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Black Warrior River at Holt Lock and Dam

Highest listed crest 156.87 ftFlood stage 140.0 ft35 crests since 1969

The Black Warrior River at Holt Lock and Dam crested above flood stage 24 times among the 35 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1969 to 2022. The highest, 156.87 ft on December 3, 1983, was moderate flooding, 16.87 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Black Warrior River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
156.87 ft
December 3, 1983
Flood stage
140.0 ft
Major flooding from 158.0 ft
Crests at major
0
24 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
March 23, 2022
140.50 ft, minor flooding
Location
Tuscaloosa County
Near Tuscaloosa (4.6 mi), Northport (8.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Black Warrior River at Holt Lock and Dam
Action stage138.06Feb 22, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)140.018Mar 23, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage148.06Apr 3, 2000Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage158.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

35 crests from 1969 to 2022. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Black Warrior River at Holt Lock and Dam, 1969 to 2022 120130140150160ft Flood stage 140.0 ftMajor 158.0 ft Jun 19, 1969: 142.10 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 1970: 152.30 ft, moderate floodingDec 27, 1973: 144.00 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 1976: 145.00 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 1977: 148.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 13, 1979: 154.88 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1980: 145.32 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1983: 144.72 ft, minor floodingDec 3, 1983: 156.87 ft, moderate floodingMay 4, 1984: 135.75 ft, below flood stageFeb 1, 1985: 133.45 ft, below flood stageFeb 16, 1990: 149.58 ft, moderate floodingMar 17, 1990: 140.93 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1994: 138.70 ft, action stageJan 27, 1996: 146.52 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 1996: 139.20 ft, action stageJan 7, 1998: 143.83 ft, minor floodingApr 3, 2000: 148.25 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 2001: 140.17 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 2004: 145.82 ft, minor floodingNov 25, 2004: 139.12 ft, action stageJan 7, 2009: 146.72 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 2010: 138.19 ft, action stageSep 6, 2011: 141.47 ft, minor floodingFeb 5, 2012: 127.96 ft, below flood stageJan 15, 2013: 138.87 ft, action stageApr 7, 2014: 144.48 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2015: 142.30 ft, minor floodingFeb 24, 2016: 133.07 ft, below flood stageApr 3, 2017: 135.72 ft, below flood stageDec 28, 2018: 145.33 ft, minor floodingFeb 22, 2019: 138.95 ft, action stageFeb 11, 2020: 143.50 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 2021: 140.27 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 2022: 140.50 ft, minor flooding; 91,871 cubic feet per second Highest, 156.87 ft, Dec 3, 1983 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Black Warrior River at Holt Lock and Dam 1960s: 1 1970s: 5 5 1980s: 3 1990s: 4 2000s: 4 2010s: 4 2020s: 3 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Black Warrior River at Holt Lock and Dam
1Dec 3, 1983156.87+16.87Moderate—
2Apr 13, 1979154.88+14.88Moderate—
3Mar 20, 1970152.30+12.30Moderate—
4Feb 16, 1990149.58+9.58Moderate—
5Apr 3, 2000148.25+8.25Moderate—
6Apr 5, 1977148.00+8.00Moderate—
7Jan 7, 2009146.72+6.72Minor—
8Jan 27, 1996146.52+6.52Minor—
9Feb 6, 2004145.82+5.82Minor—
10Dec 28, 2018145.33+5.33Minor—
11Apr 14, 1980145.32+5.32Minor—
12Mar 16, 1976145.00+5.00Minor—
13May 20, 1983144.72+4.72Minor—
14Apr 7, 2014144.48+4.48Minor—
15Dec 27, 1973144.00+4.00Minor—
16Jan 7, 1998143.83+3.83Minor—
17Feb 11, 2020143.50+3.50Minor—
18Dec 27, 2015142.30+2.30Minor—
19Jun 19, 1969142.10+2.10Minor—
20Sep 6, 2011141.47+1.47Minor—
21Mar 17, 1990140.93+0.93Minor—
22Mar 23, 2022140.50+0.50Minor91,871
23Mar 26, 2021140.27+0.27Minor—
24Apr 4, 2001140.17+0.17Minor—
25Mar 8, 1996139.20−0.80Action—
26Nov 25, 2004139.12−0.88Action—
27Feb 22, 2019138.95−1.05Action—
28Jan 15, 2013138.87−1.13Action—
29Mar 29, 1994138.70−1.30Action—
30Mar 11, 2010138.19−1.81Action—
31May 4, 1984135.75−4.25Below flood stage—
32Apr 3, 2017135.72−4.28Below flood stage—
33Feb 1, 1985133.45−6.55Below flood stage—
34Feb 24, 2016133.07−6.93Below flood stage—
35Feb 5, 2012127.96−12.04Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Black Warrior River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Black Warrior River that crested above flood stage within a week.

December 3, 1983: 156.87 ft here, moderate flooding

April 13, 1979: 154.88 ft here, moderate flooding

March 20, 1970: 152.30 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Black Warrior River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Black Warrior River
CordovaAL22.041.50 ft, Mar 14, 19092
Bankhead Lock and DamAL189.0194.90 ft, Apr 5, 19770
Holt Lock and Dam this gaugeAL140.0156.87 ft, Dec 3, 19830
Oliver Lock and DamAL129.0149.00 ft, Feb 22, 19614
Selden DamAL90.0109.90 ft, Feb 25, 19612

Other gauges in Tuscaloosa County

Flood gauges in Tuscaloosa County
Bankhead Lock and Dam189.0194.90 ft, Apr 5, 19770
Oliver Lock and Dam129.0149.00 ft, Feb 22, 19614

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge TCLA1, 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.