Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Tar River at Rock Springs

Highest listed crest 25.93 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft17 crests since 2003

The Tar River at Rock Springs crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 17 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2003 to 2024. The highest, 25.93 ft on October 14, 2016, was major flooding, 7.93 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Tar River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
25.93 ft
October 14, 2016
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
1
76th of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
August 15, 2024
20.00 ft, minor flooding
Location
Pitt County
Near Greenville (4.3 mi), Winterville (8.2 mi)
Identifiers
NWS GBYN7
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, Tar River at Rock Springs
Action stage17.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.04Aug 15, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.50—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.01Oct 14, 2016Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

17 crests from 2003 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Tar River at Rock Springs, 2003 to 2024 1015202530ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft Sep 25, 2003: 14.52 ft, below flood stageAug 20, 2004: 15.16 ft, below flood stageJan 19, 2005: 12.85 ft, below flood stageJun 20, 2006: 18.54 ft, minor floodingNov 23, 2006: 16.44 ft, below flood stageMar 12, 2008: 12.94 ft, below flood stageApr 2, 2009: 14.30 ft, below flood stageFeb 11, 2010: 16.20 ft, below flood stageSep 1, 2011: 15.56 ft, below flood stageAug 28, 2012: 10.75 ft, below flood stageDec 31, 2013: 11.74 ft, below flood stageOct 14, 2016: 25.93 ft, major floodingMay 2, 2017: 19.67 ft, minor floodingNov 16, 2020: 20.43 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 2023: 15.17 ft, below flood stageDec 22, 2023: 16.24 ft, below flood stageAug 15, 2024: 20.00 ft, minor flooding Highest, 25.93 ft, Oct 14, 2016 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Tar River at Rock Springs 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 2 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, Tar River at Rock Springs
1Oct 14, 201625.93+7.93Major—
2Nov 16, 202020.43+2.43Minor—
3Aug 15, 202420.00+2.00Minor—
4May 2, 201719.67+1.67Minor—
5Jun 20, 200618.54+0.54Minor—
6Nov 23, 200616.44−1.56Below flood stage—
7Dec 22, 202316.24−1.76Below flood stage—
8Feb 11, 201016.20−1.80Below flood stage—
9Sep 1, 201115.56−2.44Below flood stage—
10Apr 15, 202315.17−2.83Below flood stage—
11Aug 20, 200415.16−2.84Below flood stage—
12Sep 25, 200314.52−3.48Below flood stage—
13Apr 2, 200914.30−3.70Below flood stage—
14Mar 12, 200812.94−5.06Below flood stage—
15Jan 19, 200512.85−5.15Below flood stage—
16Dec 31, 201311.74−6.26Below flood stage—
17Aug 28, 201210.75−7.25Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Tar River

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

October 14, 2016: 25.93 ft here, major flooding

November 16, 2020: 20.43 ft here, minor flooding

August 15, 2024: 20.00 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Tar River

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

Flood gauges on the Tar River
GreenvilleNC13.029.74 ft, Sep 21, 199913
GrimeslandNC7.011.74 ft, Oct 15, 20160
LouisburgNC20.026.05 ft, Sep 17, 19996
NC97 In Rocky MountNC21.031.66 ft, Sep 17, 19995
Rock Springs this gaugeNC18.025.93 ft, Oct 14, 20161
TarboroNC19.041.51 ft, Sep 19, 19993
US301 Bypass at Rocky MountNC17.017.86 ft, Aug 12, 20240
Langley CrossroadsNC16.017.39 ft, Aug 12, 20240
Tar RiverNC16.024.06 ft, Sep 6, 19961

Other gauges in Pitt County

Flood gauges in Pitt County
Grifton16.020.04 ft, Sep 18, 20180
14th St in Greenville7.512.18 ft, Jun 16, 20252
Farmville13.514.47 ft, Nov 13, 20200
Greenville12.513.63 ft, Jun 16, 20250
Greenville13.029.74 ft, Sep 21, 199913
Grimesland7.011.74 ft, Oct 15, 20160

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GBYN7, 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.