North Saluda River above Slater water level

Name: North Saluda River above Slater 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, North Saluda River, South Carolina, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

4.49ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:15 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 16.9 cfs
Water temperature: 57 °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 North Saluda River above Slater shows 4.49 ft, above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.66 ft above the median of 3.83 ft for mid-October, based on 13 years of readings. It is 7.51 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.07 ft (+0.42 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.27 ft and 5.68 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 57 °F.

Compared with 13 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.83 ft0.66 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.24 ft – 4.64 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (13 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.07 ft+0.42 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.27 ft – 5.68 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.02 ft – 5.95 ft
Highest on record: 12.71 ftFebruary 6, 2020

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 12.00 ft, still 7.51 ft away.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: HIGHWAY 11 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD
12.00 ft: BEECHWOOD FARMS AND PARTS OF OLD SETTLEMENT ROAD WILL BE FLOODED.
10.00 ft: OLD SETTLEMENT ROAD NEAR THE GAGE AND BEECHWOOD FARMS FURTHER DOWNSTREAM NEAR MARIETTA WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
8.19 ft: 8.2 HERE WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLOODING DOWNSTREAM ON SALUDA LAKE AT THE MARINA.
7.00 ft: 7.0 HERE AND ARD 4.5 AT SSRS1 AND MSRS1 WILL LIKELY TAKE SALUDA LAKE TO FULL POOL. DOCKS AND SALUDA LAKE LANDING AREA WILL LIKELY FLOOD. DAM WILL RELEASE WATER TAKING GSLS1 UP ARD 2 MORE FT.
6.00 ft: PARTS OF MOUNTAIN PARK GOLF COURSE MAY BEGIN TO FLOOD. PARTS OF DIVIDING WATER RD BTWN HIGHWAY 25 AND GARREN RD HAVE BEEN WASHED OUT BEFORE WITH THIS RIVER READING AND HEAVY RAIN 2+ IN 1-2 HR
4.49 ft: Right now
4.00 ft: 3 TO 4 INCH IN 1-2 HRS WILL CAUSE ROAD FLOODING IN AREA. 5.5 RIVER LEVEL AND 3 TO 4 INCH OF RAIN WILL TAKE THE RIVER UP TO BOTTOM OF BATES BRIDGE ROAD.
3.50 ft: 3 TO 3.5 INCH IN 24 HOURS CAUSED THE RIVER TO RISE 4.5 FT
2.00 ft: 2.0 IN 2.5 HOURS CAUSED A RISE OF 3.5 FT. NORTH SALUDA RIVER @ DIVIDE WATER RD NEAR GARREN RD AND HIGHWAY 25 HAS BEEN WASHED OUT BEFORE WITH THIS TYPE RAINFALL AND A CREST OF 7.3 FT.

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.71 ft	February 6, 2020
2	8.65 ft	March 6, 2011
3	8.06 ft	January 17, 2013
4	7.58 ft	May 14, 2012
5	7.41 ft	May 5, 2013
6	7.35 ft	May 22, 2013
7	7.25 ft	July 31, 2012
8	6.90 ft	July 11, 2012
9	5.97 ft	January 30, 2013
10	5.79 ft	January 16, 2013

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 40° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 75° 48° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 74° 50° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 75° 50° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 70° 51° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 65° 47° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 67° 45° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:41 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the North Saluda River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Saluda River near HighlandRiver gauge, North Saluda River	6.7 cfs	Normal	−0.2 cfs	8 mi
North Saluda River below N. Saluda Reservoir above SlaterRiver gauge, North Saluda River	1.19 ft	No reference yet	±0	4.1 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Saluda Reservoir near TigervilleReservoir, North Saluda Reservoir	17.08 ft	Very low	−0.06 ft	5.0 mi
Middle Saluda River near ClevelandRiver gauge, Middle Saluda River	1.53 ft	Very low	−0.09 ft	5.1 mi
Big Falls Creek near TigervilleRiver gauge, Big Falls Creek	0.95 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	7 mi
South Saluda River near ClevelandRiver gauge, South Saluda River	2.02 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	11 mi
Table Rock Reservoir Tailrace near ClevelandRiver gauge, Table Rock Reservoir Tailrace	2.8 cfs	Low	±0	12 mi
Table Rock Reservoir near ClevelandReservoir, Table Rock Reservoir	42.11 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	12 mi
Slicking Creek near Rocky BottomRiver gauge, Slicking Creek	6.0 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	14 mi
South Saluda River near Rocky BottomRiver gauge, South Saluda River	14.7 cfs	Low	±0	14 mi

Questions and answers

How does the North Saluda River above Slater compare with last year?

It is 0.42 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.07 ft.

What is flood stage for the North Saluda River above Slater?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 7.51 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the North Saluda River above Slater in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.83 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.24 ft and 4.64 ft, based on 13 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 North Saluda River above Slater today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:15 AM EDT, the water level was 4.49 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is North Saluda River above Slater rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Saluda River above Slater normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 13 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:021623975 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 35.08360, -82.45995 (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	4.49 ft	2026-10-20 04:15	Provisional
Flow	16.9 cfs	2026-10-20 04:15	Provisional
Water temperature	57 °F	2026-10-20 04:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Saluda River above Slater (usgs:021623975). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-carolina/north-saluda-river-above-slater

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