South Fork New River at US Hwy 221

Highest listed crest 25.71 ftFlood stage 23.0 ft2 crests since 2024

The South Fork New River at US Hwy 221 crested above flood stage 1 time among the 2 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2024 to 2024. The highest, 25.71 ft on September 27, 2024, was moderate flooding, 2.71 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the South Fork New River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest: 25.71 ft; September 27, 2024
Flood stage: 23.0 ft; Major flooding from 26.0 ft
Crests at major: 0; 1 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest: September 27, 2024; 25.71 ft, moderate flooding
Location: Watauga County; Near Boone (1.5 mi)
Identifiers: NWS NSFN7; No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Fork New River at US Hwy 221

Action stage	21.0	0	—	The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)	23.0	0	—	Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage	24.5	1	Sep 27, 2024	Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage	26.0	0	—	Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

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, South Fork New River at US Hwy 221

1	Sep 27, 2024	25.71	+2.71	Moderate	—
2	Jan 9, 2024	18.56	−4.44	Below flood stage	—

The worst floods along the South Fork New River

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

September 27, 2024: 25.71 ft here, moderate flooding

SR 1100 near BrownwoodNC · Sep 27, 2024 · 24.50 ft · Major · its highest
JeffersonNC · Sep 27, 2024 · 18.27 ft · Major

Gauges on the South Fork New River

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

Flood gauges on the South Fork New River

SR 1100 near Brownwood	NC	10.0	24.50 ft, Sep 27, 2024	1
US Hwy 221 this gauge	NC	23.0	25.71 ft, Sep 27, 2024	0
Jefferson	NC	8.0	22.50 ft, Aug 14, 1940	3

Other gauges in Watauga County

Flood gauges in Watauga County

Broadstone Road	6.0	8.16 ft, Oct 11, 2026	0
Deerfield Road	4.5	7.95 ft, Oct 11, 2026	0
Deerfield Road	5.0	6.29 ft, Oct 11, 2026	0
Boone	12.0	12.28 ft, Oct 23, 2017	0
Aldridge Road	6.0	9.00 ft, Oct 11, 2026	0
Foscoe	9.0	11.96 ft, May 19, 2018	0
Sugar Grove	6.0	29.60 ft, Aug 13, 1940	5
Meadowview Drive in Boone	9.2	16.30 ft, Sep 27, 2024	1

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NSFN7, 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.