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Pee Dee River at Cheraw

Highest listed crest 50.40 ftFlood stage 30.0 ft170 crests since 1891

The Pee Dee River at Cheraw crested at major flood stage 12 times among the 170 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1891 to 2025. The highest, 50.40 ft on September 19, 1945, was major flooding, 20.40 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Pee Dee River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
50.40 ft
September 19, 1945
Flood stage
30.0 ft
Major flooding from 42.0 ft
Crests at major
12
6th of 79 gauges in South Carolina
Most recent flood crest
February 14, 2025
33.08 ft, minor flooding
Location
Marlboro County
South Carolina

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Pee Dee River at Cheraw
Action stage20.023Sep 18, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)30.065Feb 14, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage36.069Aug 10, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage42.012Feb 8, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

170 crests from 1891 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Pee Dee River at Cheraw, 1891 to 2025 102030405060ft Flood stage 30.0 ftMajor 42.0 ft Mar 14, 1891: 37.10 ft, moderate floodingJan 21, 1892: 39.70 ft, moderate floodingSep 3, 1893: 37.00 ft, moderate floodingOct 11, 1894: 36.70 ft, moderate floodingJan 11, 1895: 37.30 ft, moderate floodingJul 10, 1896: 39.30 ft, moderate floodingFeb 8, 1897: 34.10 ft, minor floodingAug 22, 1898: 32.40 ft, minor floodingFeb 8, 1899: 38.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 1900: 35.00 ft, minor floodingAug 8, 1901: 39.10 ft, moderate floodingJan 1, 1902: 38.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1903: 36.70 ft, moderate floodingFeb 22, 1905: 36.70 ft, moderate floodingSep 1, 1906: 34.70 ft, minor floodingDec 16, 1907: 32.00 ft, minor floodingAug 27, 1908: 47.20 ft, major floodingAug 4, 1909: 35.90 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1910: 34.70 ft, minor floodingDec 24, 1911: 33.30 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 1912: 42.40 ft, major floodingJan 29, 1913: 30.70 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 1914: 36.10 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 1915: 34.80 ft, minor floodingJul 19, 1916: 39.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 6, 1917: 36.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 22, 1918: 38.30 ft, moderate floodingJul 23, 1919: 39.20 ft, moderate floodingDec 10, 1920: 31.80 ft, minor floodingFeb 12, 1921: 39.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 17, 1922: 37.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 19, 1923: 38.20 ft, moderate floodingOct 2, 1924: 37.60 ft, moderate floodingJan 21, 1925: 37.80 ft, moderate floodingDec 5, 1927: 35.10 ft, minor floodingSep 20, 1928: 44.90 ft, major floodingOct 4, 1929: 42.70 ft, major floodingAug 23, 1931: 32.90 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 1932: 37.40 ft, moderate floodingDec 2, 1934: 32.20 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 1935: 35.10 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 1936: 42.80 ft, major floodingJan 22, 1937: 36.60 ft, moderate floodingJul 26, 1938: 33.70 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1939: 37.40 ft, moderate floodingAug 17, 1940: 38.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 10, 1942: 34.50 ft, minor floodingJan 29, 1943: 35.00 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 1944: 39.80 ft, moderate floodingSep 19, 1945: 50.40 ft, major floodingFeb 11, 1946: 38.20 ft, moderate floodingJan 21, 1947: 32.60 ft, minor floodingJan 14, 1948: 39.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 2, 1949: 36.90 ft, moderate floodingDec 23, 1951: 30.10 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 1952: 41.34 ft, moderate floodingFeb 23, 1953: 36.23 ft, moderate floodingJan 24, 1954: 40.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 15, 1955: 34.74 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 1956: 34.39 ft, minor floodingNov 27, 1957: 36.51 ft, moderate floodingMay 1, 1958: 37.92 ft, moderate floodingOct 16, 1959: 35.43 ft, minor floodingFeb 2, 1960: 39.38 ft, moderate floodingFeb 26, 1961: 35.13 ft, minor floodingJan 8, 1962: 39.41 ft, moderate floodingMar 15, 1963: 38.19 ft, moderate floodingOct 18, 1964: 40.39 ft, moderate floodingMar 19, 1965: 35.84 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1966: 38.82 ft, moderate floodingAug 25, 1967: 31.30 ft, minor floodingJan 12, 1968: 33.12 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1969: 28.89 ft, action stageAug 13, 1970: 38.27 ft, moderate floodingMar 5, 1971: 38.30 ft, moderate floodingJun 24, 1972: 40.65 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1973: 42.32 ft, major floodingApr 17, 1974: 34.10 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 1975: 41.72 ft, moderate floodingOct 12, 1976: 32.10 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1977: 35.44 ft, minor floodingJan 28, 1978: 39.56 ft, moderate floodingFeb 27, 1979: 42.44 ft, major floodingMar 26, 1980: 33.