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Big Wills Creek (AL) near Fort Payne

Highest listed crest 17.94 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft37 crests since 2003

The Big Wills Creek (AL) near Fort Payne crested above flood stage 36 times among the 37 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2003 to 2025. The highest, 17.94 ft on April 13, 2020, was moderate flooding, 6.94 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
17.94 ft
April 13, 2020; 6,097 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
0
36 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
February 13, 2025
12.48 ft, minor flooding
Location
DeKalb County
Near Fort Payne (4.6 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Big Wills Creek (AL) near Fort Payne
Action stage10.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.026Feb 13, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.010Jun 20, 2021Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

37 crests from 2003 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Wills Creek (AL) near Fort Payne, 2003 to 2025 8101214161820ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Feb 22, 2003: 12.16 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 2003: 14.19 ft, moderate floodingFeb 6, 2004: 9.75 ft, below flood stageSep 17, 2004: 13.43 ft, moderate floodingDec 10, 2004: 11.13 ft, minor floodingJul 1, 2007: 11.47 ft, minor flooding; 2,095 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2009: 14.36 ft, moderate flooding; 3,709 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 2009: 12.17 ft, minor flooding; 2,440 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 2009: 11.74 ft, minor flooding; 2,225 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2009: 11.80 ft, minor flooding; 2,254 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 12.12 ft, minor flooding; 2,413 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2010: 11.96 ft, minor flooding; 2,330 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2010: 11.69 ft, minor flooding; 2,201 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2011: 13.12 ft, moderate flooding; 2,950 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2011: 12.63 ft, minor flooding; 2,683 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 2011: 11.29 ft, minor flooding; 2,009 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2013: 12.36 ft, minor flooding; 2,541 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2014: 11.87 ft, minor flooding; 2,288 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2014: 13.93 ft, moderate flooding; 3,429 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2015: 11.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,100 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2015: 13.88 ft, moderate flooding; 3,399 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 2016: 12.57 ft, minor flooding; 2,652 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2016: 12.67 ft, minor flooding; 2,705 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2018: 11.55 ft, minor flooding; 2,134 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2018: 11.62 ft, minor flooding; 2,168 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2019: 11.27 ft, minor flooding; 2,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2019: 11.32 ft, minor flooding; 2,024 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2020: 14.13 ft, moderate flooding; 3,557 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2020: 11.36 ft, minor flooding; 2,043 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2020: 17.94 ft, moderate flooding; 6,097 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2021: 12.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,604 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2021: 14.09 ft, moderate flooding; 3,530 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2021: 11.27 ft, minor flooding; 2,000 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2021: 14.43 ft, moderate flooding; 3,757 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 2022: 12.55 ft, minor flooding; 2,642 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2022: 11.07 ft, minor flooding; 1,904 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2025: 12.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,604 cubic feet per second Highest, 17.94 ft, Apr 13, 2020 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Wills Creek (AL) near Fort Payne 2000s: 9 2010s: 17 17 2020s: 10 2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Big Wills Creek (AL) near Fort Payne
1Apr 13, 202017.94+6.94Moderate6,097
2Jun 20, 202114.43+3.43Moderate3,757
3Jan 7, 200914.36+3.36Moderate3,709
4May 6, 200314.19+3.19Moderate—
5Feb 6, 202014.13+3.13Moderate3,557
6Mar 25, 202114.09+3.09Moderate3,530
7Apr 29, 201413.93+2.93Moderate3,429
8Dec 26, 201513.88+2.88Moderate3,399
9Sep 17, 200413.43+2.43Moderate—
10Mar 9, 201113.12+2.12Moderate2,950
11Feb 24, 201612.67+1.67Minor2,705
12Sep 6, 201112.63+1.63Minor2,683
13Feb 3, 201612.57+1.57Minor2,652
14Jan 2, 202212.55+1.55Minor2,642
15Mar 18, 202112.48+1.48Minor2,604
16Feb 13, 202512.48+1.48Minor2,604
17Jan 15, 201312.36+1.36Minor2,541
18Sep 21, 200912.17+1.17Minor2,440
19Feb 22, 200312.16+1.16Minor—
20Jan 25, 201012.12+1.12Minor2,413
21Apr 25, 201011.96+0.96Minor2,330
22Apr 7, 201411.87+0.87Minor2,288
23Dec 9, 200911.80+0.80Minor2,254
24Oct 12, 200911.74+0.74Minor2,225
25May 3, 201011.69+0.69Minor2,201
26Dec 28, 201811.62+0.62Minor2,168
27Apr 23, 201811.55+0.55Minor2,134
28Dec 2, 201511.48+0.48Minor2,100
29Jul 1, 200711.47+0.47Minor2,095
30Feb 13, 202011.36+0.36Minor2,043
31Feb 24, 201911.32+0.32Minor2,024
32Nov 28, 201111.29+0.29Minor2,009
33Jan 24, 201911.27+0.27Minor2,000
34Mar 31, 202111.27+0.27Minor2,000
35Dec 10, 200411.13+0.13Minor—
36Feb 23, 202211.07+0.07Minor1,904
37Feb 6, 20049.75−1.25Below flood stage—

DeKalb County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Alabama

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BGWA1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.