Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 101.0 ft; minor flooding begins at 102.0 ft; moderate flooding begins at 105.0 ft; major flooding begins at 110.0 ft.
| Action stage | 101.0 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 102.0 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 105.0 ft |
| Major flooding | 110.0 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 110.7 ft on Sep 26, 2024 (historic crest)
- 107.4 ft on Sep 8, 2004 (historic crest)
- 104.0 ft on May 6, 2013 (historic crest)
- 104.0 ft on Aug 17, 1994 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 100.0 ft | Full pool. |
|---|---|
| 101.0 ft | Action/Advisory Stage. Common, nuisance flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to Lake James is underway. Lake James is approaching homes and other structures along Island Cir, Moose Campground Rd, and Houseboat Ln. Floodwaters may begin entering Linville Shores Campground. Lake James may be flooding lake-access areas with up to 2 feet of inundation. Campgrounds along the Lake James shoreline may experience floodwater inundation of up to 1 foot. |
| 102.0 ft | Minor Flood Stage. Common, deeper flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to Lake James is developing with lesser impacts to vulnerable property. Lake James may be flooding yards, docks, and lake-access areas with up to 2-4 feet of inundation. Campgrounds along the Lake James shoreline may experience floodwater inundation of up to 1-2 feet. Low-lying campers may need to be relocated to prevent more significant damage. FLS needed. |
| 103.0 ft | Minor Flooding continues. Common, deeper flooding of low-lying areas adjacent to Lake James is ongoing with increasing impacts to vulnerable property. Floodwater inundation of 1-2 feet is impacting the Marion Moose Campground, the Lake James Landing community, and possibly residences along Island Cir and Houseboat Ln within the Lake James Getaways community. |
| 105.0 ft | Moderate Flood Stage. Unusual, damaging flooding is developing adjacent to Lake James with considerable impacts to property. Lake James Landing, Marion Moose Campground, Lake James Getaways at Island Cir and Houseboat Ln, and Linville Shores Campground are all experiencing significant flooding with inundation of 2-4 feet likely. Impacts continued in the 105.01 statement... |
| 105.0 ft | ...impacts continued from the 105.0 foot statement...Floodwaters reaching depths of 4-6 feet are impacting yards, docks, and lake-access areas. Campgrounds may be experiencing dangerous inundation up to 2-4 ft deep, capable of moving RVs and other vehicles. Flooding less than 1 ft deep may begin for first-floor building elevations. Some homes and businesses may be stranded. |
| 110.0 ft | Major Flood Stage. Extremely rare and catastrophic flooding of Lake James is developing with disastrous impacts to property. Campgrounds may be experiencing devastating flooding greater than 4 ft deep, causing severe damage. Basements and crawl spaces may be completely submerged. First-floor building elevations may be experiencing ruinous flooding greater than 1 ft deep. Homes and businesses near the lake may be stranded. |
Forecast office: NWS Greer · River Forecast Center: Southeast River Forecast Center.
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Nearby stations and gauges
- Linville River near Nebo NWS gauge · 4.7 mi
- Hunting Creek at Morganton NWS gauge · 8.8 mi
- Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton NWS gauge · 9.4 mi
- N Fork Catawba River at Highway 221 NWS gauge · 10.9 mi
- Catawba River at N Main St (US 221 Business) 2 NW Marion NWS gauge · 11.3 mi
- Wilson Creek (NC) at Adako Rd 3 SW Collettsville NWS gauge · 12.7 mi