Watauga River level at Sugar Grove
North Carolina · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 03479000 — WATAUGA RIVER NEAR SUGAR GROVE, NC · NWS forecast point SGWN7
Reading taken · as of 48 min ago
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 46 CFS, this gauge is running 75% of normal for mid-September — below the 61 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 86 years of record (1940–2026).
Sponsor Watauga River
One exclusive sponsor per river, on every gauge page for it.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Flood stages at Sugar Grove
National Weather Service categories for gauge SGWN7, WFO RNK. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
-
Major flood 20.0 ft · 18,750 CFS
-
Moderate flood 16.0 ft · 11,805 CFS
- 16.0 ft Several buildings in the Valle Crucis area are affected by flood waters.
-
Minor flood 6.0 ft · 2,411 CFS
- 6.0 ft Flooding on portions of Watauga River road begins.
- 14.0 ft Significant lowland flooding through the Valle Crucis area.
-
Action 5.0 ft · 1,710 CFS
- 5.0 ft Several low water bridges begin to flood including Dewitt Barnett road 5.5 miles upstream and Hubert Thomas road 1.8 miles downstream from gage.
- Right now 1.46 ft
Flow history at Sugar Grove
Daily values from USGS 03479000, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for SGWN7 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Sugar Grove
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 29.60 ft | 50,800 CFS | Aug 13, 1940 |
| 29.57 ft | 51,500 CFS | Sep 27, 2024 |
| 22.10 ft | 28,000 CFS | Jul 15, 1916 |
| 21.90 ft | 23,000 CFS | Sep 17, 2004 |
| 20.46 ft | 20,500 CFS | Jan 14, 1995 |
| 18.26 ft | 15,464 CFS | Nov 19, 2003 |
| 17.64 ft | 15,000 CFS | Aug 17, 1994 |
| 17.14 ft | 17,000 CFS | Feb 13, 1966 |
| 16.86 ft | 13,700 CFS | Oct 5, 1995 |
| 16.77 ft | 16,200 CFS | Nov 6, 1977 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Watauga River at Sugar Grove
In North Carolina — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Boone and App State summer base.
Watauga River at Sugar Grove — common questions
3 questions
Does rain upstream change Watauga River at Sugar Grove 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 Watauga River at Sugar Grove high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 61 CFS, from 86 years of record (1940–2026). Today is 75% 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 03479000 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for SGWN7 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.