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 12, 1981: 25.68 ft, action stageJan 5, 1982: 32.99 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1983: 36.62 ft, moderate floodingJan 12, 1984: 36.92 ft, moderate floodingAug 19, 1985: 33.72 ft, minor floodingAug 21, 1986: 22.89 ft, action stageMar 3, 1987: 41.75 ft, moderate floodingJan 21, 1988: 21.50 ft, action stageOct 4, 1989: 41.70 ft, moderate floodingOct 25, 1990: 39.06 ft, moderate floodingApr 1, 1991: 36.04 ft, moderate floodingApr 24, 1992: 37.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 26, 1993: 37.48 ft, moderate floodingMar 31, 1994: 35.82 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1995: 36.12 ft, moderate floodingJan 29, 1996: 32.56 ft, minor floodingJul 25, 1997: 39.63 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1998: 38.72 ft, moderate floodingSep 5, 1998: 31.17 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 1999: 32.62 ft, minor floodingSep 30, 1999: 30.00 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 2003: 33.62 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 2003: 42.10 ft, major floodingApr 12, 2003: 43.00 ft, major floodingMay 8, 2003: 32.00 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 2003: 30.15 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 2003: 33.00 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 2003: 32.00 ft, minor floodingSep 10, 2004: 38.90 ft, moderate floodingSep 30, 2004: 38.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 2005: 32.14 ft, minor floodingNov 18, 2006: 30.27 ft, minor floodingNov 24, 2006: 41.40 ft, moderate floodingJan 10, 2007: 32.85 ft, minor flooding; 49,582 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2009: 32.20 ft, minor floodingNov 13, 2009: 31.80 ft, minor flooding; 46,975 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2009: 31.90 ft, minor flooding; 47,187 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2010: 38.40 ft, moderate flooding; 70,666 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2010: 37.57 ft, moderate flooding; 66,202 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2013: 32.07 ft, minor flooding; 47,578 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 2015: 34.52 ft, minor flooding; 53,809 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 2016: 38.74 ft, moderate floodingFeb 9, 2018: 20.52 ft, action stage; 26,216 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2018: 20.55 ft, action stage; 26,262 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2018: 31.20 ft, minor flooding; 45,706 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2018: 46.60 ft, major flooding; 163,885 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 2018: 36.95 ft, moderate flooding; 62,579 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 2018: 38.62 ft, moderate flooding; 71,706 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2018: 31.17 ft, minor flooding; 45,643 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2018: 35.35 ft, minor flooding; 55,758 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 2018: 37.75 ft, moderate flooding; 67,282 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2018: 34.17 ft, minor flooding; 52,994 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2019: 32.25 ft, minor flooding; 48,038 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2019: 31.56 ft, minor flooding; 46,466 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2019: 29.42 ft, action stage; 39,755 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2020: 30.30 ft, minor flooding; 42,005 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2020: 26.93 ft, action stage; 34,280 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2020: 42.50 ft, major flooding; 108,471 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2020: 29.64 ft, action stage; 40,291 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2020: 24.89 ft, action stage; 31,062 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2020: 22.74 ft, action stage; 28,302 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2020: 30.81 ft, minor flooding; 43,586 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2020: 41.74 ft, moderate flooding; 115,000 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2020: 37.93 ft, moderate flooding; 76,500 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2020: 32.80 ft, minor flooding; 51,181 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 2020: 41.44 ft, moderate flooding; 98,443 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 2022: 28.32 ft, action stage; 36,955 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2022: 28.24 ft, action stage; 36,759 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2022: 22.01 ft, action