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Cumberland River at Pineville

Highest listed crest 1,021.80 ftFlood stage 1,002.0 ft31 crests since 1967

The Cumberland River at Pineville crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 31 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1967 to 2025. The highest, 1,021.80 ft on April 5, 1977, was major flooding, 19.80 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Cumberland River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
1,021.80 ft
April 5, 1977; 76,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
1,002.0 ft
Major flooding from 1,019.0 ft
Crests at major
2
46th of 72 gauges in Kentucky
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
1,014.56 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Bell County
Kentucky

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cumberland River at Pineville
Action stage995.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)1,002.019Mar 2, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage1,010.010Feb 16, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage1,019.02Feb 7, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

31 crests from 1967 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cumberland River at Pineville, 1967 to 2025 100010051010101510201025ft Flood stage 1,002.0 ftMajor 1,019.0 ft Jan 1, 1967: 1,008.90 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 1975: 1,002.50 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 1977: 1,021.80 ft, major flooding; 76,600 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1982: 1,005.00 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1984: 1,013.30 ft, moderate floodingJun 16, 1989: 1,010.20 ft, moderate floodingDec 23, 1990: 1,004.63 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 1991: 1,006.60 ft, minor floodingDec 3, 1991: 1,012.12 ft, moderate flooding; 33,300 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1993: 1,008.66 ft, minor flooding; 28,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1994: 1,013.67 ft, moderate flooding; 38,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1994: 1,006.90 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 1994: 1,002.40 ft, minor floodingDec 1, 1996: 1,009.09 ft, minor flooding; 31,100 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1997: 1,008.70 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1998: 1,012.69 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 2000: 1,003.10 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 2002: 1,017.32 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 2003: 1,013.22 ft, moderate flooding; 39,300 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2003: 1,004.57 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 2004: 1,003.20 ft, minor flooding; 24,200 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2011: 1,005.42 ft, minor floodingJan 31, 2013: 1,003.13 ft, minor flooding; 24,907 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2015: 1,013.52 ft, moderate flooding; 45,198 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 1,007.45 ft, minor flooding; 30,199 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2019: 1,003.11 ft, minor flooding; 24,885 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 1,019.06 ft, major flooding; 50,119 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2020: 1,006.49 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 2021: 1,002.19 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 2021: 1,013.33 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 2025: 1,014.56 ft, moderate flooding; 41,528 cubic feet per second Highest, 1,021.80 ft, Apr 5, 1977 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cumberland River at Pineville 1960s: 1 1970s: 2 1980s: 3 1990s: 10 10 2000s: 5 2010s: 5 2020s: 5 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, Cumberland River at Pineville
1Apr 5, 19771,021.80+19.80Major76,600
2Feb 7, 20201,019.06+17.06Major50,119
3Mar 18, 20021,017.32+15.32Moderate—
4Feb 16, 20251,014.56+12.56Moderate41,528
5Feb 11, 19941,013.67+11.67Moderate38,700
6Mar 5, 20151,013.52+11.52Moderate45,198
7Mar 29, 20211,013.33+11.33Moderate—
8May 8, 19841,013.30+11.30Moderate—
9Feb 16, 20031,013.22+11.22Moderate39,300
10Apr 19, 19981,012.69+10.69Moderate—
11Dec 3, 19911,012.12+10.12Moderate33,300
12Jun 16, 19891,010.20+8.20Moderate—
13Dec 1, 19961,009.09+7.09Minor31,100
14Jan 1, 19671,008.90+6.90Minor—
15Mar 4, 19971,008.70+6.70Minor—
16Mar 24, 19931,008.66+6.66Minor28,900
17Apr 24, 20171,007.45+5.45Minor30,199
18Mar 28, 19941,006.90+4.90Minor—
19Mar 23, 19911,006.60+4.60Minor—
20Apr 13, 20201,006.49+4.49Minor—
21Apr 16, 20111,005.42+3.42Minor—
22Jan 4, 19821,005.00+3.00Minor—
23Dec 23, 19901,004.63+2.63Minor—
24Apr 11, 20031,004.57+2.57Minor—
25Mar 6, 20041,003.20+1.20Minor24,200
26Jan 31, 20131,003.13+1.13Minor24,907
27Feb 21, 20191,003.11+1.11Minor24,885
28Apr 4, 20001,003.10+1.10Minor—
29Mar 30, 19751,002.50+0.50Minor—
30Apr 13, 19941,002.40+0.40Minor—
31Mar 2, 20211,002.19+0.19Minor—

The worst floods along the Cumberland River

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

April 5, 1977: 1,021.80 ft here, major flooding

  • BarbourvilleKY · Apr 6, 1977 · 45.91 ft · Major · its highest
  • WilliamsburgKY · Apr 7, 1977 · 35.03 ft · Major · its highest
  • BaxterKY · Apr 4, 1977 · 34.20 ft · Major · its highest

February 7, 2020: 1,019.06 ft here, major flooding

March 18, 2002: 1,017.32 ft here, moderate flooding

  • BarbourvilleKY · Mar 21, 2002 · 38.72 ft · Major
  • BaxterKY · Mar 18, 2002 · 22.00 ft · Major
  • WilliamsburgKY · Mar 21, 2002 · 29.96 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Cumberland River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Cumberland River
Ashland CityTN28.028.66 ft, Feb 24, 20190
BarbourvilleKY27.045.91 ft, Apr 6, 197715
BaxterKY16.034.20 ft, Apr 4, 197717
BurkesvilleKY46.056.60 ft, Feb 28, 20190
CarthageTN40.059.80 ft, Dec 30, 19268
CelinaTN40.059.20 ft, Mar 1, 182610
ClarksvilleTN46.062.58 ft, May 4, 20105
DoverTN66.074.17 ft, May 5, 20102
EdenwoldTN49.050.70 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Hunters PointTN52.053.66 ft, Mar 6, 19890
NashvilleTN40.056.20 ft, Jan 1, 192722
OmohundroTN41.044.69 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Pineville this gaugeKY1,002.01,021.80 ft, Apr 5, 19772
WilliamsburgKY21.035.03 ft, Apr 7, 19774
HermitageTN48.049.11 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Penington BendTN47.048.83 ft, Feb 24, 20190

Bell County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Kentucky

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PVLK2, 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.