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Cape Fear River at Lock 1

Highest listed crest 30.68 ftFlood stage 24.0 ft160 crests since 1969

The Cape Fear River at Lock 1 crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 160 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1969 to 2024. The highest, 30.68 ft on September 21, 2018, was major flooding, 6.68 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Cape Fear River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
30.68 ft
September 21, 2018; 73,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
24.0 ft
Major flooding from 28.0 ft
Crests at major
2
55th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 21, 2018
30.68 ft, major flooding
Location
Bladen County
North Carolina

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cape Fear River at Lock 1
Action stage22.024Aug 13, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)24.06Mar 24, 1998Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage26.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage28.02Sep 21, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

160 crests from 1969 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cape Fear River at Lock 1, 1969 to 2024 1520253035ft Flood stage 24.0 ftMajor 28.0 ft Aug 19, 1969: 23.34 ft, action stageFeb 21, 1970: 20.94 ft, below flood stage; 25,800 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1971: 23.34 ft, action stage; 52,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1972: 21.65 ft, below flood stage; 28,000 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1972: 22.88 ft, action stageFeb 8, 1973: 24.77 ft, minor flooding; 56,300 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1973: 24.20 ft, minor floodingJun 27, 1973: 20.90 ft, below flood stageAug 10, 1974: 20.60 ft, below flood stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1975: 22.90 ft, action stageMar 22, 1975: 23.50 ft, action stageJul 21, 1975: 24.30 ft, minor flooding; 51,500 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1976: 20.30 ft, below flood stage; 19,000 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1977: 20.86 ft, below flood stage; 22,500 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1977: 22.34 ft, action stageJan 31, 1978: 22.88 ft, action stage; 37,800 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1979: 24.92 ft, minor flooding; 57,700 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1980: 21.03 ft, below flood stage; 23,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1981: 19.79 ft, below flood stage; 16,300 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1982: 21.30 ft, below flood stage; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1983: 22.07 ft, action stage; 31,100 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1984: 21.78 ft, below flood stage; 28,900 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1984: 18.48 ft, below flood stageFeb 6, 1985: 20.52 ft, below flood stage; 20,400 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1985: 20.76 ft, below flood stage; 21,900 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1986: 19.48 ft, below flood stageJan 27, 1987: 21.80 ft, below flood stageMar 6, 1987: 23.61 ft, action stage; 44,500 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1987: 20.26 ft, below flood stageJan 23, 1988: 18.86 ft, below flood stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1989: 20.45 ft, below flood stageMar 10, 1989: 21.25 ft, below flood stageMar 29, 1989: 21.58 ft, below flood stage; 27,200 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1989: 19.83 ft, below flood stageMay 8, 1989: 21.18 ft, below flood stageJul 21, 1989: 20.18 ft, below flood stageOct 7, 1989: 20.53 ft, below flood stage; 21,000 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 1989: 20.10 ft, below flood stageFeb 26, 1990: 20.02 ft, below flood stageApr 5, 1990: 20.25 ft, below flood stageJun 1, 1990: 19.55 ft, below flood stageOct 30, 1990: 20.39 ft, below flood stageJan 16, 1991: 20.43 ft, below flood stage; 20,300 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1991: 19.90 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 1992: 19.90 ft, below flood stage; 17,500 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1992: 20.03 ft, below flood stageJan 16, 1993: 20.81 ft, below flood stageMar 9, 1993: 20.85 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 1993: 20.77 ft, below flood stageMar 31, 1993: 20.79 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 1993: 21.86 ft, below flood