Cape Fear River at Lock 1
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 22.0 ft; minor flooding begins at 24.0 ft; moderate flooding begins at 26.0 ft; major flooding begins at 28.0 ft.
| Action stage | 22.0 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 24.0 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 26.0 ft |
| Major flooding | 28.0 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 30.7 ft on Sep 21, 2018 (historic crest)
- 29.8 ft on Sep 23, 1945 (historic crest)
- 28.6 ft on Oct 13, 2016 (historic crest)
- 26.0 ft on Oct 9, 1964 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 19.0 ft | North Elwell Ferry Road will begin to flood north of the river near the ferry landing. Lowland flooding along the river. |
|---|---|
| 20.0 ft | North Elwell Ferry Road will likely be flooded north of the river near the ferry landing. Lowland flooding along the river. |
| 24.0 ft | 24 Water will top the lock at Lock and Dam 1 near Kelly. Widespread lowland flooding will occur along the river. North Elwell Ferry Road will be flooded on both sites of the river near the ferry landing. |
| 26.0 ft | Highway 11 will begin to flood between the Cape Fear River and Natmore Road. Other roads near Kelly and Canetuck may flood. Moderate flooding of swamps and low lands. Flooding similar to that reached with the remnants of Hurricane Hilda in 1964. |
| 28.0 ft | Flooding similar to Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Highway 11 between the Cape Fear River and Natmore Road near Kelly will be flooded. The Canetuck area may be flooded especially if the Black River is also flooding. The railroad between Navassa and Wilmington may flood as the crest works downstream and moderate or higher tidal flooding will occur at downtown Wilmington within a week of the crest at Lock 1. |
| 30.0 ft | Flooding similar to Hurricane Florence in 2018. Highway 11 between the Cape Fear River and Natmore Road near Kelly will be flooded. The Canetuck area may be flooded. Several roads near Kelly and Canetuck may be flooded. The railroad between Navassa and Wilmington may flood as the crest works downstream and moderate or higher tidal flooding will occur at downtown Wilmington within a week of the crest at Lock 1. |
Forecast office: NWS Wilmington · River Forecast Center: Southeast River Forecast Center.
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Nearby stations and gauges
- Cape Fear River at Elwell Ferry NWS gauge · 6.4 mi
- Livingston Creek at NC Route 87 NWS gauge · 7.1 mi
- Black River near Currie NWS gauge · 8.7 mi
- Black River at Beattys Bridge Road NWS gauge · 10.5 mi
- Hood Creek at U.S. 74 near Leland NWS gauge · 13.0 mi
- Long Creek at NC Highway 210 NWS gauge · 15.4 mi