French Broad River at Marshall
River flow & level · USGS gauge 03453500 · North Carolina · drains 1,332 sq mi
Latest reading Oct 26, 4:00 PM · streamflow
The French Broad River at Marshall is running 833 cfs, 63% of the median flow for October 26 (1,330 cfs, 84 years). Gage height is 1.26 ft, 6.7 ft below flood stage (8.0 ft). Flow is down 1% from 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: French Broad River
for rafters & kayakersSection 9 (Barnard to Hot Springs)
LowClass III–IV · 8.2 mi · 24 ft/mi gradient · Put-in: Barnard River Access Put-In · Take-out: Take Out - Hot Springs
Low from 700 · good 1,250–3,500 · too high above 7,000 cfs
Now: 833 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 1074.
This gauge does not report water temperature. Dress for the water, not the air: below 70°F a wetsuit or drysuit is recommended.
Free-flowing (no scheduled releases): runnable most of the year when rain keeps the Marshall gauge in range; commercial trips mostly run spring through fall. Source.
Below dams the river can rise suddenly and turn violent when releases start; stay out of tailrace areas and off the river outside scheduled windows unless you know the flow. Ranges are for experienced paddlers at the gauge shown; rapids change after floods, so scout and check for new wood. American Whitewater warns that Section 9 was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene (2024): rapids may have changed and access roads and parking were damaged. Wear a PFD, never boat alone, and follow the American Whitewater Safety Code. New to whitewater? Go with a licensed outfitter.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumAction (7.5 ft) is 6.2 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (8.0 ft) is 6.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (10.0 ft) is 8.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (13.0 ft) is 11.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Action (7.5 ft) is 6.2 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (8.0 ft) is 6.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (10.0 ft) is 8.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (13.0 ft) is 11.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Action (7.5 ft) is 6.2 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (8.0 ft) is 6.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (10.0 ft) is 8.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (13.0 ft) is 11.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
ReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
French Broad River at Marshall fishing report & conditions
updated Oct 26, 4:13 PM ETFlow 63% of normal, flow steady — good fall fishing day (6/10), best window 7:51 AM–8:51 AM (moonset near sunrise).
- Water temp—no water-temperature sensor on this water yet
- Flow63% of normalFlow steady (-1% in 24 h)
Official North Carolina fishing info: NC Wildlife Resources Commission — Where to fish
Best fishing times today
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
6/10
Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:47 AM · Sunset 6:41 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead12:10 AM–2:10 AM
- Moon underfoot12:38 PM–2:38 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset7:51 AM–8:51 AMSunrise
- Moonrise6:17 PM–7:17 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 26 | 6/10Good | Major 12:10 AM–2:10 AM · 12:38 PM–2:38 PM Minor 7:51 AM–8:51 AM · 6:17 PM–7:17 PM |
|---|---|---|
| TueOct 27 | 4/10Fair | Major 1:06 AM–3:06 AM · 1:36 PM–3:36 PM Minor 9:06 AM–10:06 AM · 7:01 PM–8:01 PM |
| WedOct 28 | 2/10Poor | Major 2:07 AM–4:07 AM · 2:38 PM–4:38 PM Minor 10:20 AM–11:20 AM · 7:54 PM–8:54 PM |
| ThuOct 29 | 4/10Fair | Major 3:11 AM–5:11 AM · 3:43 PM–5:43 PM Minor 11:29 AM–12:29 PM · 8:57 PM–9:57 PM |
| FriOct 30 | 3/10Poor | Major 4:15 AM–6:15 AM · 4:47 PM–6:47 PM Minor 12:30 PM–1:30 PM · 10:07 PM–11:07 PM |
| SatOct 31 | 4/10Fair | Major 5:17 AM–7:17 AM · 5:47 PM–7:47 PM Minor 1:20 PM–2:20 PM · 11:20 PM–12:20 AM |
| SunNov 1 | 4/10Fair | Major 5:15 AM–7:15 AM · 5:42 PM–7:42 PM Minor 1:00 PM–2:00 PM · 11:31 PM–12:31 AM |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 1 |
| Today | 6, rounded | 6/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 35.79, -82.66 (moon times from astronomical equations, French Broad River at Marshall local time).
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge MARN7- Action stage7.5 ft+6.2 ft from now
- Minor stage8 ft+6.7 ft from now
- Moderate stage10 ft+8.7 ft from now
- Major stage13 ft+11.7 ft from now
- Record crest21.36 ft2024
October 26 in history
84 years of flow records- Today833 cfs
- Same date last year714 cfs2025
- Median1,330 cfs
- Normal range848 cfs – 2,220 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19438,300 cfs2018
- Lowest since 1943374 cfs1955
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 (today) | 851 | -1% |
| Sun Oct 25 | 864 | -2% |
| Sat Oct 24 | 882 | -3% |
| Fri Oct 23 | 908 | -3% |
| Thu Oct 22 | 936 | -4% |
| Wed Oct 21 | 977 | -3% |
| Tue Oct 20 | 1,010 | -6% |
| Mon Oct 19 | 1,070 | -5% |
| Sun Oct 18 | 1,130 | -10% |
| Sat Oct 17 | 1,260 | -11% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- French Broad River at Asheville13 mi · River805 cfs73% of normal
- Waterville Lake22 mi · Lake2,251.20 ft−6.80 ft vs normal full pond
- Lake Julian23 mi · Lake2,161.00 ft−4.00 ft vs normal full pond
- Pigeon River below Power Plant near Waterville25 mi · River133 cfs32% of normal
- Tanasee Creek Lake44 mi · Lake3,067.00 ft−13.00 ft vs normal full pond
- Cedar Cliff Lake44 mi · Lake2,328.00 ft−2.00 ft vs normal full pond
Guides
All guides →About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 03453500 — French Broad River At Marshall, Nc
- Location
- 35.7864, -82.6608 · North Carolina
- Drainage area
- 1,332 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1943–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Oct 26, 4:00 PM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Oct 26, 2026 4:13 PM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge MARN7 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.