Right now
Little River gauges
Readings are every 15 minutes from the U.S. Geological Survey, shown hourly for the last seven days. The page checks USGS again each time it opens.
Little River above Townsend
USGS gauge 03497300
Latest reading 1:15 AM EDT, Thu, Oct 1
Flow
65 cfs
Down 3 cfs in 24 hours
7-day range 63 to 262 cfs
Gauge height
1.40 ft
Steady over 24 hours
7-day range 1.39 to 2.14 ft
Water temperature
61.5°F
16.4°C
7-day range 57.2 to 68.0 °F
Little River near Maryville
USGS gauge 03498500
Latest reading 12:15 AM EDT, Thu, Oct 1
Flow
103 cfs
Steady over 24 hours
7-day range 102 to 338 cfs
Gauge height
5.27 ft
Steady over 24 hours
7-day range 5.26 to 6.14 ft
Little River near Alcoa
USGS gauge 03498850
Latest reading 1:00 AM EDT, Thu, Oct 1
Flow
94 cfs
Down 4 cfs in 24 hours
7-day range 94 to 334 cfs
Gauge height
1.77 ft
Steady over 24 hours
7-day range 1.77 to 2.61 ft
Float trips
Floating and paddling the Little River
Clear, rocky Smoky Mountain water. Class II below Townsend and harder in the park.
Townsend to Melrose Dam
Runnable range 450 to 3,000 cfs at Little River near Maryville (American Whitewater)
Put in at the public picnic area across US 321 from Apple Valley Country Store; take out at the TVA ramp at the old mill dam. Do not run the Melrose dam. A partly removed dam sits about three quarters of a mile below Walland.
Elbow to the Wye
Runnable range 2.6 to 5 ft at Little River above Townsend (American Whitewater)
Elkmont to the Sinks
Runnable range 2.8 to 6 ft at Little River above Townsend (American Whitewater)
Put-ins and take-outs
Sources: American Whitewater: Townsend to Melrose · American Whitewater: Elbow to Wye · American Whitewater: Elkmont to Sinks
Bigger purchases
Gear compared for floating the Little River
The electronics, motors, boats and batteries that cost real money, compared side by side with the Tennessee water each one suits. Affiliate links.
Eating what you catch
Little River fish consumption advisory
TDEC’s fish consumption advisory for Little River, from its August 2026 list of posted waters.
From Tennessee River (Ft Loudoun Reservoir) to “The Sinks” (River mile 41.5)
Mercury PCBs
Do not consume largemouth bass in Little River embayment of Fort Loudoun Lake (to confluence with Roddy Branch in Rockwood, River mile 5.5) due to PCBs. Precautionary advisory* for black bass (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted) from Hwy 129 (river mile 2.6) to “The Sinks” (River Mile 41.5) due to Mercury.Precautionary means: Children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers should not consume the fish species named. All other persons should limit consumption of the named species to one meal per month.
Weather
Little River weather and wind forecast
Thu, Oct 1 night
58°F
Mostly Clear
Wind 0 mph
0% chance of rain
Thu, Oct 1
88°F
Sunny
Wind NE 0 to 5 mph
0% chance of rain
Thu, Oct 1 night
65°F
Mostly Clear
Wind S 0 to 5 mph
0% chance of rain
Fri, Oct 2
87°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind SW 0 to 10 mph
45% chance of rain
Fri, Oct 2 night
67°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Wind E 0 to 5 mph
63% chance of rain
Sat, Oct 3
80°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind NE 0 to 5 mph
77% chance of rain
National Weather Service forecast, updated 1:06 AM, Thu, Oct 1.
Sun and moon, Fri, Oct 9
USGS readings from the Little River, refreshed each time the page opens.
Go fishing
Where to get on the Little River
Common questions
Little River level and paddling questions
Where are the Little River gauges?
USGS runs 3 gauges used on this page: Little River above Townsend; Little River near Maryville; Little River near Alcoa.
What does cfs mean on the Little River?
Cubic feet per second: the volume of water passing the gauge each second. It is the best single number for how big the river is running. Gauge height is the water surface against a fixed point at that gauge and only compares with readings from the same gauge.
How often do the Little River readings update?
USGS gauges record every 15 minutes and usually report within an hour. This page checks USGS each time it opens and shows the time of the latest reading.
Is the Little River water temperature measured?
Yes, at the gauges that show a temperature tile. It is the temperature at that gauge, which can differ from the water a few miles away, especially below a dam.
Can you float the Little River?
Clear, rocky Smoky Mountain water. Class II below Townsend and harder in the park. Sections on this page: Townsend to Melrose Dam (10.3 miles); Elbow to the Wye (3 miles); Elkmont to the Sinks.
What is a good level to paddle the Little River?
Townsend to Melrose Dam: 450 to 3,000 cfs on the Little River near Maryville gauge (American Whitewater); Elbow to the Wye: 2.6 to 5 feet on the Little River above Townsend gauge (American Whitewater); Elkmont to the Sinks: 2.8 to 6 feet on the Little River above Townsend gauge (American Whitewater). The badge on each section shows where the gauge is right now.
Where can you put in on the Little River?
Access points listed on this page: Townsend put-in (US 321 picnic area), Peery’s Mill (TVA ramp). Each one links to driving directions.
Do you need a life jacket to kayak the Little River?
Yes. Tennessee requires a wearable life jacket for each person in a canoe or kayak, and anyone under 13 has to wear one while underway. Canoes and kayaks without a motor do not need to be registered.
River readings come from the U.S. Geological Survey and are provisional, as USGS publishes them. Forecasts come from the National Weather Service. Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated for the location. Tennessee Fishing Spots is not affiliated with USGS or NWS.
Keep going
More the Little River water, and who fishes it
Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.