Nantahala River level at Bryson City
North Carolina · Paddling & whitewater
Measured at USGS 03505550 — NANTAHALA RIVER NEAR HEWITT, NC · NWS forecast point HEWN7
Reading taken · as of 48 min ago
Too low for most boats — rocky and technical
At 91 CFS, this gauge is running 32% of normal for mid-September — below the 285 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 21 years of record (2005–2026).
Sponsor Nantahala River
One exclusive sponsor per river, on every gauge page for it.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Flood stages at Bryson City
National Weather Service categories for gauge HEWN7, WFO GSP. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
-
Major flood 21.0 ft
-
Moderate flood 18.0 ft
- 19.0 ft PARTS OF WEST HIGHWAY 19 AND HEWITTS ROAD WILL BE FLOODED. FEREBEE MEMORIAL PICNIC AREA WILL BE FLOODED.
-
Minor flood 15.0 ft
- 15.0 ft LOW LYING AREAS ALONG WEST HIGHWAY 19 NEAR HEWITTS RD WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD. FURTHER FLOODING OF FEREBEE MEMORIAL PINIC AREA WILL OCCURR.
-
Action 9.0 ft
- 9.0 ft FEREBEE MEMORIAL PICNIC AREA WILL LIKLY BE FLOODED.
- Right now 1.35 ft
Flow history at Bryson City
Daily values from USGS 03505550, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for HEWN7 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Bryson City
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 6.92 ft | 6,350 CFS | May 30, 2018 |
| 5.58 ft | 3,940 CFS | Jul 6, 2013 |
| 5.22 ft | 3,280 CFS | Dec 29, 2015 |
| 4.83 ft | 2,770 CFS | Dec 9, 2009 |
| 4.43 ft | 2,240 CFS | Jan 6, 2009 |
| 4.34 ft | 2,140 CFS | Dec 22, 2013 |
| 4.33 ft | 2,010 CFS | May 20, 2005 |
| 4.27 ft | 2,060 CFS | Nov 30, 2010 |
| 4.25 ft | 2,030 CFS | Oct 14, 2014 |
| 4.20 ft | 1,880 CFS | Jan 17, 2006 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Nantahala River at Bryson City
In North Carolina — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. NOC and the largest raft-outfitter cluster in the region.
Nantahala River at Bryson City — common questions
3 questions
How fast can Nantahala River at Bryson City come up?
Fast. It is free-flowing, so rain upstream moves it directly. Several feet in a few hours is normal after a heavy storm.
Is Nantahala River at Bryson City high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 285 CFS, from 21 years of record (2005–2026). Today is 32% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 03505550 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for HEWN7 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.