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Catawba River at Mountain Island Lake and Dam

Highest listed crest 109.60 ftFlood stage 103.0 ft14 crests since 1940

The Catawba River at Mountain Island Lake and Dam crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 14 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2024. The highest, 109.60 ft on August 30, 1940, was major flooding, 6.60 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Catawba River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
109.60 ft
August 30, 1940
Flood stage
103.0 ft
Major flooding from 105.5 ft
Crests at major
3
39th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 29, 2024
107.88 ft, major flooding
Location
Gaston County
Near Mount Holly (1.7 mi), Huntersville (8.4 mi), Belmont (8.4 mi)
Identifiers
NWS MOUN7
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 Mountain Island Lake and Dam
Action stage101.57Jul 7, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)103.01Oct 2, 1989Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage104.02May 7, 2013Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage105.53Sep 29, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

14 crests from 1940 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Catawba River at Mountain Island Lake and Dam, 1940 to 2024 100102104106108110ft Flood stage 103.0 ftMajor 105.5 ft Aug 30, 1940: 109.60 ft, major floodingMar 1, 1987: 101.50 ft, action stageOct 2, 1989: 103.40 ft, minor floodingOct 23, 1990: 101.50 ft, action stageMar 27, 1993: 102.00 ft, action stageAug 19, 1994: 102.00 ft, action stageApr 13, 2003: 101.94 ft, action stageSep 10, 2004: 105.05 ft, moderate floodingJul 10, 2005: 100.70 ft, below flood stageJan 28, 2010: 101.57 ft, action stageMay 7, 2013: 104.02 ft, moderate floodingJul 7, 2013: 102.48 ft, action stageJun 10, 2019: 106.91 ft, major floodingSep 29, 2024: 107.88 ft, major flooding; 89,500 cubic feet per second Highest, 109.60 ft, Aug 30, 1940 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Catawba River at Mountain Island Lake and Dam 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 1 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Mountain Island Lake and Dam
1Aug 30, 1940109.60+6.60Major—
2Sep 29, 2024107.88+4.88Major89,500
3Jun 10, 2019106.91+3.91Major—
4Sep 10, 2004105.05+2.05Moderate—
5May 7, 2013104.02+1.02Moderate—
6Oct 2, 1989103.40+0.40Minor—
7Jul 7, 2013102.48−0.52Action—
8Mar 27, 1993102.00−1.00Action—
9Aug 19, 1994102.00−1.00Action—
10Apr 13, 2003101.94−1.06Action—
11Jan 28, 2010101.57−1.43Action—
12Mar 1, 1987101.50−1.50Action—
13Oct 23, 1990101.50−1.50Action—
14Jul 10, 2005100.70−2.30Below 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.

August 30, 1940: 109.60 ft here, major flooding

September 29, 2024: 107.88 ft here, major flooding

June 10, 2019: 106.91 ft here, major 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 DamNC102.0110.70 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 Dam this gaugeNC103.0109.60 ft, Aug 30, 19403
Pleasant GardensNC11.017.55 ft, Sep 8, 20040

Other gauges in Gaston County

Flood gauges in Gaston County
George Poston Park, 1 N Lowell10.021.33 ft, Aug 15, 19407

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MOUN7, 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.