Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Watauga River near Sugar Grove

Highest listed crest 29.60 ftFlood stage 6.0 ft113 crests since 1916

The Watauga River near Sugar Grove crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 113 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1916 to 2025. The highest, 29.60 ft on August 13, 1940, was major flooding, 23.60 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Watauga River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
29.60 ft
August 13, 1940; 50,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
6.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
5
22nd of 314 gauges in North Carolina
Most recent flood crest
December 29, 2024
8.02 ft, minor flooding
Location
Watauga County
Near Boone (8.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Watauga River near Sugar Grove
Action stage5.06Mar 5, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)6.093Dec 29, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.09May 19, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.05Sep 27, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

113 crests from 1916 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Watauga River near Sugar Grove, 1916 to 2025 51015202530ft Flood stage 6.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Jul 15, 1916: 22.10 ft, major flooding; 28,000 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1940: 29.60 ft, major flooding; 50,800 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1941: 7.28 ft, minor flooding; 3,020 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1942: 11.00 ft, minor flooding; 6,900 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1942: 9.72 ft, minor flooding; 5,420 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1944: 6.43 ft, minor flooding; 2,320 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1945: 11.10 ft, minor flooding; 7,020 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1946: 7.96 ft, minor flooding; 3,590 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1947: 5.95 ft, action stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 1947: 8.32 ft, minor flooding; 3,910 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 1949: 11.14 ft, minor flooding; 7,070 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1950: 7.70 ft, minor flooding; 3,290 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 1950: 16.40 ft, moderate flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1952: 8.47 ft, minor flooding; 4,060 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1953: 7.90 ft, minor flooding; 3,490 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1954: 9.11 ft, minor flooding; 4,740 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1955: 11.72 ft, minor flooding; 7,820 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 8.29 ft, minor flooding; 3,880 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1957: 12.90 ft, minor flooding; 9,490 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1957: 11.30 ft, minor flooding; 7,270 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1959: 10.60 ft, minor flooding; 6,420 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1960: 8.75 ft, minor flooding; 4,340 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 1961: 11.13 ft, minor flooding; 7,060 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 1961: 7.55 ft, minor flooding; 3,140 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 12.83 ft, minor flooding; 9,380 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1964: 8.93 ft, minor flooding; 4,540 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1964: 12.88 ft, minor flooding; 9,250 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1966: 17.14 ft, moderate flooding; 17,000 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 1966: 9.20 ft, minor flooding; 4,500 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1968: 7.59 ft, minor flooding; 2,980 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1968: 7.34 ft, minor flooding; 2,780 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1970: 9.70 ft, minor flooding; 5,030 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 1970: 6.21 ft, minor flooding; 1,940 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1972: 9.71 ft, minor flooding; 4,920 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1973: 16.26 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1974: 10.56 ft, minor flooding; 6,000 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 1975: 12.34 ft, minor flooding; 8,430 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1975: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 7,930 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1977: 13.70 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 1977: 16.77 ft, moderate flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1979: 14.49 ft, minor flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1980: 11.70 ft, minor flooding; 7,500 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1981: 7.90 ft, minor flooding; 3,350 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1985: 6.70 ft, minor flooding; 2,370 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1987: 10.78 ft, minor flooding; 6,290 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 1987: 7.31 ft, minor flooding; 2,840 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1989: 15.52 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1990: 9.38 ft, minor flooding; 4,740 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1990: 11.16 ft, minor flooding; 6,770 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1992: 12.28 ft, minor flooding; 8,330 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 1992: 11.99 ft, minor flooding; 7,910 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1994: 17.64 ft, moderate flooding; 15,000 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1995: 20.46 ft, major flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1995: 16.86 ft, moderate flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondNov 8, 1996: 9.12 ft, minor flooding; 4,200 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1998: 16.60 ft, moderate flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1999: 5.70 ft, action stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1999: 8.27 ft, minor flooding; 3,480 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2001: 5.86 ft, action stage; 1,790 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2002: 7.51 ft, minor flooding; 2,910 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2003: 8.45 ft, minor flooding; 3,630 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2003: 18.26 ft, moderate flooding; 15,464 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2004: 21.90 ft, major flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2005: 8.89 ft, minor flooding; 4,000 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2005: 11.63 ft, minor flooding; 6,620 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2008: 12.84 ft, minor flooding; 7,954 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2009: 5.85 ft, action stage; 1,790 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2010: 9.59 ft, minor flooding; 