stage; 29,000 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1994: 21.65 ft, below flood stage; 27,600 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1994: 20.07 ft, below flood stageJan 20, 1995: 20.63 ft, below flood stageFeb 22, 1995: 22.75 ft, action stage; 35,600 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1995: 20.23 ft, below flood stageMar 12, 1995: 20.28 ft, below flood stageJun 22, 1995: 19.66 ft, below flood stageJul 5, 1995: 21.49 ft, below flood stageOct 9, 1995: 20.42 ft, below flood stageNov 12, 1995: 19.96 ft, below flood stageJan 30, 1996: 20.00 ft, below flood stageSep 12, 1996: 24.90 ft, minor floodingOct 12, 1996: 20.68 ft, below flood stageFeb 19, 1997: 20.58 ft, below flood stageMay 4, 1997: 20.85 ft, below flood stageJul 29, 1997: 20.79 ft, below flood stageJan 12, 1998: 20.24 ft, below flood stageFeb 1, 1998: 21.90 ft, below flood stageFeb 9, 1998: 22.68 ft, action stageFeb 23, 1998: 22.71 ft, action stageMar 14, 1998: 22.34 ft, action stageMar 24, 1998: 24.16 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 1998: 19.83 ft, below flood stageJan 28, 1999: 20.48 ft, below flood stageSep 8, 1999: 19.52 ft, below flood stageSep 20, 1999: 23.30 ft, action stageOct 4, 1999: 21.37 ft, below flood stageOct 21, 1999: 20.70 ft, below flood stageFeb 4, 2000: 20.12 ft, below flood stageApr 8, 2001: 20.13 ft, below flood stageJan 26, 2002: 19.43 ft, below flood stageNov 22, 2002: 19.57 ft, below flood stageMar 10, 2003: 20.91 ft, below flood stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2003: 21.59 ft, below flood stage; 28,100 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2003: 23.72 ft, action stageMay 30, 2003: 20.91 ft, below flood stageJul 7, 2003: 19.78 ft, below flood stageAug 14, 2003: 21.49 ft, below flood stageAug 17, 2004: 18.70 ft, below flood stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2004: 19.35 ft, below flood stage; 15,200 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 2004: 20.48 ft, below flood stageJan 18, 2005: 19.82 ft, below flood stageJun 18, 2006: 20.40 ft, below flood stageNov 27, 2006: 22.71 ft, action stage; 35,450 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2006: 20.29 ft, below flood stageMar 6, 2007: 19.75 ft, below flood stageApr 19, 2007: 19.91 ft, below flood stageApr 8, 2008: 19.93 ft, below flood stageSep 10, 2008: 20.77 ft, below flood stageMar 5, 2009: 20.60 ft, below flood stageNov 16, 2009: 19.69 ft, below flood stageDec 29, 2009: 19.59 ft, below flood stage; 16,400 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 2010: 20.33 ft, below flood stage; 20,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2010: 22.59 ft, action stage; 35,000 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2010: 19.44 ft, below flood stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2011: 18.68 ft, below flood stageMar 31, 2012: 19.37 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 2013: 21.48 ft, below flood stageJul 6, 2013: 21.63 ft, below flood stage; 23,200 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2013: 21.28 ft, below flood stageJan 3, 2014: 20.50 ft, below flood stageJan 15, 2014: 20.97 ft, below flood stageFeb 24, 2014: 20.84 ft, below flood stageMar 12, 2014: 21.33 ft, below flood stageMar 23, 2014: 20.28 ft, below flood stageApr 22, 2014: 19.77 ft, below flood stageMay 19, 2014: 20.28 ft, below flood stageDec 27, 2014: 19.76 ft, below flood stageJan 15, 2015: 20.08 ft, below flood stageMar 9, 2015: 20.46 ft, below flood stageApr 23, 2015: 20.01 ft, below flood stageOct 7, 2015: 21.13 ft, below flood stageNov 7, 2015: 20.77 ft, below flood stageNov 13, 2015: 20.76 ft, below flood stageNov 24, 2015: 20.72 ft, below flood stageDec 28, 2015: 22.51 ft, action stageJan 5, 2016: 21.88 ft, below flood stage; 26,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2016: 20.73 ft, below flood stageFeb 20, 2016: 20.26 ft, below flood stageFeb 28, 2016: 20.58 ft, below flood stageOct 3, 2016: 21.36 ft, below flood stageOct 13, 2016: 28.58 ft, major flooding; 66,400 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2017: 20.93 ft, below flood stageApr 19, 2018: 19.79 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 2018: 19.84 ft, below flood stageSep 21, 2018: 30.68 ft, major flooding; 73,600 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2018: 19.84 ft, below flood stageNov 19, 2018: 23.75 ft, action stage; 40,300 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2018: 20.18 ft, below flood stage; 16,300 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 