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Around Cape Fear River
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Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Cape Fear River is a 62.1 mile river near Cape Fear River Adventures in North Carolina. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Cape Fear R at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel, NC (site 02105500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 8. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1982 to 2026
Cape Fear River typically runs highest in March, at a median 6,040 cfs, and lowest in October, at 1,220 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 83,200 cfs, in 2018.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 4,760 | 2,470 to 10,500 |
| February | 4,930 | 2,730 to 11,600 |
| March | 6,040 | 3,120 to 11,000 |
| April | 3,880 | 2,165 to 8,330 |
| May | 1,820 | 1,310 to 3,780 |
| June | 1,520 | 1,055 to 3,580 |
| July | 1,520 | 1,020 to 2,600 |
| August | 1,480 | 1,020 to 2,970 |
| September | 1,290 | 974 to 2,500 |
| October | 1,220 | 916 to 2,320 |
| November | 1,580 | 1,050 to 2,995 |
| December | 2,550 | 1,510 to 6,360 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 44 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Cape Fear R at Wilm O Huske Lock near Tarheel, NC (site 02105500). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
8 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Cape Fear River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Elwells FerryCape Fear RiverPublic
- Lennons BridgeBig SwampPublic
- High HillLumber RiverPublic
- Lock And Dam #2Cape Fear RiverPublic
- Tory HoleCape Fear RiverPublic
- Tar HeelCape Fear RiverPublic
- Sloans BridgeSouth RiverPublic
- William O Huske Lock And DamCape Fear RiverPublic
Made to print
Put Cape Fear River on your wall
This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Cape Fear River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
