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French Broad River above Silver Mine Ck, in Hot Springs

Highest listed crest 22.30 ftFlood stage 9.5 ft16 crests since 1867

The French Broad River above Silver Mine Ck, in Hot Springs crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 16 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1867 to 2024. The highest, 22.30 ft on September 27, 2024, was major flooding, 12.80 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the French Broad River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 4 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.30 ft
September 27, 2024; 133,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.5 ft
Major flooding from 21.0 ft
Crests at major
2
55th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 27, 2024
22.30 ft, major flooding
Location
Madison 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, French Broad River above Silver Mine Ck, in Hot Springs
Action stage7.52Dec 2, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.52Feb 6, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.05Nov 7, 1977Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage21.02Sep 27, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

16 crests from 1867 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the French Broad River above Silver Mine Ck, in Hot Springs, 1867 to 2024 510152025ft Flood stage 9.5 ftMajor 21.0 ft Mar 1, 1867: 18.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 10, 1876: 17.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 1902: 19.00 ft, moderate floodingJul 16, 1916: 22.00 ft, major flooding; 110,000 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 1940: 16.11 ft, moderate floodingNov 7, 1977: 17.50 ft, moderate flooding; 83,000 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 2011: 5.62 ft, below flood stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2013: 9.42 ft, action stage; 38,400 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2013: 7.19 ft, below flood stage; 26,900 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2014: 5.15 ft, below flood stage; 11,200 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2015: 8.27 ft, action stage; 32,964 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 5.94 ft, below flood stage; 16,900 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2018: 6.95 ft, below flood stage; 24,100 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2019: 13.10 ft, minor flooding; 61,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2020: 11.28 ft, minor flooding; 48,331 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2024: 22.30 ft, major flooding; 133,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.30 ft, Sep 27, 2024 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, French Broad River above Silver Mine Ck, in Hot Springs 1860s: 1 1870s: 1 1880s: 0 1890s: 0 1900s: 1 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 2020s: 2 2 1860s1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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, French Broad River above Silver Mine Ck, in Hot Springs
1Sep 27, 202422.30+12.80Major133,000
2Jul 16, 191622.00+12.50Major110,000
3Feb 28, 190219.00+9.50Moderate—
4Mar 1, 186718.00+8.50Moderate—
5Nov 7, 197717.50+8.00Moderate83,000
6Jun 10, 187617.00+7.50Moderate—
7Aug 30, 194016.11+6.61Moderate—
8Apr 19, 201913.10+3.60Minor61,200
9Feb 6, 202011.28+1.78Minor48,331
10Jul 4, 20139.42−0.08Action38,400
11Dec 2, 20158.27−1.23Action32,964
12Dec 23, 20137.19−2.31Below flood stage26,900
13May 30, 20186.95−2.55Below flood stage24,100
14Apr 24, 20175.94−3.56Below flood stage16,900
15Dec 7, 20115.62−3.88Below flood stage16,200
16Oct 15, 20145.15−4.35Below flood stage11,200

The worst floods along the French Broad River

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

September 27, 2024: 22.30 ft here, major flooding

July 16, 1916: 22.00 ft here, major flooding

February 28, 1902: 19.00 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the French Broad River

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

Flood gauges on the French Broad River
RosmanNC9.014.95 ft, Oct 4, 19644
Grove Bridge Rd, in BlantyreNC16.028.43 ft, Sep 28, 20246
Old Fanning Bridge Rd, 3 W FletcherNC13.030.61 ft, Sep 27, 20242
Pearson Bridge Rd, 2 NW AshevilleNC9.524.82 ft, Sep 27, 20243
Rollins Rd, 1 SE MarshallNC8.021.36 ft, Sep 28, 20244
Silver Mine Ck, in Hot Springs this gaugeNC9.522.30 ft, Sep 27, 20242
NewportTN10.024.00 ft, Mar 7, 18674

Other gauges in Madison County

Flood gauges in Madison County
Rollins Rd, 1 SE Marshall8.021.36 ft, Sep 28, 20244
Marshall15.517.21 ft, Jan 14, 19950

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HSPN7, 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.