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The Water Around Us
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Live · updated daily from USGS

Swimmable water near you

2,135 USGS sensors are reporting a live water temperature right now, the newest reading from August 22, 2026 (9 hrs ago).

Clear location
  • Cold · below 60°F · 384
  • Cool · 60–69°F · 607
  • Comfortable · 70–86°F · 929
  • Warm · above 86°F · 215
  • You

A map of the United States with one coloured dot per USGS sensor reporting a live water temperature. The readings are listed below.

Nearest live readings

The closest USGS sensors currently reporting a water temperature, nearest first.

  1. FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT ASHEVILLE, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina · 2,230 ft³/s
    74°F4.6 mi10 hrs ago
  2. FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT HAYWOOD RD AT ASHEVILLE, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina
    74°F6.2 mi10 hrs ago
  3. HOMINY CREEK NR WEST ASHEVILLE, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina · 142 ft³/s
    73°F7.1 mi10 hrs ago
  4. PIGEON RIVER NEAR CANTON, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina · 120 ft³/s
    73°F16 mi9 hrs ago
  5. FRENCH BROAD RIVER NEAR FLETCHER, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina · 1,620 ft³/s
    73°F17 mi10 hrs ago
  6. NORTH FORK SWANNANOA RIVER NEAR WALKERTOWN, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina · 16 ft³/s
    66°F17 mi9 hrs ago
  7. MILLS RIVER NEAR MILLS RIVER, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina · 88 ft³/s
    69°F18 mi10 hrs ago
  8. CATALOOCHEE CREEK NEAR CATALOOCHEE, NCUSGS gauge · North Carolina · 103 ft³/s
    63°F25 mi10 hrs ago

Nearest swimmable spots

Rated, photographed water destinations within 25 miles — pair one with the nearest sensor reading above before you go.

Mills River Valley Overlook4.9(357)

Mills River Valley Overlook

Scenic spot · Candler, North Carolina

This Blue Ridge Parkway lookout point has panoramic mountain views from an elevation of 4,085 ft.

16 mi from your location

Mills River Park4.8(969)

Mills River Park

Park · Mills River, North Carolina
Dog-friendly

Sizable green space featuring a playground, dog park, fishing pier & kayak/canoe launch.

20 mi from your location

About this map

Every pin is a live reading from a USGS real-time monitoring station, captured in a daily snapshot. Colours follow the site’s cold-water-safety thresholds and describe the water at that one sensor — usually a river or stream gauge, not a swim beach — so treat them as a guide to what the water is doing nearby, not a verdict on a specific spot. Readings are provisional and can be revised by the USGS. Your location only sorts this page: the coordinates appear in the address bar (rounded to about a mile) and are not saved to an account or our database.

Conditions are for general information only and can change quickly. Always judge the water in person and follow posted advisories and local guidance before swimming or paddling.