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Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam

Highest listed crest 110.70 ftFlood stage 102.0 ft14 crests since 1987

The Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 14 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1987 to 2024. The highest, 110.70 ft on September 26, 2024, was major flooding, 8.70 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Catawba River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
110.70 ft
September 26, 2024; 80,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
102.0 ft
Major flooding from 110.0 ft
Crests at major
1
76th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 26, 2024
110.70 ft, major flooding
Location
Burke County
Near Morganton (7.6 mi)
Identifiers
NWS BRWN7
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam
Action stage101.03Apr 18, 2003The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)102.05Jul 7, 2013Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage105.01Sep 8, 2004Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage110.01Sep 26, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

14 crests from 1987 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam, 1987 to 2024 100102104106108110112ft Flood stage 102.0 ftMajor 110.0 ft Apr 17, 1987: 100.60 ft, below flood stageOct 2, 1989: 101.20 ft, action stageMar 17, 1990: 102.20 ft, minor floodingAug 17, 1994: 103.95 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1998: 101.07 ft, action stageApr 18, 2003: 101.96 ft, action stageSep 8, 2004: 107.36 ft, moderate floodingSep 18, 2004: 103.91 ft, minor floodingMay 28, 2011: 100.52 ft, below flood stageMay 6, 2013: 104.04 ft, minor floodingJul 7, 2013: 102.25 ft, minor floodingDec 3, 2015: 100.34 ft, below flood stageDec 30, 2015: 100.25 ft, below flood stageSep 26, 2024: 110.70 ft, major flooding; 80,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 110.70 ft, Sep 26, 2024 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 2 2020s: 1 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Catawba River at Lake James/Linville Dam
1Sep 26, 2024110.70+8.70Major80,000
2Sep 8, 2004107.36+5.36Moderate—
3May 6, 2013104.04+2.04Minor—
4Aug 17, 1994103.95+1.95Minor—
5Sep 18, 2004103.91+1.91Minor—
6Jul 7, 2013102.25+0.25Minor—
7Mar 17, 1990102.20+0.20Minor—
8Apr 18, 2003101.96−0.04Action—
9Oct 2, 1989101.20−0.80Action—
10Apr 20, 1998101.07−0.93Action—
11Apr 17, 1987100.60−1.40Below flood stage—
12May 28, 2011100.52−1.48Below flood stage—
13Dec 3, 2015100.34−1.66Below flood stage—
14Dec 30, 2015100.25−1.75Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Catawba River

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

September 26, 2024: 110.70 ft here, major flooding

September 8, 2004: 107.36 ft here, moderate flooding

May 6, 2013: 104.04 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Catawba River

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

Flood gauges on the Catawba River
CatawbaSC23.024.66 ft, Feb 8, 20200
Rock HillSC15.024.15 ft, May 23, 19010
Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck DamSC102.0106.62 ft, Sep 29, 20242
Great Falls Reservoir/Great Falls-Dearborn DamsSC102.0105.90 ft, Sep 29, 20240
Lake Hickory/Oxford DamNC101.0104.70 ft, Aug 30, 19400
Lake James/Linville Dam this gaugeNC102.0110.70 ft, Sep 26, 20241
Lake Rhodhiss DamNC104.0110.10 ft, Aug 30, 19401
Lookout Shoals Lake and DamNC103.0114.40 ft, Aug 30, 19407
Mountain Island Lake and DamNC103.0109.60 ft, Aug 30, 19403
Pleasant GardensNC11.017.55 ft, Sep 8, 20040

Other gauges in Burke County

Flood gauges in Burke County
Morganton8.09.42 ft, Sep 13, 20140
Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton12.028.60 ft, Sep 8, 20042
Nebo12.013.68 ft, Sep 8, 20040

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BRWN7, 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.