Smith River at Bassett water level

Name: Smith River at Bassett 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, Smith River, Virginia, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.78ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:10 PM EDT (33 min ago)

Flow: 153 cfs
Water temperature: 47 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Smith River at Bassett, where the gauge shows 1.78 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.75 ft – 1.80 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 47 °F.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.20 ftSeptember 7, 1987

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.20 ft	September 7, 1987
2	13.35 ft	May 25, 2020
3	13.04 ft	September 10, 1950
4	11.87 ft	May 28, 1982
5	11.64 ft	September 22, 1979
6	11.20 ft	December 7, 1950
7	10.50 ft	September 6, 1996
8	10.07 ft	October 1, 2015
9	9.60 ft	July 26, 1974
10	9.17 ft	April 9, 1983

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:32 AM Sunset 06:40 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 55%

Map

Other gauges on the Smith River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smith River at Smith River Church near WoolwineRiver gauge, Smith River	2.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Smith River near PhilpottRiver gauge, Smith River	139 cfs	Normal	±0	1.5 mi
Smith River at MartinsvilleRiver gauge, Smith River	1.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Smith River at EdenRiver gauge, Smith River	2.02 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	21 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Philpott Reservoir at Philpott Dam near PhilpottReservoir, Philpott Reservoir	970.60 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	1.7 mi
North Mayo River near SpencerRiver gauge, North Mayo River	1.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	14 mi
South Mayo River near NettleridgeRiver gauge, South Mayo River	3.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Mayo River near PriceRiver gauge, Mayo River	1.11 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	16 mi
Blackwater River near Rocky MountRiver gauge, Blackwater River	1.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	21 mi
Dan River near FranciscoRiver gauge, Dan River	1.54 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

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 Smith River at Bassett today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:10 PM EDT, the water level was 1.78 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Smith River at Bassett rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Smith River at Bassett normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Smith River at Bassett?

The highest level on record is 15.20 ft on September 7, 1987.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02072500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.77014, -80.00088 (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	1.78 ft	2026-10-19 03:10	Provisional
Flow	153 cfs	2026-10-19 03:10	Provisional
Water temperature	47 °F	2026-10-19 03:10	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Smith River at Bassett (usgs:02072500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/smith-river-at-bassett

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