Yadkin River Flow
As of 2026-08-03, the Yadkin River is flowing at a combined 12,539 cfs across 5 USGS streamgauges — 162% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 7,742 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Yadkin River was last observed at 12,539 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 24,871 acre-ft of water today; about 162% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 7,742 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2020-02-07 when daily discharge volume was observed at 124,652 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Yadkin River At Yadkin College reporting a streamflow rate of 8,350 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Yadkin River, with a gauge stage of 6.71 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 5 different streamgauging stations along the Yadkin River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,216 ft, the Yadkin River At Patterson.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Yadkin River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Yadkin River
All 5 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yadkin River At Patterson
NC
USGS 02111000
|
217 | 2.18 | 52.8 | 786% | 9 | 1,510 | 1,216 |
|
Yadkin River At Wilkesboro
NC
USGS 02112000
|
520 | 2.52 | 58.5 | 100% | 230 | 9,590 | 945 |
|
Yadkin River At Elkin
NC
USGS 02112250
|
982 | 2.05 | 100.8 | 103% | 339 | 22,700 | 868 |
|
Yadkin River At Enon
NC
USGS 02115360
|
2,470 | 4.52 | -42.7 | 144% | 538 | 49,000 | 707 |
|
Yadkin River At Yadkin College
NC
USGS 02116500
|
8,350 | 6.71 | 844.6 | 409% | 590 | 62,000 | 642 |
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
Yadkin River
The Yadkin River is a major river in North Carolina, originating in the Blue Ridge Mountains and flowing through the Piedmont region before emptying into the Pee Dee River. It is approximately 215 miles long and has a drainage basin of 7,221 square miles. The river has a rich history, having been utilized by Native Americans for thousands of years and later becoming a vital source of power for textile mills and other industries. Today, the river is managed by several hydroelectric dams and reservoirs, including the High Rock Lake and Badin Lake, which provide recreational opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming. Additionally, the river is used for agricultural purposes, primarily for irrigation of crops. Despite occasional pollution from nearby industries, the Yadkin River remains an important natural resource for the state of North Carolina.
Recreation along the Yadkin River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Yadkin 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 Yadkin River
How is the Yadkin River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-03, the Yadkin River is flowing at a combined 12,539 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 162% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Yadkin River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Yadkin 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.