French Broad River river
Total streamflow across the French Broad River was last observed at 36,738 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 72,869 acre-ft of water today; about 186% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 19,792 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-08-18 when daily discharge volume was observed at 169,350 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the French Broad River Near Newport reporting a streamflow rate of 8,370 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the French Broad River At Blantyre with a gauge stage of 13.33 ft. This river is monitored from 7 different streamgauging stations along the French Broad River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,179 ft, the French Broad River At Rosman.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the French Broad River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the French Broad River
All 7 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
French Broad River At Rosman
NC
USGS 03439000
|
568 | 3.39 | -52.7 | 270% | 50 | 5,880 | 2,179 |
|
French Broad River At Blantyre
NC
USGS 03443000
|
2,850 | 13.33 | -18.6 | 315% | 185 | 9,860 | 2,067 |
|
French Broad River Near Fletcher
NC
USGS 03447687
|
4,900 | 8.90 | -24.9 | 295% | 310 | 19,000 | 2,064 |
|
French Broad River At Asheville
NC
USGS 03451500
|
5,450 | 4.01 | -24.2 | 262% | 345 | 25,900 | 1,951 |
|
French Broad River At Marshall
NC
USGS 03453500
|
6,720 | 4.23 | -26.8 | 293% | 400 | 38,100 | 1,648 |
|
French Broad River At Hot Springs
NC
USGS 03454500
|
7,880 | 4.53 | -21.2 | 274% | 475 | 40,700 | 1,314 |
|
French Broad River Near Newport
TN
USGS 03455000
|
8,370 | 5.08 | -22.5 | 259% | 406 | 53,100 | 1,029 |
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
French Broad River
The French Broad River is a 218-mile long river that flows from Western North Carolina to East Tennessee. The river was named by early European settlers who found it to be a wide and free-flowing river. The river has a rich history, serving as a major transportation route for Native Americans and European settlers. The hydrology of the river is complex, with many tributaries contributing to its flow. The river supports several reservoirs and dams, including the Douglas Dam and the Asheville Reservoir. These reservoirs provide drinking water and hydroelectric power for the surrounding areas. The French Broad River is also a popular recreational spot, with activities like fishing, kayaking, and tubing. The river is also used for agricultural purposes, with farms in the surrounding areas using the river for irrigation.
Recreation along the French Broad River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Paddle runs
- Yellowstone Prong From Headwaters To Confluence With East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
- Headwaters To Sloan's Bridge Crossing, Crossing Of Sc 107
- Sloan's Bridge Crossing To 1/4 Mile Above The Walhalla Fish Hatchery
- 1/4 Mile Above The Walhalla Fish Hatchery To 1/4 Mile Below The Walhalla Fish Hatchery
Track the French Broad 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 French Broad River
Where does the data for the French Broad 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.