4,910 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2010: 9.77 ft, minor flooding; 5,050 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2011: 9.21 ft, minor flooding; 4,800 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2011: 11.51 ft, minor flooding; 6,820 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2011: 6.23 ft, minor flooding; 2,024 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2011: 10.23 ft, minor flooding; 5,221 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2011: 10.84 ft, minor flooding; 5,834 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2012: 7.77 ft, minor flooding; 3,100 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2013: 13.86 ft, minor flooding; 9,460 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2013: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 8,360 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2013: 12.58 ft, minor flooding; 7,980 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2015: 11.37 ft, minor flooding; 6,670 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2015: 7.07 ft, minor flooding; 2,793 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 2015: 9.84 ft, minor flooding; 5,153 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2015: 10.17 ft, minor flooding; 5,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 2016: 9.27 ft, minor flooding; 4,620 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2017: 7.32 ft, minor flooding; 2,980 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 6.95 ft, minor flooding; 2,600 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 2017: 11.72 ft, minor flooding; 7,040 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2018: 10.39 ft, minor flooding; 5,680 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2018: 7.32 ft, minor flooding; 2,986 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2018: 16.15 ft, moderate flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2018: 8.41 ft, minor flooding; 3,873 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2018: 13.70 ft, minor flooding; 9,279 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 2018: 9.78 ft, minor flooding; 5,090 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2018: 9.70 ft, minor flooding; 5,010 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2019: 11.19 ft, minor flooding; 6,493 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2019: 15.40 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2020: 10.59 ft, minor flooding; 5,884 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 8.40 ft, minor flooding; 4,430 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2020: 10.24 ft, minor flooding; 6,210 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2020: 6.71 ft, minor flooding; 2,537 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2020: 8.85 ft, minor flooding; 4,910 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2020: 8.52 ft, minor flooding; 4,650 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2020: 5.32 ft, action stage; 1,750 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2021: 9.34 ft, minor flooding; 5,400 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 2021: 10.61 ft, minor flooding; 6,550 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2022: 7.11 ft, minor flooding; 3,290 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2022: 13.01 ft, minor flooding; 8,630 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2023: 7.11 ft, minor flooding; 3,290 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2023: 7.11 ft, minor flooding; 3,290 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2024: 10.81 ft, minor flooding; 6,570 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2024: 7.50 ft, minor flooding; 3,620 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2024: 29.57 ft, major flooding; 51,500 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2024: 8.02 ft, minor flooding; 3,537 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2025: 5.70 ft, action stage; 1,846 cubic feet per second Highest, 29.60 ft, Aug 13, 1940 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Watauga River near Sugar Grove 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 9 1950s: 10 1960s: 10 1970s: 10 1980s: 6 1990s: 10 2000s: 7 2010s: 28 28 2020s: 16 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 113 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Watauga River near Sugar Grove
1Aug 13, 194029.60+23.60Major50,800
2Sep 27, 202429.57+23.57Major51,500
3Jul 15, 191622.10+16.10Major28,000
4Sep 17, 200421.90+15.90Major23,000
5Jan 14, 199520.46+14.46Major20,500
6Nov 19, 200318.26+12.26Moderate15,464
7Aug 17, 199417.64+11.64Moderate15,000
8Feb 13, 196617.14+11.14Moderate17,000
9Oct 5, 199516.86+10.86Moderate13,700
10Nov 6, 197716.77+10.77Moderate16,200
11Jan 8, 199816.60+10.60Moderate12,900
12Dec 7, 195016.40+10.40Moderate15,500
13May 28, 197316.26+10.26Moderate15,200
14May 19, 201816.15+10.15Moderate12,400
15Sep 22, 198915.52+9.52Minor13,800
16Jun 9, 201915.40+9.40Minor11,400
17Sep 21, 197914.49+8.49Minor11,900
18Jan 30, 201313.86+7.86Minor9,460
19Mar 13, 197713.70+7.70Minor10,600
20Oct 11, 201813.70+7.70Minor9,279
21Nov 11, 202213.01+7.01Minor8,630
22May 6, 201312.92+6.92Minor8,360
23Apr 4, 195712.90+6.90Minor9,490
24Oct 16, 196412.88+6.88Minor9,250
25Mar 4, 200812.84+6.84Minor7,954
26Mar 12, 196312.83+6.83Minor9,380
27Jul 5, 201312.58+6.58Minor7,980
28Sep 24, 197512.34+6.34Minor8,430
29Jun 4, 199212.28+6.28Minor8,330
30Oct 17, 197512.00+6.00Minor7,930
31Nov 22, 199211.99+5.99Minor7,910
32Apr 14, 195511.72+5.72Minor7,820
33Oct 23, 201711.72+5.72Minor7,040
34Apr 14, 198011.70+5.70Minor7,500
35Nov 29, 200511.63+5.63Minor6,620
36Apr 16, 201111.51+5.51Minor6,820
37Apr 20, 201511.37+5.37Minor6,670
38Dec 20, 195711.30+5.30Minor7,270
39Apr 19, 201911.19+5.19Minor6,493
40Oct 12, 199011.16+5.16Minor6,770
41Aug 28, 194911.14+5.14Minor7,070
42Aug 24, 196111.13+5.13Minor7,060
43Sep 17, 194511.10+5.10Minor7,020
44Sep 6, 194211.00+5.00Minor6,900
45Nov 29, 201110.84+4.84Minor5,834
46Jan 9, 202410.81+4.81Minor6,570
47Apr 15, 198710.78+4.78Minor6,290
48Aug 18, 202110.61+4.61Minor6,550
49Sep 30, 195910.60+4.60Minor6,420
50Jan 12, 202010.59+4.59Minor5,884

The worst floods along the Watauga River

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

August 13, 1940: 29.60 ft here, major flooding

September 27, 2024: 29.57 ft here, major flooding

July 15, 1916: 22.10 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Watauga River

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

Flood gauges on the Watauga River
Aldridge RoadNC6.09.00 ft, Oct 11, 20260
ElizabethtonTN8.521.00 ft, May 21, 19016
FoscoeNC9.011.96 ft, May 19, 20180
Sugar Grove this gaugeNC6.029.60 ft, Aug 13, 19405

Other gauges in Watauga County

Flood gauges in Watauga County
Broadstone Road6.08.16 ft, Oct 11, 20260
Deerfield Road4.57.95 ft, Oct 11, 20260
Deerfield Road5.06.29 ft, Oct 11, 20260
Boone12.012.28 ft, Oct 23, 20170
US Hwy 22123.025.71 ft, Sep 27, 20240
Aldridge Road6.09.00 ft, Oct 11, 20260
Foscoe9.011.96 ft, May 19, 20180
Meadowview Drive in Boone9.216.30 ft, Sep 27, 20241

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SGWN7, 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.