Tuckasegee River below Everett St, in Bryson City
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 8.0 ft; minor flooding begins at 10.0 ft; moderate flooding begins at 13.5 ft; major flooding begins at 15.5 ft.
| Action stage | 8.0 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 10.0 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 13.5 ft |
| Major flooding | 15.5 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 16.0 ft on Aug 30, 1940 (historic crest)
- 15.2 ft on Sep 27, 2024 (historic crest)
- 14.2 ft on Mar 28, 1994 (historic crest)
- 14.2 ft on Mar 18, 1999 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 1.4 ft | 1.4 inch in one hour here and just south of the city on jenkins branch will likely cause flooding. + |
|---|---|
| 3.5 ft | 3.5 to 4 inch in 12 hrs caused flooding along toot hollow branch and bryson branch especially along waters street. The tuckasegee river to rise from 2.29 to 9.11 ft. |
| 9.0 ft | River will overflow its banks and will begin to move into the Bear Hunter Campground near Bryson City. |
| 10.0 ft | Low lying areas between Bryson Walk and the river will flood. Upstream between Main Street and the river, low lying areas including parts of the Bear Hunter Campground will flood. |
| 11.0 ft | The river will overflow its banks in the park downtown, and low lying areas along Island and Collins Streets will begin to flood. Toot Hollow Branch that flows into the river will likely overflow its banks and flood areas along the branch especially along Waters Street. Bear Hunter Campground will experience more significant flooding. |
| 12.0 ft | Businesses near Everett Street and along Island and Carringer Streets will flood. In Whittier, businesses along the river may have water in their loading docks. |
| 13.5 ft | Stores along Gibson and Island streets will be flooded. Floodwater levels will be similar to the flooding that occurred on September 17, 2004. |
| 15.0 ft | High water levels on the Tuckaseegee River will cause backwater effects along Deep Creek. The Deep Creek Campground and bridge may be shut down due to flooding. Further flooding of buildings in town will occur. |
| 16.0 ft | Everett Street and Slope Street bridges will be closed due to high water. |
| 17.0 ft | Expect near record flooding of Bryson City. |
Forecast office: NWS Greer · River Forecast Center: Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center.
Tuckasegee River below Everett St, in Bryson City in your pocket
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Nearby stations and gauges
- Deep Creek (NC) at Deep Creek road near Bryson City NWS gauge · 2.1 mi
- Oconaluftee River at Bryson Dam (Lake Ela) NWS gauge · 4.3 mi
- Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown NWS gauge · 5.8 mi
- Little Tennessee River near NEEDMORE NWS gauge · 7.7 mi
- Tuckasegee River at Barkers creek nr Dillsboro NWS gauge · 9.2 mi
- Tuckasegee River near Scott's Creek inflow NWS gauge · 11.7 mi