Shoal Creek at Iron City water level

Name: Shoal Creek at Iron City 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, Shoal Creek, Tennessee, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.72ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 123 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 07:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:45 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Shoal Creek at Iron City is at 1.72 ft, in the normal range.

It is 12.28 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 07:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.70 ft and 1.79 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 28.10 ftMarch 1, 1902
Forecast peak: 1.70 ftTuesday, October 20 at 07:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Shoal Creek at Iron City

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

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 12.28 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

32.00 ft: Flooding continues to severely impact Hwy 242 and Holly Creek Rd leading into Iron City from the north and Hwy 227 leading in from the east. These roads are impassable. Properties and structures in Iron City between Oak St and Wayland Springs Rd are also impacted, as well as properties along N Walnut St, S Walnut St, and Leech Ave.
30.00 ft: Many main roads near Iron City continue to be impacted, including Wayland Springs Rd - Hwy 242, Railroad Rd east of Hwy 242, Railroad Bed Rd near the intersection with Hwy 242, and Tidwell Hollow Rd. In Iron City, water continues to impact S Walnut St, Leech Ave, and Park Dr, and approaches structures at Ver Plank Enterprises on N Walnut Street. Water also approaches Iron City Rd Hwy 227 east of Iron City and Holly Creek Rd at Etheredge Manufacturing which may be impassable at higher levels.
28.00 ft: Widespread flooding continues to impact roads and properties along the creek, including Wayland Springs Rd Hwy 242, Railroad Rd, Railroad Bed Rd near Hwy 242, S Walnut St, Leech Ave, Park Dr, Tidwell Hollow Rd, and the railroad tracks near the bridge over Shoal Creek.
26.00 ft: Widespread flooding along Shoal Creek is impacting roads and properties near Iron City, including Wayland Springs Rd Hwy 242 north of Iron City, Railroad Rd east of Hwy 242 and Railroad Bed Rd near Hwy 242, S Walnut St at the intersection with Leech Ave and Hannah St, and Park Dr. Water approaches Leech Ave between S Poplar St and S Walnut St, Tidwell Hollow Rd near Tidwell Hollow, and the railroad tracks near the bridge over Shoal Creek.
24.00 ft: Significant flooding is impacting roads and properties along the creek and in the Iron City area including Wayland Springs Rd Hwy 242 north of Iron City, Railroad Rd east of Hwy 242, S Walnut St at the intersection with Leech Ave and Hannah St, and Park Dr. Water approaches Railroad Bed Rd near Hwy 242, portions Ver Plank Enterprises on N Walnut Street, and residential properties near the intersection of Iron City Rd Hwy 227 and Wayland Springs Rd Hwy 242.
22.00 ft: Railroad Rd east of Hwy 242 and Wayland Springs Rd Hwy 242 north of Iron City are flooded and impassable. Water approaches Park Dr and S Walnut St at the intersection with Leech Ave and Hannah St.
20.00 ft: Water begins to flood portions of Railroad Rd east of Hwy 242, and approaches Wayland Springs Rd Hwy 242 north of Iron City. These roads may be impassable at higher levels.
18.00 ft: Water approaches portions of Railroad Rd east of Hwy 242 and most of Iron City Park in Iron City is flooded.
16.00 ft: Agricultural areas along the creek, portions of Iron City Park, and Sycamore Campground are inundated. Portions of properties on Barney Ln in Rocky Hollow begin to be impacted.
14.00 ft: Low lying and agricultural areas along the river begin to be impacted, as well as Iron City Park and the Sycamore Campground.
1.72 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: 7 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.10 ft	March 1, 1902
2	26.56 ft	March 21, 1955
3	24.50 ft	July 14, 1998
4	23.21 ft	January 24, 2002
5	23.12 ft	May 2, 2010
6	22.54 ft	May 6, 2003
7	22.26 ft	October 19, 2004
8	21.99 ft	May 26, 1991
9	19.80 ft	February 18, 1991
10	19.79 ft	December 26, 1983

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 69° 40° – Wind 10 mph

19 Mon 73° 40° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 75° 48° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 77° 50° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 77° 51° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 79° 50° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 75° 52° – Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:02 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cypress Creek near FlorenceRiver gauge, Cypress Creek	1.53 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	16 mi
Big Nance Creek at CourtlandRiver gauge, Big Nance Creek	1.05 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	29 mi
Richland Creek at Highway 64 Bypass at PulaskiRiver gauge, Richland Creek	5.27 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	31 mi
Elk River at ProspectRiver gauge, Elk River	0.76 ft	Below flood stage	±0	33 mi
Buffalo River near Flat WoodsRiver gauge, Buffalo River	2.05 ft	Very low	±0	36 mi
Horse Creek near Savannah, Tn (Tva)River gauge, Horse Creek	0.52 ft	Below flood stage	±0	37 mi
Swan Creek below AthensRiver gauge, Swan Creek	3.18 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	40 mi
Bear Creek at RedbayRiver gauge, Bear Creek	76.2 cfs	Normal	±0	50 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Shoal Creek at Iron City?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 12.28 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 Shoal Creek at Iron City today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM CDT, the water level was 1.72 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Shoal Creek at Iron City rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Shoal Creek at Iron City normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Shoal Creek at Iron City?

The highest level on record is 28.10 ft on March 1, 1902.

Is Shoal Creek at Iron City expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 07:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03588500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.02415, -87.57902 (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	1.72 ft	2026-10-21 01:30	Provisional
Flow	123 cfs	2026-10-21 01:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Shoal Creek at Iron City (usgs:03588500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/tennessee/shoal-creek-at-iron-city

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