South Fork New River level at Jefferson
North Carolina · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 03161000 — SOUTH FORK NEW RIVER NEAR JEFFERSON, NC · NWS forecast point JFRN7
Reading taken · as of 33 min ago
Low and slow — expect to drag in the shallows
At 132 CFS, this gauge is running 59% of normal for mid-September — below the 223 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 99 years of record (1925–2026).
Sponsor South Fork New River
One exclusive sponsor per river, on every gauge page for it.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Flood stages at Jefferson
National Weather Service categories for gauge JFRN7, WFO RNK. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
-
Major flood 16.0 ft · 28,370 CFS
-
Moderate flood 12.0 ft · 15,410 CFS
-
Minor flood 8.0 ft · 6,400 CFS
- 8.0 ft Fulton Reeves Road closed due to flooding.
- 9.0 ft Garvey Bridge Road is flooded downstream.
- 10.0 ft Several campgrounds and roads leading in to them are likely affected by flooding.
-
Action 5.0 ft · 2,300 CFS
- 6.0 ft Several low water bridges are flooded including Hartzog Ford Road.
- 7.0 ft Rustic Road bridge is flooded.
- Right now 1.73 ft
Flow history at Jefferson
Daily values from USGS 03161000, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for JFRN7 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Jefferson
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 22.50 ft | 52,800 CFS | Aug 14, 1940 |
| 18.27 ft | 37,100 CFS | Sep 27, 2024 |
| 18.00 ft | 35,200 CFS | Jul 15, 1916 |
| 14.83 ft | 26,300 CFS | Nov 7, 1977 |
| 13.73 ft | 21,000 CFS | Jan 15, 1995 |
| 11.85 ft | 15,600 CFS | Aug 17, 1994 |
| 11.73 ft | 14,700 CFS | Sep 8, 2004 |
| 10.44 ft | 11,600 CFS | Jun 9, 2019 |
| 10.02 ft | 10,800 CFS | Aug 12, 1996 |
| 10.02 ft | 10,547 CFS | Jan 31, 2013 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About South Fork New River at Jefferson
In North Carolina — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Zaloo's Canoes and New River State Park.
South Fork New River at Jefferson — common questions
3 questions
Does rain upstream change South Fork New River at Jefferson quickly?
Yes. It is free-flowing, so rain upstream moves it directly. Several feet in a few hours is normal after a heavy storm.
Is South Fork New River at Jefferson high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 223 CFS, from 99 years of record (1925–2026). Today is 59% 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 03161000 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for JFRN7 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.