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Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton

Highest listed crest 28.60 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft36 crests since 1989

The Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 36 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1989 to 2020. The highest, 28.60 ft on September 8, 2004, was major flooding, 16.60 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.60 ft
September 8, 2004; 39,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
2
55th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
February 7, 2020
13.42 ft, minor flooding
Location
Burke County
Near Morganton (6.4 mi), Lenoir (11.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton
Action stage8.56Dec 24, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.021Feb 7, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.05May 19, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.02Sep 8, 2004Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

36 crests from 1989 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton, 1989 to 2020 51015202530ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft Sep 22, 1989: 16.17 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 1989: 16.55 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1990: 18.03 ft, moderate flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1992: 14.60 ft, minor flooding; 8,130 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1993: 16.77 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1994: 25.23 ft, major flooding; 42,300 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1995: 23.98 ft, moderate flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 1996: 19.31 ft, moderate flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1997: 12.73 ft, minor flooding; 5,480 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1998: 15.74 ft, minor flooding; 8,570 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1999: 9.55 ft, action stage; 4,290 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2002: 8.15 ft, below flood stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2003: 10.73 ft, action stage; 4,880 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2003: 17.91 ft, minor flooding; 15,659 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2004: 28.60 ft, major flooding; 39,000 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2004: 16.53 ft, minor flooding; 11,963 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2005: 13.01 ft, minor flooding; 8,110 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2005: 9.07 ft, action stage; 4,850 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 2008: 12.63 ft, minor flooding; 7,720 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2009: 7.09 ft, below flood stageMay 29, 2009: 10.29 ft, action stage; 5,564 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 13.55 ft, minor flooding; 8,650 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2010: 12.27 ft, minor flooding; 7,364 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2011: 13.95 ft, minor flooding; 9,050 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2011: 16.66 ft, minor flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2013: 12.18 ft, minor flooding; 7,276 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 15.03 ft, minor flooding; 10,230 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2013: 19.21 ft, moderate flooding; 15,877 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2013: 16.05 ft, minor flooding; 11,359 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2015: 15.87 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2015: 10.67 ft, action stage; 6,036 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2015: 11.64 ft, action stage; 6,812 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 2016: 14.21 ft, minor flooding; 9,327 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2017: 12.87 ft, minor flooding; 7,440 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2018: 20.29 ft, moderate flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 8,520 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.60 ft, Sep 8, 2004 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton 1980s: 2 1990s: 8 2000s: 5 2010s: 12 12 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, Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton
1Sep 8, 200428.60+16.60Major39,000
2Aug 17, 199425.23+13.23Major42,300
3Jan 15, 199523.98+11.98Moderate25,700
4May 19, 201820.29+8.29Moderate15,900
5Aug 12, 199619.31+7.31Moderate16,500
6May 6, 201319.21+7.21Moderate15,877
7Oct 13, 199018.03+6.03Moderate15,900
8Nov 19, 200317.91+5.91Minor15,659
9Mar 24, 199316.77+4.77Minor12,300
10Apr 16, 201116.66+4.66Minor12,200
11Nov 16, 198916.55+4.55Minor11,700
12Sep 17, 200416.53+4.53Minor11,963
13Sep 22, 198916.17+4.17Minor11,000
14Jul 5, 201316.05+4.05Minor11,359
15Apr 20, 201515.87+3.87Minor10,000
16Jan 8, 199815.74+3.74Minor8,570
17Jan 31, 201315.03+3.03Minor10,230
18Jun 4, 199214.60+2.60Minor8,130
19Feb 3, 201614.21+2.21Minor9,327
20Mar 6, 201113.95+1.95Minor9,050
21Jan 25, 201013.55+1.55Minor8,650
22Feb 7, 202013.42+1.42Minor8,520
23Jul 7, 200513.01+1.01Minor8,110
24May 25, 201712.87+0.87Minor7,440
25Dec 1, 199712.73+0.73Minor5,480
26Aug 27, 200812.63+0.63Minor7,720
27Dec 1, 201012.27+0.27Minor7,364
28Jan 18, 201312.18+0.18Minor7,276
29Dec 24, 201511.64−0.36Action6,812
30Apr 10, 200310.73−1.27Action4,880
31Dec 2, 201510.67−1.33Action6,036
32May 29, 200910.29−1.71Action5,564
33Nov 26, 19999.55−2.45Action4,290
34Nov 29, 20059.07−2.93Action4,850
35Sep 27, 20028.15−3.85Below flood stage3,590
36Jan 7, 20097.09−4.91Below flood stage—

Other gauges in Burke County

Flood gauges in Burke County
Lake James/Linville Dam102.0110.70 ft, Sep 26, 20241
Morganton8.09.42 ft, Sep 13, 20140
Nebo12.013.68 ft, Sep 8, 20040

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge JOHN7, 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.