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Neuse River at Smithfield

Highest listed crest 29.09 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft51 crests since 1908

The Neuse River at Smithfield crested at major flood stage 20 times among the 51 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1908 to 2026. The highest, 29.09 ft on October 10, 2016, was major flooding, 14.09 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
29.09 ft
October 10, 2016
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
20
1st of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
July 25, 2026
15.05 ft, minor flooding
Location
Johnston County
Near Smithfield (0.8 mi), Clayton (11.4 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 Smithfield
Action stage14.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.019Jul 25, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.012Aug 10, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.020Feb 8, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

51 crests from 1908 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Neuse River at Smithfield, 1908 to 2026 15202530ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Aug 1, 1908: 27.10 ft, major flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1919: 26.80 ft, major flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1924: 24.40 ft, major flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1928: 22.90 ft, major flooding; 12,725 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1929: 26.40 ft, major flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1934: 22.40 ft, major flooding; 11,975 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 1945: 25.90 ft, major flooding; 17,900 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1952: 22.40 ft, major flooding; 11,975 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1954: 22.80 ft, major flooding; 12,555 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1955: 22.70 ft, major flooding; 12,410 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1973: 23.65 ft, major flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1975: 23.65 ft, major flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1975: 21.92 ft, major floodingNov 16, 1979: 17.82 ft, minor flooding; 7,730 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1982: 18.39 ft, moderate flooding; 8,460 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1984: 18.72 ft, moderate flooding; 8,900 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1987: 20.58 ft, major flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1989: 19.54 ft, moderate floodingMar 31, 1990: 17.45 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 1994: 18.30 ft, moderate floodingFeb 18, 1995: 18.60 ft, moderate floodingSep 8, 1996: 27.40 ft, major floodingSep 18, 1999: 26.72 ft, major flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2006: 22.95 ft, major flooding; 13,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2010: 18.55 ft, moderate flooding; 8,500 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2014: 19.20 ft, moderate flooding; 9,580 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2016: 29.09 ft, major floodingApr 27, 2017: 25.36 ft, major flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2018: 18.91 ft, moderate flooding; 9,164 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 2018: 16.01 ft, minor flooding; 5,661 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2018: 15.00 ft, minor flooding; 4,818 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 2018: 19.89 ft, moderate flooding; 10,615 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 2018: 15.75 ft, minor flooding; 5,442 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 2018: 16.57 ft, minor flooding; 6,271 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2020: 21.26 ft, major floodingDec 18, 2020: 15.00 ft, minor flooding; 4,818 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2020: 18.01 ft, moderate flooding; 7,968 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 2021: 19.16 ft, moderate flooding; 9,523 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2021: 16.38 ft, minor flooding; 6,064 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 2021: 17.71 ft, minor flooding; 7,602 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2021: 17.31 ft, minor flooding; 7,116 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2021: 15.14 ft, minor flooding; 4,934 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 2022: 15.15 ft, minor flooding; 4,943 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2023: 15.07 ft, minor flooding; 4,876 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 2024: 19.47 ft, moderate flooding; 9,987 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2024: 15.62 ft, minor flooding; 5,334 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 2024: 15.65 ft, minor flooding; 5,359 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2024: 17.50 ft, minor flooding; 7,347 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2024: 17.74 ft, minor flooding; 7,639 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2025: 17.48 ft, minor flooding; 6,823 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2026: 15.05 ft, minor flooding; 4,485 cubic feet per second Highest, 29.09 ft, Oct 10, 2016 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Neuse River at Smithfield 1900s: 1 1910s: 1 1920s: 3 1930s: 1 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 4 1980s: 4 1990s: 5 2000s: 1 2010s: 10 2020s: 17 17 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 51 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Neuse River at Smithfield
1Oct 10, 201629.09+14.09Major—
2Sep 8, 199627.40+12.40Major—
3Aug 1, 190827.10+12.10Major19,900
4Jul 24, 191926.80+11.80Major19,400
5Sep 18, 199926.72+11.72Major19,000
6Oct 3, 192926.40+11.40Major18,700
7Sep 20, 194525.90+10.90Major17,900
8Apr 27, 201725.36+10.36Major16,400
9Oct 1, 192424.40+9.40Major15,400
10Feb 5, 197323.65+8.65Major15,300
11Mar 21, 197523.65+8.65Major15,300
12Jun 16, 200622.95+7.95Major13,000
13Sep 21, 192822.90+7.90Major12,725
14Jan 24, 195422.80+7.80Major12,555
15Sep 5, 195522.70+7.70Major12,410
16Dec 2, 193422.40+7.40Major11,975
17Mar 7, 195222.40+7.40Major11,975
18Jul 20, 197521.92+6.92Major—
19Feb 8, 202021.26+6.26Major—
20Mar 2, 198720.58+5.58Major11,700
21Nov 15, 201819.89+4.89Moderate10,615
22Mar 25, 198919.54+4.54Moderate—
23Aug 10, 202419.47+4.47Moderate9,987
24May 16, 201419.20+4.20Moderate9,580
25Jan 4, 202119.16+4.16Moderate9,523
26Sep 17, 201818.91+3.91Moderate9,164
27May 31, 198418.72+3.72Moderate8,900
28Feb 18, 199518.60+3.60Moderate—
29Feb 7, 201018.55+3.55Moderate8,500
30Jan 5, 198218.39+3.39Moderate8,460
31Mar 4, 199418.30+3.30Moderate—
32Dec 26, 202018.01+3.01Moderate7,968
33Nov 16, 197917.82+2.82Minor7,730
34Sep 26, 202417.74+2.74Minor7,639
35Feb 20, 202117.71+2.71Minor7,602
36Sep 18, 202417.50+2.50Minor7,347
37Mar 18, 202517.48+2.48Minor6,823
38Mar 31, 199017.45+2.45Minor—
39Mar 1, 202117.31+2.31Minor7,116
40Dec 3, 201816.57+1.57Minor6,271
41Feb 1, 202116.38+1.38Minor6,064
42Oct 4, 201816.01+1.01Minor5,661
43Nov 23, 201815.75+0.75Minor5,442
44Sep 3, 202415.65+0.65Minor5,359
45Aug 20, 202415.62+0.62Minor5,334
46Jul 11, 202215.15+0.15Minor4,943
47Oct 10, 202115.14+0.14Minor4,934
48May 1, 202315.07+0.07Minor4,876
49Jul 25, 202615.05+0.05Minor4,485
50Oct 13, 201815.000.00Minor4,818

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 10, 2016: 29.09 ft here, major flooding

  • GoldsboroNC · Oct 12, 2016 · 29.74 ft · Major · its highest
  • KinstonNC · Oct 14, 2016 · 28.31 ft · Major · its highest
  • Fort BarnwellNC · Oct 15, 2016 · 20.51 ft · Major
  • ClaytonNC · Oct 9, 2016 · 20.48 ft · Major

September 8, 1996: 27.40 ft here, major flooding

  • GoldsboroNC · Sep 12, 1996 · 26.21 ft · Major
  • ClaytonNC · Sep 7, 1996 · 20.12 ft · Major

July 24, 1919: 26.80 ft here, major flooding

  • KinstonNC · Jul 24, 1919 · 25.00 ft · Major
  • ClaytonNC · Jul 23, 1919 · 21.15 ft · Major

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
KinstonNC14.028.31 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
Smithfield this gaugeNC15.029.09 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

Other gauges in Johnston County

Flood gauges in Johnston County
Princeton12.014.72 ft, Oct 10, 20160
Clayton11.013.56 ft, Sep 25, 20240
Clayton9.022.12 ft, Sep 19, 194515

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SMFN7, 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.