stage; 25,885 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2022: 22.04 ft, action stage; 25,930 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2023: 18.61 ft, below flood stage; 20,482 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2023: 24.20 ft, action stage; 29,395 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2023: 30.88 ft, minor flooding; 43,805 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2023: 24.36 ft, action stage; 29,619 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2023: 22.71 ft, action stage; 27,156 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2023: 22.24 ft, action stage; 26,300 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2023: 32.92 ft, minor flooding; 52,010 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2024: 38.87 ft, moderate flooding; 79,342 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 2024: 32.30 ft, minor flooding; 48,795 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2024: 21.43 ft, action stage; 24,847 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2024: 24.12 ft, action stage; 29,283 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2024: 28.57 ft, action stage; 37,568 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 2024: 37.03 ft, moderate flooding; 69,013 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2024: 21.11 ft, action stage; 24,282 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2024: 33.62 ft, minor flooding; 55,263 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2025: 33.08 ft, minor flooding; 52,551 cubic feet per second Highest, 50.40 ft, Sep 19, 1945 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Pee Dee River at Cheraw 1890s: 9 1900s: 9 1910s: 10 1920s: 9 1930s: 8 1940s: 9 1950s: 9 1960s: 9 1970s: 10 1980s: 7 1990s: 12 2000s: 16 16 2010s: 15 2020s: 14 1890s1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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.
  3. 2 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 45.50 ft on Jan 1, 1864; 37.30 ft on Mar 11, 1875.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 170 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Pee Dee River at Cheraw
1Sep 19, 194550.40+20.40Major—
2Aug 27, 190847.20+17.20Major—
3Sep 18, 201846.60+16.60Major163,885
4Sep 20, 192844.90+14.90Major—
5Apr 12, 200343.00+13.00Major—
6Apr 8, 193642.80+12.80Major—
7Oct 4, 192942.70+12.70Major—
8Feb 8, 202042.50+12.50Major108,471
9Feb 27, 197942.44+12.44Major—
10Mar 17, 191242.40+12.40Major—
11Apr 2, 197342.32+12.32Major—
12Mar 23, 200342.10+12.10Major—
13Mar 3, 198741.75+11.75Moderate—
14May 23, 202041.74+11.74Moderate115,000
15Mar 16, 197541.72+11.72Moderate—
16Oct 4, 198941.70+11.70Moderate—
17Nov 15, 202041.44+11.44Moderate98,443
18Nov 24, 200641.40+11.40Moderate—
19Mar 5, 195241.34+11.34Moderate—
20Jun 24, 197240.65+10.65Moderate—
21Oct 18, 196440.39+10.39Moderate—
22Jan 24, 195440.10+10.10Moderate—
23Mar 21, 194439.80+9.80Moderate—
24Jan 21, 189239.70+9.70Moderate—
25Jul 25, 199739.63+9.63Moderate—
26Jan 28, 197839.56+9.56Moderate—
27Feb 12, 192139.50+9.50Moderate—
28Jan 14, 194839.50+9.50Moderate—
29Jan 8, 196239.41+9.41Moderate—
30Feb 2, 196039.38+9.38Moderate—
31Jul 10, 189639.30+9.30Moderate—
32Jul 19, 191639.30+9.30Moderate—
33Jul 23, 191939.20+9.20Moderate—
34Aug 8, 190139.10+9.10Moderate—
35Oct 25, 199039.06+9.06Moderate—
36Sep 10, 200438.90+8.90Moderate—
37Jan 12, 202438.87+8.87Moderate79,342
38Mar 6, 196638.82+8.82Moderate—
39Jan 1, 201638.74+8.74Moderate—
40Mar 20, 199838.72+8.72Moderate—
41Nov 14, 201838.62+8.62Moderate71,706
42Jan 1, 190238.40+8.40Moderate—
43Jan 27, 201038.40+8.40Moderate70,666
44Apr 22, 191838.30+8.30Moderate—
45Mar 5, 197138.30+8.30Moderate—
46Aug 13, 197038.27+8.27Moderate—
47Mar 19, 192338.20+8.20Moderate—
48Feb 11, 194638.20+8.20Moderate—
49Mar 15, 196338.19+8.19Moderate—
50Feb 8, 189938.10+8.10Moderate—

The worst floods along the Pee Dee River

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

September 19, 1945: 50.40 ft here, major flooding

  • Pee DeeSC · Sep 22, 1945 · 33.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • RockinghamNC · Sep 18, 1945 · 30.80 ft · Minor

August 27, 1908: 47.20 ft here, major flooding

  • RockinghamNC · Aug 27, 1908 · 31.28 ft · Minor · its highest

September 18, 2018: 46.60 ft here, major flooding

  • Pee DeeSC · Sep 21, 2018 · 31.83 ft · Major
  • AnsonvilleNC · Sep 17, 2018 · 35.37 ft · Minor · its highest
  • RockinghamNC · Sep 18, 2018 · 24.32 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Pee Dee River

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

Flood gauges on the Pee Dee River
AnsonvilleNC34.035.37 ft, Sep 17, 20180
Blewett Falls LakeNC179.0182.30 ft, Nov 14, 20181
RockinghamNC15.031.28 ft, Aug 27, 19080
Cheraw this gaugeSC30.050.40 ft, Sep 19, 194512
Pee DeeSC19.033.30 ft, Sep 22, 19459

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CHES1, 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.