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Neuse River at Kinston

Highest listed crest 28.31 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft33 crests since 1919

The Neuse River at Kinston crested at major flood stage 12 times among the 33 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1919 to 2024. The highest, 28.31 ft on October 14, 2016, was major flooding, 14.31 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Neuse River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.31 ft
October 14, 2016; 38,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 21.0 ft
Crests at major
12
5th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 25, 2024
16.26 ft, minor flooding
Location
Lenoir County
Near Kinston (1.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Neuse River at Kinston
Action stage13.02Sep 11, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.013Sep 25, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.04Aug 16, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage21.012Nov 20, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

33 crests from 1919 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Neuse River at Kinston, 1919 to 2024 1015202530ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 21.0 ft Jul 24, 1919: 25.00 ft, major floodingOct 1, 1924: 24.70 ft, major floodingSep 25, 1928: 24.20 ft, major floodingOct 10, 1929: 22.80 ft, major floodingApr 14, 1936: 20.90 ft, moderate floodingSep 27, 1945: 22.40 ft, major floodingOct 13, 1964: 22.90 ft, major floodingJan 29, 1978: 19.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 8, 1979: 20.70 ft, moderate floodingFeb 27, 1995: 17.60 ft, minor floodingOct 15, 1995: 17.00 ft, minor floodingSep 17, 1996: 23.30 ft, major floodingSep 23, 1999: 27.71 ft, major flooding; 36,300 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2003: 17.77 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 2003: 17.55 ft, minor floodingAug 24, 2004: 14.91 ft, minor flooding; 8,572 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 2010: 16.14 ft, minor flooding; 9,780 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 2011: 10.95 ft, below flood stageMar 29, 2012: 11.14 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2013: 17.57 ft, minor floodingJan 6, 2014: 14.20 ft, minor floodingJan 19, 2014: 15.24 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 2014: 13.93 ft, action stageMar 15, 2014: 14.53 ft, minor floodingOct 14, 2016: 28.31 ft, major flooding; 38,200 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2017: 21.47 ft, major flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 2018: 25.78 ft, major flooding; 31,662 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 2019: 13.92 ft, action stageNov 20, 2020: 21.51 ft, major flooding; 20,135 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2023: 15.45 ft, minor flooding; 8,911 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2024: 14.90 ft, minor flooding; 8,046 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 2024: 18.23 ft, moderate flooding; 13,447 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2024: 16.26 ft, minor flooding; 10,128 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.31 ft, Oct 14, 2016 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Neuse River at Kinston 1910s: 1 1920s: 3 1930s: 1 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 1 1970s: 2 1980s: 0 1990s: 4 2000s: 3 2010s: 8 8 2020s: 5 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Neuse River at Kinston
1Oct 14, 201628.31+14.31Major38,200
2Sep 23, 199927.71+13.71Major36,300
3Sep 21, 201825.78+11.78Major31,662
4Jul 24, 191925.00+11.00Major—
5Oct 1, 192424.70+10.70Major—
6Sep 25, 192824.20+10.20Major—
7Sep 17, 199623.30+9.30Major—
8Oct 13, 196422.90+8.90Major—
9Oct 10, 192922.80+8.80Major—
10Sep 27, 194522.40+8.40Major—
11Nov 20, 202021.51+7.51Major20,135
12May 3, 201721.47+7.47Major19,600
13Apr 14, 193620.90+6.90Moderate—
14Mar 8, 197920.70+6.70Moderate—
15Jan 29, 197819.00+5.00Moderate—
16Aug 16, 202418.23+4.23Moderate13,447
17Apr 18, 200317.77+3.77Minor—
18Feb 27, 199517.60+3.60Minor—
19Jul 21, 201317.57+3.57Minor—
20Aug 19, 200317.55+3.55Minor—
21Oct 15, 199517.00+3.00Minor—
22Sep 25, 202416.26+2.26Minor10,128
23Oct 7, 201016.14+2.14Minor9,780
24Dec 24, 202315.45+1.45Minor8,911
25Jan 19, 201415.24+1.24Minor—
26Aug 24, 200414.91+0.91Minor8,572
27Jan 20, 202414.90+0.90Minor8,046
28Mar 15, 201414.53+0.53Minor—
29Jan 6, 201414.20+0.20Minor—
30Feb 27, 201413.93−0.07Action—
31Sep 11, 201913.92−0.08Action—
32Mar 29, 201211.14−2.86Below flood stage4,540
33Aug 30, 201110.95−3.05Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Neuse River

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

October 14, 2016: 28.31 ft here, major flooding

  • GoldsboroNC · Oct 12, 2016 · 29.74 ft · Major · its highest
  • SmithfieldNC · Oct 10, 2016 · 29.09 ft · Major · its highest
  • Fort BarnwellNC · Oct 15, 2016 · 20.51 ft · Major
  • ClaytonNC · Oct 9, 2016 · 20.48 ft · Major

September 23, 1999: 27.71 ft here, major flooding

  • GoldsboroNC · Sep 20, 1999 · 28.85 ft · Major
  • SmithfieldNC · Sep 18, 1999 · 26.72 ft · Major
  • Fort BarnwellNC · Sep 20, 1999 · 22.75 ft · Major · its highest
  • ClaytonNC · Sep 17, 1999 · 20.67 ft · Major

September 21, 2018: 25.78 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Neuse River

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

Flood gauges on the Neuse River
Fort BarnwellNC13.022.75 ft, Sep 20, 19993
Kinston this gaugeNC14.028.31 ft, Oct 14, 201612
Main St in Seven SpringsNC15.017.67 ft, Aug 15, 20240
Oriental (in MLLW)NC4.09.20 ft, Sep 14, 20181
SmithfieldNC15.029.09 ft, Oct 10, 201620
Spring GardenNC4.58.63 ft, Sep 19, 20181
Falls DamNC6.08.05 ft, Sep 16, 19961
ClaytonNC9.022.12 ft, Sep 19, 194515
GoldsboroNC18.029.74 ft, Oct 12, 201612

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge KINN7, 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.