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Little River near Princeton

Highest listed crest 14.72 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft8 crests since 1934

The Little River near Princeton crested above flood stage 8 times among the 8 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1934 to 2018. The highest, 14.72 ft on October 10, 2016, was moderate flooding, 2.72 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Little River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.72 ft
October 10, 2016
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
0
8 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
September 18, 2018
12.34 ft, minor flooding
Location
Johnston County
Near Smithfield (10.8 mi), Goldsboro (14.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Little River near Princeton
Action stage9.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.07Sep 18, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.01Oct 10, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

8 crests from 1934 to 2018. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Little River near Princeton, 1934 to 2018 1213141516ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 16.0 ft Dec 2, 1934: 12.70 ft, minor flooding; 4,470 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1952: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 4,110 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1954: 12.80 ft, minor flooding; 4,770 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 1958: 12.20 ft, minor flooding; 3,980 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 1960: 13.50 ft, minor flooding; 6,260 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 1964: 13.94 ft, minor flooding; 7,150 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2016: 14.72 ft, moderate floodingSep 18, 2018: 12.34 ft, minor flooding; 3,473 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.72 ft, Oct 10, 2016 1940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Little River near Princeton 1930s: 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 3 3 1960s: 2 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Little River near Princeton
1Oct 10, 201614.72+2.72Moderate—
2Oct 6, 196413.94+1.94Minor7,150
3Oct 25, 196013.50+1.50Minor6,260
4Jan 24, 195412.80+0.80Minor4,770
5Dec 2, 193412.70+0.70Minor4,470
6Mar 6, 195212.40+0.40Minor4,110
7Sep 18, 201812.34+0.34Minor3,473
8Aug 29, 195812.20+0.20Minor3,980

The worst floods along the Little River

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

October 10, 2016: 14.72 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Little River

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

Flood gauges on the Little River
Tributary at FairntoshNC12.016.09 ft, Mar 19, 19980
Princeton this gaugeNC12.014.72 ft, Oct 10, 20160
ManchesterNC18.038.30 ft, Sep 18, 20185

Other gauges in Johnston County

Flood gauges in Johnston County
Clayton11.013.56 ft, Sep 25, 20240
Smithfield15.029.09 ft, Oct 10, 201620
Clayton9.022.12 ft, Sep 19, 194515

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PNTN7, 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.