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Lake James Boat Rentals

Catawba River near Nebo, NC

River41.0 mi

Around here

Around Catawba River

Boone Fork Campground15.4 miMortimer Campground16.5 mi10 mi

Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US

About this river

Catawba River is a 41.0 mile river near Lake James Boat Rentals in North Carolina. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Catawba River at NC Highway 16 near Millersville, NC (site 0214196125). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 8. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.

Typical flow by month

2017 to 2026

Catawba River typically runs highest in February, at a median 2,860 cfs, and lowest in September, at 1,270 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 81,700 cfs, in 2024.

Show the numbers
Typical flow by month at Catawba River at NC Highway 16 near Millersville, NC, in cfs
MonthTypical (cfs)Usual range (cfs)
January2,8301,730 to 4,100
February2,8602,110 to 4,345
March2,5501,460 to 3,540
April2,4401,535 to 3,845
May2,5901,720 to 4,130
June1,7851,345 to 3,430
July1,5201,190 to 2,060
August1,9301,240 to 3,030
September1,270974 to 2,835
October1,380882 to 3,590
November1,5251,040 to 3,430
December2,0201,100 to 3,460

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 9 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Catawba River at NC Highway 16 near Millersville, NC (site 0214196125). 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 Catawba River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.

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