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Broad River at Gaston Shoals Reservoir and Dam, 5 WNW Blacksburg

Highest listed crest 108.60 ftFlood stage 104.8 ft20 crests since 1928

The Broad River at Gaston Shoals Reservoir and Dam, 5 WNW Blacksburg crested above flood stage 3 times among the 20 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1928 to 2024. The highest, 108.60 ft on August 16, 1928, was moderate flooding, 3.80 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Broad River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
108.60 ft
August 16, 1928
Flood stage
104.8 ft
Major flooding from 110.0 ft
Crests at major
0
3 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
September 28, 2024
106.80 ft, minor flooding
Location
Cherokee County
Near Gaffney (5.7 mi), Shelby (11.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Broad River at Gaston Shoals Reservoir and Dam, 5 WNW Blacksburg
Action stage102.012May 6, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)104.82Sep 28, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage108.01Aug 16, 1928Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage110.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

20 crests from 1928 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Broad River at Gaston Shoals Reservoir and Dam, 5 WNW Blacksburg, 1928 to 2024 100102104106108110ft Flood stage 104.8 ftMajor 110.0 ft Aug 16, 1928: 108.60 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 1987: 103.50 ft, action stageOct 12, 1990: 103.80 ft, action stageAug 17, 1994: 102.90 ft, action stageJan 15, 1995: 103.80 ft, action stageJan 27, 1996: 103.20 ft, action stageOct 27, 1997: 101.99 ft, below flood stageJan 9, 1998: 102.45 ft, action stageMar 20, 2000: 101.57 ft, below flood stageMar 29, 2001: 101.07 ft, below flood stageMar 20, 2003: 103.15 ft, action stageSep 9, 2004: 104.44 ft, action stageOct 7, 2005: 102.50 ft, action stageMar 2, 2007: 101.08 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 2009: 101.40 ft, below flood stageJan 25, 2010: 102.88 ft, action stageSep 4, 2012: 102.95 ft, action stageMay 6, 2013: 103.07 ft, action stageFeb 7, 2020: 106.20 ft, minor floodingSep 28, 2024: 106.80 ft, minor flooding Highest, 108.60 ft, Aug 16, 1928 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Broad River at Gaston Shoals Reservoir and Dam, 5 WNW Blacksburg 1920s: 1 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 0 2020s: 2 2 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Broad River at Gaston Shoals Reservoir and Dam, 5 WNW Blacksburg
1Aug 16, 1928108.60+3.80Moderate—
2Sep 28, 2024106.80+2.00Minor—
3Feb 7, 2020106.20+1.40Minor—
4Sep 9, 2004104.44−0.36Action—
5Oct 12, 1990103.80−1.00Action—
6Jan 15, 1995103.80−1.00Action—
7Feb 28, 1987103.50−1.30Action—
8Jan 27, 1996103.20−1.60Action—
9Mar 20, 2003103.15−1.65Action—
10May 6, 2013103.07−1.73Action—
11Sep 4, 2012102.95−1.85Action—
12Aug 17, 1994102.90−1.90Action—
13Jan 25, 2010102.88−1.92Action—
14Oct 7, 2005102.50−2.30Action—
15Jan 9, 1998102.45−2.35Action—
16Oct 27, 1997101.99−2.81Below flood stage—
17Mar 20, 2000101.57−3.23Below flood stage—
18Apr 11, 2009101.40−3.40Below flood stage—
19Mar 2, 2007101.08−3.72Below flood stage—
20Mar 29, 2001101.07−3.73Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Broad River

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

August 16, 1928: 108.60 ft here, moderate flooding

September 28, 2024: 106.80 ft here, minor flooding

February 7, 2020: 106.20 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Broad River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Broad River
Sandy Run Ck, 3 SSW Boiling SpringsNC12.024.30 ft, Aug 16, 19283
Gaston Shoals Reservoir and Dam, 5 WNW Blacksburg this gaugeSC104.8108.60 ft, Aug 16, 19280
Shelby Hwy (SC 18), 4 W BlacksburgSC16.026.23 ft, Sep 28, 20241

Other gauges in Cherokee County

Flood gauges in Cherokee County
Shelby Hwy (SC 18), 4 W Blacksburg16.026.23 ft, Sep 28, 20241
Ninety Nine Islands Dam108.0108.41 ft, Sep 28, 20240
Gaffney16.019.80 ft, Aug 14, 19400
Possum Trot Rd, 5 E Blacksburg13.513.62 ft, Dec 30, 20150

Cherokee County: every hazard · River floods across the country · South Carolina

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BLAS1, 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.