River Street in Newport. The river walk behind Main Street in downtown Newport begins to take water in places.
8.00 ft: Minor flooding occurs downstream from gage on Highway 25/70 and in the community of Edwina. Jimtown Road may be affected.
2.77 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 10 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	29.73 ft	September 27, 2024
2	18.90 ft	September 17, 2004
3	18.18 ft	February 6, 2020
4	17.75 ft	September 8, 2004
5	17.67 ft	May 7, 2003
6	16.43 ft	April 13, 2020
7	16.42 ft	August 18, 2021
8	14.22 ft	January 16, 2013
9	14.19 ft	January 9, 2024
10	14.07 ft	January 18, 2013

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 58° 45° 0.02 in, 28% Wind 13 mph

18 Sun 69° 39° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 67° 41° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 69° 44° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 71° 46° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 70° 46° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 70° 44° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:52 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Pigeon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pigeon River near CantonRiver gauge, Pigeon River	1.44 ft	Low	±0	35 mi
Pigeon River near HepcoRiver gauge, Pigeon River	1.75 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	25 mi
Pigeon River below Power Plant near WatervilleRiver gauge, Pigeon River	6.94 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
French Broad River near NewportRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	1.6 mi
Nolichucky River near LowlandRiver gauge, Nolichucky River	8.14 ft	High	+0.92 ft	11 mi
Nolichucky River below Nolichucky DamRiver gauge, Nolichucky River	523 cfs	Low	−422.0 cfs	19 mi
French Broad River at Hot SpringsRiver gauge, French Broad River	2.72 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	20 mi
Cataloochee Creek near CataloocheeRiver gauge, Cataloochee Creek	2.20 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Little Pigeon River at SeviervilleRiver gauge, Little Pigeon River	1.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	23 mi
West Prong Little Pigeon River near GatlinburgRiver gauge, West Prong Little Pigeon River	2.82 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	27 mi
Crockett Creek below RogersvilleRiver gauge, Crockett Creek	0.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	30 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Pigeon River at Newport?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.23 ft below it.

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 Pigeon River at Newport today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.77 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Pigeon River at Newport rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Pigeon River at Newport normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Pigeon River at Newport?

The highest level on record is 29.73 ft on September 27, 2024.

Is Pigeon River at Newport expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03461500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.96065, -83.17432 (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	2.77 ft	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional
Flow	205 cfs	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pigeon River at Newport (usgs:03461500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/tennessee/pigeon-river-at-newport

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