N Fork Catawba River at Highway 221
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 7.5 ft; minor flooding begins at 9.0 ft; moderate flooding begins at 10.0 ft; major flooding begins at 12.0 ft.
| Action stage | 7.5 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 9.0 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 10.0 ft |
| Major flooding | 12.0 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 9.2 ft on Aug 21, 2018 (historic crest)
- 9.2 ft on Oct 11, 2018 (historic crest)
- 8.9 ft on Aug 3, 2018 (historic crest)
- 8.7 ft on Sep 17, 2018 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 7.5 ft | Action/Advisory Stage. The North Fork Catawba River is approaching bankfull near Old Linville Rd and North Cove School Rd. Guests at the Mountain Paradise Campground should monitor conditions closely as the river can rise extremely quickly. Impacts downstream of gauge site could be worse if heaviest rainfall/runoff occurs over the many tributaries that feed into the NF Catawba below the gauge. |
|---|---|
| 8.0 ft | Action/Advisory Flooding continues. The North Fork Catawba River is beginning to exceed bankfull near Old Linville Rd and North Cove School Rd. Flooding of North Cove School Rd is imminent. Guests at the Mountain Paradise Campground should prepare to seek higher ground. Impacts downstream of gauge site could be worse if heaviest rainfall/runoff occurs over the many tributaries that feed into the NF Catawba below the gauge. |
| 8.5 ft | Action/Advisory Flooding continues. The North Fork Catawba River is likely beginning to flood North Cove School Rd, requiring closure. Flooding is beginning of low-lying areas between the river and Old Linville Rd, as well as areas of the Linville Falls Golf Club. Guests at the Mountain Paradise Campground should seek higher ground immediately. Impacts downstream of gauge site could be worse if heaviest rainfall/runoff occurs over the many tributaries that feed into the NF Catawba below the gauge. |
| 9.0 ft | Minor Flood Stage. The North Fork Catawba River may begin flooding the lowest elevations of the Mountain Paradise Campground. Guests should already have moved to higher ground. North Cove School Rd inundation of up to 6" is likely, forcing closure. Low-lying areas between Old Linville Rd and the river are flooding, with Old Linville Rd flooding imminent. Impacts downstream of gauge site could be worse if heaviest rainfall/runoff occurs over the many tributaries that feed into the NF Catawba below the gauge. |
| 9.5 ft | Minor Flooding continues. The North Fork Catawba River is likely flooding the lowest elevations of the Mountain Paradise Campground with evacuations possible. North Cove School Rd inundation of up to 12" is likely, forcing closure. Flooding of Old Linville Rd is likely, forcing closure. Flooding of Linville Falls Golf Club is expanding. Impacts downstream of gauge site could be worse if heaviest rainfall/runoff occurs over the many tributaries that feed into the NF Catawba below the gauge. |
Forecast office: NWS Greer · River Forecast Center: Southeast River Forecast Center.
N Fork Catawba River at Highway 221 in your pocket
Tidora puts this spot on your Home Screen and Lock Screen with free widgets, and sends free flood alerts before the water reaches the levels that matter to you. No account, no subscription needed for either.
Download Tidora on the App Store
Tidora is preparing for launch; these pages go fully live when the app ships.
Nearby stations and gauges
- Linville River near Nebo NWS gauge · 6.3 mi
- Grassy Creek at NC 226 at Grassy Creek NWS gauge · 6.5 mi
- N Toe River at Highland Ave, in Spruce Pine NWS gauge · 7.8 mi
- Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam NWS gauge · 10.9 mi
- Catawba River at N Main St (US 221 Business) 2 NW Marion NWS gauge · 12.7 mi
- Wilson Creek (NC) at Adako Rd 3 SW Collettsville NWS gauge · 12.8 mi