Tuckasegee River at Barkers Creek: Level & Flow Today
River flow & level · USGS gauge 03510577 · North Carolina · drains 360 sq mi
Latest reading Nov 4, 10:15 AM · streamflow
The Tuckasegee River at Barkers Creek is running 278 cfs, 62% of the median flow for November 4 (449 cfs, 22 years). Gage height is 3.34 ft, 8.7 ft below flood stage (12.0 ft). Flow is up 1% from 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: Tuckasegee River
for rafters & kayakersDillsboro to Barkers Creek
Too lowClass II–III · 5.2 mi · Put-in: Duke Put In · Take-out: Barkers Creek Take-Out
Low from 500 · good 800–1,500 · too high above 5,000 cfs
Now: 278 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 3392.
This gauge does not report water temperature. Dress for the water, not the air: below 70°F a wetsuit or drysuit is recommended.
The Tuckasegee below Dillsboro is partly regulated by Duke Energy hydro releases upstream, so flow can change during the day. Check the reading above before you go. 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. 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 (10.0 ft) is 6.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (12.0 ft) is 8.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (18.0 ft) is 14.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (24.0 ft) is 20.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Action (10.0 ft) is 6.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (12.0 ft) is 8.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (18.0 ft) is 14.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (24.0 ft) is 20.7 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Action (10.0 ft) is 6.9 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (12.0 ft) is 8.9 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (18.0 ft) is 14.9 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (24.0 ft) is 20.9 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
ReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
About Tuckasegee River at Barkers Creek
Over the past 12 months, daily mean flow at this gauge ranged from 149 cfs (Sep 18, 2026) to 1,480 cfs (Jan 10, 2026). USGS daily records for this gauge start in 2005; on November 4 the flow has ranged from 127 cfs (2009) to 1,850 cfs (2021). The river drains 360 square miles above this gauge. The nearest gauges we track are Nantahala River near Hewitt (21 mi west). See all 18 North Carolina river gauges on the North Carolina lake & river levels page.
Tuckasegee River at Barkers Creek fishing report & conditions
updated Nov 4, 10:34 AM ETFlow 62% of normal, flow steady — fair fall fishing day (4/10), best window 7:45 AM–9:45 AM (moon overhead near sunrise).
- Water temp—no water-temperature sensor on this water yet
- Flow62% 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 fair fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
4/10
Waning crescent · 21% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 6:57 AM · Sunset 5:35 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead7:45 AM–9:45 AMSunrise
- Moon underfoot8:07 PM–10:07 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise1:48 AM–2:48 AM
- Moonset2:32 PM–3:32 PM
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 4 | 4/10Fair | Major 7:45 AM–9:45 AM · 8:07 PM–10:07 PM Minor 1:48 AM–2:48 AM · 2:32 PM–3:32 PM |
|---|---|---|
| ThuNov 5 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:29 AM–10:29 AM · 8:51 PM–10:51 PM Minor 2:52 AM–3:52 AM · 2:58 PM–3:58 PM |
| FriNov 6 | 2/10Poor | Major 9:13 AM–11:13 AM · 9:35 PM–11:35 PM Minor 3:54 AM–4:54 AM · 3:24 PM–4:24 PM |
| SatNov 7 | 4/10Fair | Major 9:57 AM–11:57 AM · 10:20 PM–12:20 AM Minor 4:56 AM–5:56 AM · 3:52 PM–4:52 PM |
| SunNov 8 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:43 AM–12:43 PM · 11:07 PM–1:07 AM Minor 5:58 AM–6:58 AM · 4:23 PM–5:23 PM |
| MonNov 9 | 5/10Fair | Major 11:32 AM–1:32 PM · 11:56 PM–1:56 AM Minor 7:00 AM–8:00 AM · 4:58 PM–5:58 PM |
| TueNov 10 | 5/10Fair | Major 12:22 PM–2:22 PM Minor 8:02 AM–9:02 AM · 5:38 PM–6:38 PM |
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) (Moon overhead × sunrise +2) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 4.6 days) | 0 |
| 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 | 4, rounded | 4/10 |
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 35.38, -83.29 (moon times from astronomical equations, Tuckasegee River at Barkers Creek local time).
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge DILN7- Action stage10 ft+6.7 ft from now
- Minor stage12 ft+8.7 ft from now
- Moderate stage18 ft+14.7 ft from now
- Major stage24 ft+20.7 ft from now
- Record crest13.26 ft2004
November 4 in history
22 years of flow records- Today278 cfs
- Same date last year607 cfs2025
- Median449 cfs
- Normal range261 cfs – 881 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 20051,850 cfs2021
- Lowest since 2005127 cfs2009
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 4 (today) | 184 | -0% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 185 | -2% |
| Mon Nov 2 | 188 | -3% |
| Sun Nov 1 | 193 | +1% |
| Sat Oct 31 | 191 | -1% |
| Fri Oct 30 | 193 | +8% |
| Thu Oct 29 | 178 | +11% |
| Wed Oct 28 | 160 | -24% |
| Tue Oct 27 | 210 | -2% |
| Mon Oct 26 | 214 | -9% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Tuckasegee Lake14 mi southeast · Lake2,278.15 ft−0.60 ft vs normal full pond
- Cedar Cliff Lake15 mi southeast · Lake2,327.50 ft−2.50 ft vs normal full pond
- Lake Glenville16 mi southeast · Lake3,482.55 ft−9.20 ft vs normal full pond
- Tanasee Creek Lake20 mi southeast · Lake3,067.80 ft−12.20 ft vs normal full pond
- Nantahala River near Hewitt21 mi west · River65.8 cfs21% of normal
- Queens Creek Lake22 mi west · Lake3,016.60 ft−7.60 ft vs normal full pond
Guides
All guides →- Best time to go whitewater rafting, river by riverTypical flow each month against American Whitewater’s ranges, for 40+ rafting runs.
- What river flow is best for rafting?How to read cfs and our Too low / Good / High bands before a raft trip, with live examples.
- What CFS is safe for kayaking and rafting?Live flows against American Whitewater ranges for classic Eastern runs.
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 03510577 — Tuckasegee River At Barker'S Creek, Nc
- Location
- 35.3844, -83.2917 · North Carolina
- Drainage area
- 360 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 2005–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Nov 4, 10:15 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Nov 4, 2026 10:34 AM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge DILN7 — 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.