How high is the South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC right now?

The South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC is currently flowing at 458 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 2.63 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as normal for June 11. Today's discharge is at the 29th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 7.37 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 10.0 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC on June 11?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 549 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 336 to 2,630 cfs.

Where is the South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC stream gauge located?

The South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Gaston County, NC on the South Fork Catawba River. USGS site number 02145000 (coordinates 35.2853, -81.1011).

South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC

USGS Site No: 02145000 • South Fork Catawba River • Gaston County, NC

South Fork Catawba River at Lowell, NC on the South Fork Catawba River is currently at 458 cfs (Normal — 29th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 2.63 ft.

Reading from 1 week ago

458

CFS Discharge

2.63

Gage Height (ft)

Normal

Flow Condition

Normal

Flood Status

Historical Percentile Comparison

Today's discharge compared to the long-term record for June 11 at this station. Percentile rank shows what fraction of historical years had lower flow on this date.

Percentile	Label	CFS Threshold	Today's Flow
10th	Very Low threshold	336
25th	Low threshold	443
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	549	Today: 458 cfs
75th	High threshold	795
95th	Very High threshold	2,630

30-Day Hydrograph

Recent discharge plotted against the historical 10th–95th percentile envelope for the same calendar days. Source: USGS daily values + long-term statistics.

10th–95th historical Day-of-year median Recent discharge

30-Day Flow History

Date	Discharge (CFS)	Gage Ht (ft)
May 28, 2026	756	3.26
May 27, 2026	870	3.47
May 26, 2026	540	2.82
May 25, 2026	579	2.91
May 24, 2026	505	2.74
May 23, 2026	477	2.67
May 22, 2026	212	1.88
May 21, 2026	181	1.76
May 20, 2026	202	1.85
May 19, 2026	177	1.75
May 18, 2026	194	1.80
May 17, 2026	231	1.95
May 16, 2026	233	1.96
May 15, 2026	212	1.89
Apr 21, 2026	240	2.03
Apr 20, 2026	262	2.12
Apr 19, 2026	268	2.13
Apr 18, 2026	270	2.15
Apr 17, 2026	281	2.18
Apr 16, 2026	286	2.20
Apr 15, 2026	307	2.26
Apr 14, 2026	284	2.19
Apr 13, 2026	322	2.31
Apr 12, 2026	327	2.32
Apr 11, 2026	326	2.32
Apr 10, 2026	340	2.36
Apr 9, 2026	335	2.34
Apr 8, 2026	367	2.44
Apr 7, 2026	400	2.53
Apr 6, 2026	467	2.70

Station Information

USGS Site No: 02145000
State: NC
County: Gaston County
Coordinates: 35.2853, -81.1011
Drainage Area: 628 mi²
Datum (ft): 602.3
HUC Code: 03050102

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 9.0 ft
Flood Stage: 10.0 ft
Moderate Flood: 13.0 ft
Major Flood: 15.5 ft

Currently 7.37 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 3,380 cfs

Aug 13, 2025
Min discharge: 177 cfs

May 19, 2026
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Duharts Creek at Sr 2439 Near Cramerton, NC
2.6 mi · 4 cfs

Normal
Long Creek near Rhyne, NC
7.3 mi · 1 cfs

Very Low
Long Creek Near Bessemer City, NC
7.7 mi · 10 cfs

Low
Paw Creek at Wilkinson Blvd near Charlotte, NC
7.8 mi · 3 cfs

Normal
Gum Branch Near Thrift, NC
8.8 mi · 1 cfs

Low