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Catawba River at Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck Dam

Highest listed crest 106.62 ftFlood stage 102.0 ft23 crests since 1940

The Catawba River at Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck Dam crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 23 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2024. The highest, 106.62 ft on September 29, 2024, was major flooding, 4.62 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Catawba River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
106.62 ft
September 29, 2024; 111,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
102.0 ft
Major flooding from 106.0 ft
Crests at major
2
21st of 79 gauges in South Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 29, 2024
106.62 ft, major flooding
Location
Fairfield County
South Carolina
Identifiers
NWS CDCS1
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, Catawba River at Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck Dam
Action stage101.06Dec 24, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)102.012Dec 31, 2015Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage104.02Feb 8, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage106.02Sep 29, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

23 crests from 1940 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Catawba River at Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck Dam, 1940 to 2024 100102104106108ft Flood stage 102.0 ftMajor 106.0 ft Aug 30, 1940: 106.00 ft, major floodingMar 1, 1987: 103.00 ft, minor floodingOct 2, 1989: 104.90 ft, moderate floodingOct 23, 1990: 102.30 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 1991: 101.80 ft, action stageJan 22, 1993: 102.20 ft, minor floodingAug 20, 1994: 102.20 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 1995: 101.60 ft, action stageFeb 3, 1996: 102.50 ft, minor floodingJul 24, 1997: 102.00 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 2003: 103.82 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 2004: 102.45 ft, minor floodingNov 23, 2006: 102.30 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 2007: 102.76 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 2010: 102.34 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 2012: 100.85 ft, below flood stageApr 29, 2013: 101.00 ft, action stageMay 8, 2013: 101.37 ft, action stageDec 20, 2015: 101.17 ft, action stageDec 24, 2015: 101.86 ft, action stageDec 31, 2015: 103.92 ft, minor floodingFeb 8, 2020: 105.21 ft, moderate floodingSep 29, 2024: 106.62 ft, major flooding; 111,500 cubic feet per second Highest, 106.62 ft, Sep 29, 2024 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Catawba River at Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck Dam 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 2 1990s: 5 5 2000s: 4 2010s: 2 2020s: 2 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Catawba River at Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck Dam
1Sep 29, 2024106.62+4.62Major111,500
2Aug 30, 1940106.00+4.00Major—
3Feb 8, 2020105.21+3.21Moderate—
4Oct 2, 1989104.90+2.90Moderate—
5Dec 31, 2015103.92+1.92Minor—
6Apr 11, 2003103.82+1.82Minor—
7Mar 1, 1987103.00+1.00Minor—
8Mar 2, 2007102.76+0.76Minor—
9Feb 3, 1996102.50+0.50Minor—
10Sep 11, 2004102.45+0.45Minor—
11Jan 26, 2010102.34+0.34Minor—
12Oct 23, 1990102.30+0.30Minor—
13Nov 23, 2006102.30+0.30Minor—
14Jan 22, 1993102.20+0.20Minor—
15Aug 20, 1994102.20+0.20Minor—
16Jul 24, 1997102.000.00Minor—
17Dec 24, 2015101.86−0.14Action—
18Mar 4, 1991101.80−0.20Action—
19Feb 17, 1995101.60−0.40Action—
20May 8, 2013101.37−0.63Action—
21Dec 20, 2015101.17−0.83Action—
22Apr 29, 2013101.00−1.00Action—
23Mar 4, 2012100.85−1.15Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Catawba River

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

September 29, 2024: 106.62 ft here, major flooding

August 30, 1940: 106.00 ft here, major flooding

February 8, 2020: 105.21 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Catawba River

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

Flood gauges on the Catawba River
CatawbaSC23.024.66 ft, Feb 8, 20200
Rock HillSC15.024.15 ft, May 23, 19010
Cedar Creek Reservoir/Rocky Ck-Cedar Ck Dam this gaugeSC102.0106.62 ft, Sep 29, 20242
Great Falls Reservoir/Great Falls-Dearborn DamsSC102.0105.90 ft, Sep 29, 20240
Lake Hickory/Oxford DamNC101.0104.70 ft, Aug 30, 19400
Lake James/Linville DamNC102.0110.70 ft, Sep 26, 20241
Lake Rhodhiss DamNC104.0110.10 ft, Aug 30, 19401
Lookout Shoals Lake and DamNC103.0114.40 ft, Aug 30, 19407
Mountain Island Lake and DamNC103.0109.60 ft, Aug 30, 19403
Pleasant GardensNC11.017.55 ft, Sep 8, 20040

Other gauges in Fairfield County

Flood gauges in Fairfield County
Alston20.029.48 ft, Sep 30, 20240

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CDCS1, 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.