2018: 20.69 ft, below flood stage; 19,000 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2018: 21.06 ft, below flood stage; 21,100 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2018: 21.09 ft, below flood stage; 21,300 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2018: 20.81 ft, below flood stage; 19,700 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 2019: 20.97 ft, below flood stage; 20,600 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2019: 21.09 ft, below flood stage; 21,900 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2019: 20.86 ft, below flood stageJan 27, 2019: 20.50 ft, below flood stageFeb 27, 2019: 21.09 ft, below flood stage; 21,900 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2019: 20.37 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 2019: 19.69 ft, below flood stageApr 12, 2019: 20.18 ft, below flood stageApr 26, 2019: 19.63 ft, below flood stageFeb 12, 2020: 23.27 ft, action stageNov 17, 2020: 23.25 ft, action stageJan 7, 2021: 22.04 ft, action stageFeb 20, 2021: 22.67 ft, action stageMar 21, 2022: 21.10 ft, below flood stageApr 13, 2023: 21.39 ft, below flood stageAug 13, 2024: 23.92 ft, action stage Highest, 30.68 ft, Sep 21, 2018 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cape Fear River at Lock 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 4 4 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 2020s: 0 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.
  3. 2 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 29.80 ft on Sep 23, 1945; 26.00 ft on Oct 9, 1964.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 160 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cape Fear River at Lock 1
1Sep 21, 201830.68+6.68Major73,600
2Oct 13, 201628.58+4.58Major66,400
3Mar 3, 197924.92+0.92Minor57,700
4Sep 12, 199624.90+0.90Minor—
5Feb 8, 197324.77+0.77Minor56,300
6Jul 21, 197524.30+0.30Minor51,500
7Apr 6, 197324.20+0.20Minor—
8Mar 24, 199824.16+0.16Minor—
9Aug 13, 202423.92−0.08Action—
10Nov 19, 201823.75−0.25Action40,300
11Apr 15, 200323.72−0.28Action—
12Mar 6, 198723.61−0.39Action44,500
13Mar 22, 197523.50−0.50Action—
14Aug 19, 196923.34−0.66Action—
15Mar 8, 197123.34−0.66Action52,900
16Sep 20, 199923.30−0.70Action—
17Feb 12, 202023.27−0.73Action—
18Nov 17, 202023.25−0.75Action—
19Jan 18, 197522.90−1.10Action—
20Dec 21, 197222.88−1.12Action—
21Jan 31, 197822.88−1.12Action37,800
22Feb 22, 199522.75−1.25Action35,600
23Feb 23, 199822.71−1.29Action—
24Nov 27, 200622.71−1.29Action35,450
25Feb 9, 199822.68−1.32Action—
26Feb 20, 202122.67−1.33Action—
27Feb 11, 201022.59−1.41Action35,000
28Dec 28, 201522.51−1.49Action—
29Sep 10, 197722.34−1.66Action—
30Mar 14, 199822.34−1.66Action—
31Mar 23, 198322.07−1.93Action31,100
32Jan 7, 202122.04−1.96Action—
33Feb 1, 199821.90−2.10Below flood stage—
34Jan 5, 201621.88−2.12Below flood stage26,300
35Apr 11, 199321.86−2.14Below flood stage29,000
36Jan 27, 198721.80−2.20Below flood stage—
37Apr 3, 198421.78−2.22Below flood stage28,900
38Feb 8, 197221.65−2.35Below flood stage28,000
39Mar 7, 199421.65−2.35Below flood stage27,600
40Jul 6, 201321.63−2.37Below flood stage23,200
41Mar 26, 200321.59−2.41Below flood stage28,100
42Mar 29, 198921.58−2.42Below flood stage27,200
43Jul 5, 199521.49−2.51Below flood stage—
44Aug 14, 200321.49−2.51Below flood stage—
45Jun 12, 201321.48−2.52Below flood stage—
46Apr 13, 202321.39−2.61Below flood stage—
47Oct 4, 199921.37−2.63Below flood stage—
48Oct 3, 201621.36−2.64Below flood stage—
49Mar 12, 201421.33−2.67Below flood stage—
50Jun 15, 198221.30−2.70Below flood stage25,500

The worst floods along the Cape Fear River

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

September 21, 2018: 30.68 ft here, major flooding

October 13, 2016: 28.58 ft here, major flooding

March 3, 1979: 24.92 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Cape Fear River

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

Flood gauges on the Cape Fear River
ElizabethtownNC25.043.20 ft, Sep 23, 19452
FayettevilleNC35.065.30 ft, Oct 4, 19296
LillingtonNC14.033.19 ft, Sep 19, 19452
Lock 1 this gaugeNC24.030.68 ft, Sep 21, 20182
W.O. Huske LockNC42.075.50 ft, Sep 22, 19453
Wilmington (IN MLLW)NC5.59.03 ft, Aug 4, 20200

Other gauges in Bladen County

Flood gauges in Bladen County
Elizabethtown25.043.20 ft, Sep 23, 19452
W.O. Huske Lock42.075.50 ft, Sep 22, 19453

Bladen County: every hazard · River floods across the country · North Carolina

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CPFN7, 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.