Catawba River river
Total streamflow across the Catawba River was last observed at 2,828 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 5,609 acre-ft of water today; about 25% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 11,366 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2020-11-13 when daily discharge volume was observed at 93,784 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Catawba River Below Catawba reporting a streamflow rate of 1,630 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Catawba River, with a gauge stage of 5.57 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Catawba River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,235 ft, the Catawba R Nr Pleasant Gardens.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Catawba River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Catawba River
All 3 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Catawba R Nr Pleasant Gardens
NC
USGS 02137727
|
305 | 1.91 | -41.4 | 136% | 36 | 12,800 | 1,235 |
|
Catawba River Near Rockhill
SC
USGS 02146000
|
893 | 3.24 | -18.8 | 48% | 514 | 48,300 | 495 |
|
Catawba River Below Catawba
SC
USGS 02147020
|
1,630 | 5.57 | -51.9 | 26% | 828 | 52,100 | 448 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a 220-mile long river that flows through western North Carolina and South Carolina. It was historically significant to Native American tribes such as the Catawba and Cherokee. Today, it provides approximately 1.7 million people with drinking water and powers several hydroelectric power plants. The river has several reservoirs and dams, including the Lake James Dam, the Lake Hickory Dam, and the Mountain Island Lake Dam. These provide flood control, water supply, and recreational opportunities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The Catawba River also supports agricultural uses, particularly for irrigation and livestock watering, and is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including fish, birds, and mammals.
Recreation along the Catawba River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Catawba River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Catawba River
Where does the data for the Catawba River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.