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Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown

Highest listed crest 18.00 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft50 crests since 1906

The Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 50 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1906 to 2024. The highest, 18.00 ft on November 19, 1906, was major flooding, 8.00 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
18.00 ft
November 19, 1906
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
2
55th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 27, 2024
10.18 ft, minor flooding
Location
Swain 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, Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown
Action stage8.016Jan 15, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.012Sep 27, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.03Mar 16, 1973Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.02Mar 27, 1913Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

50 crests from 1906 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown, 1906 to 2024 05101520ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Nov 19, 1906: 18.00 ft, major floodingMar 27, 1913: 14.50 ft, major floodingJan 7, 1946: 12.00 ft, moderate flooding; 15,007 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 1948: 8.65 ft, action stage; 9,420 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1949: 8.35 ft, action stage; 8,940 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1951: 8.25 ft, action stage; 8,780 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1953: 9.90 ft, action stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 1955: 9.43 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1957: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1959: 10.69 ft, minor flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 1961: 9.87 ft, action stage; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1963: 11.90 ft, minor flooding; 15,000 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 10.53 ft, minor flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1964: 9.90 ft, action stage; 11,600 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1964: 10.24 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1965: 11.47 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1966: 10.67 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1969: 12.46 ft, moderate flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1973: 12.29 ft, moderate flooding; 15,600 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1976: 9.28 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1977: 10.42 ft, minor flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1988: 9.13 ft, action stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1989: 6.78 ft, below flood stage; 6,380 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1990: 10.71 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1992: 9.44 ft, action stage; 10,700 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 1992: 7.09 ft, below flood stage; 6,870 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1994: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 12,800 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1995: 7.81 ft, below flood stage; 8,030 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 8.96 ft, action stage; 9,930 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1996: 9.50 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1998: 9.48 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1999: 4.91 ft, below flood stage; 3,710 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2000: 6.71 ft, below flood stage; 6,270 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 2000: 4.96 ft, below flood stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2002: 5.33 ft, below flood stage; 4,270 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2003: 10.38 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2004: 4.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,700 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2006: 7.19 ft, below flood stage; 7,350 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 2007: 5.22 ft, below flood stage; 4,300 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2008: 6.25 ft, below flood stage; 5,870 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2009: 6.93 ft, below flood stage; 6,940 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2009: 6.81 ft, below flood stageDec 9, 2009: 8.80 ft, action stage; 9,960 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2010: 8.07 ft, action stage; 8,760 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 2011: 5.78 ft, below flood stage; 5,150 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2013: 9.37 ft, action stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 2014: 7.74 ft, below flood stage; 8,220 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 2014: 5.11 ft, below flood stage; 4,140 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2015: 7.76 ft, below flood stage; 8,260 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2024: 10.18 ft, minor flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per second Highest, 18.00 ft, Nov 19, 1906 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown 1900s: 1 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 1 1950s: 2 1960s: 6 6 1970s: 2 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2000s: 1 2010s: 0 2020s: 1 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

Highest listed crests, Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown
1Nov 19, 190618.00+8.00Major—
2Mar 27, 191314.50+4.50Major—
3Dec 30, 196912.46+2.46Moderate15,900
4Mar 16, 197312.29+2.29Moderate15,600
5Jan 7, 194612.00+2.00Moderate15,007
6Mar 6, 196311.90+1.90Minor15,000
7Mar 26, 196511.47+1.47Minor14,200
8Mar 17, 199010.71+0.71Minor12,900
9Jan 21, 195910.69+0.69Minor12,600
10Feb 13, 196610.67+0.67Minor12,900
11Mar 28, 199410.62+0.62Minor12,800
12Mar 12, 196310.53+0.53Minor12,600
13Apr 4, 197710.42+0.42Minor12,500
14May 6, 200310.38+0.38Minor12,300
15Apr 7, 196410.24+0.24Minor12,100
16Sep 27, 202410.18+0.18Minor12,400
17Jan 31, 195710.10+0.10Minor11,600
18Feb 21, 19539.90−0.10Action11,300
19Mar 5, 19649.90−0.10Action11,600
20Dec 12, 19619.87−0.13Action11,500
21Dec 1, 19969.50−0.50Action10,800
22Jan 7, 19989.48−0.52Action10,800
23Sep 10, 19929.44−0.56Action10,700
24Jul 9, 19559.43−0.57Action10,500
25Jan 15, 20139.37−0.63Action10,900
26May 15, 19769.28−0.72Action10,500
27Jan 20, 19889.13−0.87Action10,200
28Jan 19, 19968.96−1.04Action9,930
29Dec 9, 20098.80−1.20Action9,960
30Nov 6, 19488.65−1.35Action9,420
31Jan 5, 19498.35−1.65Action8,940
32Mar 29, 19518.25−1.75Action8,780
33Nov 30, 20108.07−1.93Action8,760
34Mar 8, 19957.81−2.19Below flood stage8,030
35Dec 2, 20157.76−2.24Below flood stage8,260
36Feb 3, 20147.74−2.26Below flood stage8,220
37Jan 17, 20067.19−2.81Below flood stage7,350
38Dec 17, 19927.09−2.91Below flood stage6,870
39Jan 7, 20096.93−3.07Below flood stage6,940
40Sep 27, 20096.81−3.19Below flood stage—
41Mar 6, 19896.78−3.22Below flood stage6,380
42Apr 4, 20006.71−3.29Below flood stage6,270
43Mar 4, 20086.25−3.75Below flood stage5,870
44Dec 7, 20115.78−4.22Below flood stage5,150
45Mar 17, 20025.33−4.67Below flood stage4,270
46Jan 1, 20075.22−4.78Below flood stage4,300
47Oct 14, 20145.11−4.89Below flood stage4,140
48Nov 9, 20004.96−5.04Below flood stage3,780
49May 6, 19994.91−5.09Below flood stage3,710
50Dec 9, 20044.90−5.10Below flood stage3,700

Other gauges in Swain County

Flood gauges in Swain County
Deep Creek road near Bryson City6.07.34 ft, Jan 15, 20130
NEEDMORE11.013.06 ft, Oct 5, 19640
EBCI Trout Farm9.011.60 ft, Jan 24, 20030
Everett St, in Bryson City10.015.96 ft, Aug 30, 19401

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BIRN7, 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.