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Rocky River NC near ROCKY RIVER/ ABV IRISH BUFFALO CK

Highest listed crest 29.91 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft35 crests since 2001

The Rocky River NC near ROCKY RIVER/ ABV IRISH BUFFALO CK crested above flood stage 17 times among the 35 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2001 to 2020. The highest, 29.91 ft on August 27, 2008, was moderate flooding, 11.91 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
29.91 ft
August 27, 2008
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 40.0 ft
Crests at major
0
17 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
February 7, 2020
23.46 ft, minor flooding
Location
Cabarrus County
Near Harrisburg (6.0 mi), Concord (7.2 mi), Mint Hill (11.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Rocky River NC near ROCKY RIVER/ ABV IRISH BUFFALO CK
Action stage14.015Dec 24, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.016Feb 7, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage26.01Aug 27, 2008Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage40.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

35 crests from 2001 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rocky River NC near ROCKY RIVER/ ABV IRISH BUFFALO CK, 2001 to 2020 010203040ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 40.0 ft Mar 30, 2001: 14.67 ft, action stage; 3,810 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2001: 11.77 ft, below flood stage; 2,670 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 2002: 14.69 ft, action stage; 3,820 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2002: 14.25 ft, action stageMar 21, 2003: 22.10 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 2003: 23.21 ft, minor flooding; 9,760 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2004: 19.21 ft, minor floodingSep 28, 2004: 22.36 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 2005: 14.06 ft, action stageAug 16, 2006: 13.30 ft, below flood stageSep 14, 2006: 15.62 ft, action stageNov 22, 2006: 21.16 ft, minor flooding; 8,426 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2007: 21.27 ft, minor flooding; 8,502 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 2008: 29.91 ft, moderate floodingMar 2, 2009: 17.25 ft, action stage; 6,090 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2009: 16.72 ft, action stage; 5,793 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2009: 17.56 ft, action stage; 6,264 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2009: 18.51 ft, minor flooding; 6,815 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 24.60 ft, minor flooding; 10,660 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2010: 20.42 ft, minor flooding; 7,908 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2011: 8.24 ft, below flood stageJan 18, 2013: 14.01 ft, action stageJun 3, 2013: 15.98 ft, action stageJun 7, 2013: 15.09 ft, action stageJun 29, 2013: 21.75 ft, minor floodingDec 23, 2013: 18.43 ft, minor flooding; 6,769 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2014: 18.02 ft, minor flooding; 6,531 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2015: 14.83 ft, action stageOct 3, 2015: 17.27 ft, action stage; 6,101 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 2015: 17.22 ft, action stage; 6,073 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2015: 17.30 ft, action stage; 6,118 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2015: 22.51 ft, minor flooding; 9,303 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 18.79 ft, minor floodingSep 17, 2018: 23.21 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 2020: 23.46 ft, minor flooding; 9,924 cubic feet per second Highest, 29.91 ft, Aug 27, 2008 2005201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rocky River NC near ROCKY RIVER/ ABV IRISH BUFFALO CK 2000s: 8 8 2010s: 8 2020s: 1 2000s2010s2020s
  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, Rocky River NC near ROCKY RIVER/ ABV IRISH BUFFALO CK
1Aug 27, 200829.91+11.91Moderate—
2Jan 25, 201024.60+6.60Minor10,660
3Feb 7, 202023.46+5.46Minor9,924
4Apr 11, 200323.21+5.21Minor9,760
5Sep 17, 201823.21+5.21Minor—
6Dec 31, 201522.51+4.51Minor9,303
7Sep 28, 200422.36+4.36Minor—
8Mar 21, 200322.10+4.10Minor—
9Jun 29, 201321.75+3.75Minor—
10Mar 2, 200721.27+3.27Minor8,502
11Nov 22, 200621.16+3.16Minor8,426
12Feb 6, 201020.42+2.42Minor7,908
13Sep 8, 200419.21+1.21Minor—
14Apr 24, 201718.79+0.79Minor—
15Dec 26, 200918.51+0.51Minor6,815
16Dec 23, 201318.43+0.43Minor6,769
17Mar 7, 201418.02+0.02Minor6,531
18Nov 11, 200917.56−0.44Action6,264
19Dec 24, 201517.30−0.70Action6,118
20Oct 3, 201517.27−0.73Action6,101
21Mar 2, 200917.25−0.75Action6,090
22Nov 3, 201517.22−0.78Action6,073
23Jul 23, 200916.72−1.28Action5,793
24Jun 3, 201315.98−2.02Action—
25Sep 14, 200615.62−2.38Action—
26Jun 7, 201315.09−2.91Action—
27Apr 20, 201514.83−3.17Action—
28Jan 23, 200214.69−3.31Action3,820
29Mar 30, 200114.67−3.33Action3,810
30Dec 24, 200214.25−3.75Action—
31Mar 28, 200514.06−3.94Action—
32Jan 18, 201314.01−3.99Action—
33Aug 16, 200613.30−4.70Below flood stage—
34Sep 23, 200111.77−6.23Below flood stage2,670
35Mar 7, 20118.24−9.76Below flood stage—

Gauges on the Rocky River NC

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

Flood gauges on the Rocky River NC
ROCKY RIVER/ ABV IRISH BUFFALO CK this gaugeNC18.029.91 ft, Aug 27, 20080
NorwoodNC20.029.30 ft, Aug 9, 20240

Other gauges in Cabarrus County

Flood gauges in Cabarrus County
Caldwell Rd near Harrisburg10.011.77 ft, Jan 25, 20100
HARRISBURG14.015.27 ft, Jun 29, 20130

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge IBFN7, 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.