Pigeon River (NC) near (W Fork) nr Retreat

Highest listed crest 14.15 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft9 crests since 1989

The Pigeon River (NC) near (W Fork) nr Retreat crested above flood stage 2 times among the 9 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1989 to 2005. The highest, 14.15 ft on September 17, 2004, was minor flooding, 4.15 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Pigeon River (NC) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest: 14.15 ft; September 17, 2004; 15,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage: 10.0 ft; Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major: 0; 2 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest: September 17, 2004; 14.15 ft, minor flooding
Location: Haywood County; Near Waynesville (6.1 mi)
Identifiers: NWS RTRN7; USGS 0345577330

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Pigeon River (NC) near (W Fork) nr Retreat

Action stage	9.0	0	—	The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)	10.0	2	Sep 17, 2004	Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage	15.0	0	—	Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage	18.0	0	—	Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

9 crests from 1989 to 2005. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

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.
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, Pigeon River (NC) near (W Fork) nr Retreat

1	Sep 17, 2004	14.15	+4.15	Minor	15,600
2	Sep 8, 2004	12.13	+2.13	Minor	—
3	Aug 17, 1994	8.97	−1.03	Below flood stage	9,830
4	Mar 8, 1995	6.75	−3.25	Below flood stage	4,720
5	Feb 16, 1990	6.73	−3.27	Below flood stage	5,960
6	Mar 29, 1991	6.48	−3.52	Below flood stage	5,310
7	Nov 22, 1991	6.08	−3.92	Below flood stage	4,370
8	Aug 30, 2005	5.40	−4.60	Below flood stage	2,760
9	May 5, 1989	5.15	−4.85	Below flood stage	2,620

The worst floods along the Pigeon River (NC)

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

September 17, 2004: 14.15 ft here, minor flooding

(W Fork) Abv Lake LoganNC · Sep 17, 2004 · 10.83 ft · Minor · its highest

Gauges on the Pigeon River (NC)

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

Flood gauges on the Pigeon River (NC)

(W Fork) Abv Lake Logan	NC	9.0	10.83 ft, Sep 17, 2004	0
(W Fork) nr Retreat this gauge	NC	10.0	14.15 ft, Sep 17, 2004	0

Other gauges in Haywood County

Flood gauges in Haywood County

Canton	8.5	16.03 ft, Aug 17, 2021	3
(W Fork) Abv Lake Logan	9.0	10.83 ft, Sep 17, 2004	0
Old River Rd (NC 215), 1 SW Canton	10.0	26.96 ft, Sep 27, 2024	5
Jonathans Ck, 4 NW Crabtree	13.0	18.00 ft, Jun 2, 1876	0
Bethel	10.0	16.27 ft, Sep 17, 2004	1

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RTRN7, 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.