Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Waccamaw River at Longs

Highest listed crest 20.19 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft159 crests since 1950

The Waccamaw River at Longs crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 159 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1950 to 2024. The highest, 20.19 ft on September 22, 2018, was major flooding, 8.19 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Waccamaw River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
20.19 ft
September 22, 2018; 53,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 17.0 ft
Crests at major
2
21st of 79 gauges in South Carolina
Most recent flood crest
September 25, 2024
12.35 ft, minor flooding
Location
Horry County
Near North Myrtle Beach (6.1 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Waccamaw River at Longs
Action stage11.056Aug 16, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.059Sep 25, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.02Oct 14, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage17.02Sep 22, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

159 crests from 1950 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Waccamaw River at Longs, 1950 to 2024 510152025ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 17.0 ft Jul 15, 1950: 11.22 ft, action stageApr 25, 1951: 9.41 ft, below flood stageApr 2, 1952: 10.05 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 1953: 11.50 ft, action stageApr 11, 1954: 10.00 ft, below flood stageSep 12, 1955: 12.55 ft, minor floodingSep 29, 1955: 13.82 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1956: 9.89 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 1957: 10.38 ft, below flood stageApr 18, 1958: 12.46 ft, minor floodingMar 13, 1959: 13.40 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 1960: 12.00 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1960: 11.60 ft, action stageAug 4, 1960: 13.52 ft, minor floodingSep 17, 1960: 11.70 ft, action stageApr 18, 1961: 12.95 ft, minor floodingJul 6, 1961: 13.94 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 1962: 11.11 ft, action stageFeb 1, 1963: 11.90 ft, action stageJan 26, 1964: 11.00 ft, action stageMar 5, 1964: 12.02 ft, minor floodingOct 17, 1964: 12.09 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 1965: 11.40 ft, action stageApr 1, 1965: 11.55 ft, action stageMar 10, 1966: 12.64 ft, minor floodingAug 20, 1967: 11.73 ft, action stageJan 21, 1968: 10.42 ft, below flood stageJun 26, 1969: 11.05 ft, action stageAug 13, 1969: 13.26 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1970: 11.96 ft, action stageMar 12, 1971: 12.85 ft, minor flooding; 8,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1972: 12.19 ft, minor flooding; 6,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1973: 13.10 ft, minor flooding; 8,620 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1973: 12.80 ft, minor flooding; 7,780 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1974: 12.01 ft, minor flooding; 5,720 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1975: 11.30 ft, action stageJul 13, 1976: 11.54 ft, action stage; 4,780 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1977: 10.95 ft, below flood stage; 3,630 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 1977: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 5,660 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1978: 11.92 ft, action stage; 5,540 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1978: 11.15 ft, action stage; 4,060 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1979: 12.35 ft, minor flooding; 7,090 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1979: 12.72 ft, minor floodingMar 24, 1980: 12.24 ft, minor flooding; 6,210 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1980: 11.70 ft, action stage; 5,150 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1981: 14.87 ft, minor flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1982: 11.85 ft, action stage; 5,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1982: 11.93 ft, action stage; 5,780 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1982: 11.35 ft, action stage; 4,300 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1983: 11.10 ft, action stage; 3,970 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1983: 12.70 ft, minor flooding; 7,740 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1983: 12.30 ft, minor flooding; 6,830 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1983: 12.25 ft, minor flooding; 6,670 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1983: 14.40 ft, minor flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1984: 11.40 ft, action stage; 4,560 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1984: 11.50 ft, action stage; 4,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1985: 11.31 ft, action stage; 4,250 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 1986: 9.93 ft, below flood stageJan 3, 1987: 11.23 ft, action stage; 4,200 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1987: 12.41 ft, minor flooding; 6,630 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1987: 12.75 ft, minor flooding; 7,550 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1987: 11.04 ft, action stage; 3,790 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1988: 10.12 ft, below flood stage; 2,440 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1989: 10.79 ft, below flood stage; 3,360 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 1989: 12.01 ft, minor flooding; 5,660 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1989: 10.79 ft, below flood stage; 3,260 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1990: 10.62 ft, below flood stage; 2,960 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1991: 11.73 ft, action stage; 5,050 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 1991: 10.93 ft, below flood stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 1991: 11.11 ft, action stage; 3,900 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1992: 11.05 ft, action stageAug 23, 1992: 13.03 ft, minor flooding; 8,380 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1993: 13.63 ft, minor flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1993: 10.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,490 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1994: 11.18 ft, action stage; 3,860 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 1994: 10.82 ft, below flood stage; 3,190 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1994: 11.96 ft, action stage; 5,170 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1995: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 6,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1995: 11.50 ft, action stage; 4,260 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1995: 11.83 ft, action stage; 4,900 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1995: 9.70 ft, below flood stage; 1,970 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1995: 11.11 ft, action stage; 3,620 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1995: 10.89 ft, below flood stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1996: 10.68 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1996: 14.95 ft, minor flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1996: 12.64 ft, minor flooding; 7,050 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1997: 10.87 ft, below flood stage; 3,380 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1998: 11.48 ft, action stage; 4,610 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1998: 12.06 ft, minor flooding; 5,780 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1998: 12.29 ft, minor flooding; 6,350 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1998: 13.82 ft, minor flooding; 11,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1998: 13.68 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1998: 11.68 ft, action stage; 4,980 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1998: 11.70 ft, action stage; 5,020 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1999: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 7,310 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1999: 13.49 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 1999: 17.94 ft, major flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 1999: 14.49 ft, minor flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2000: 11.79 ft, action stage; 5,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2000: 11.12 ft, action stageSep 26, 2000: 12.65 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 2001: 11.23 ft, action stage; 4,170 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2002: 8.15 ft, below flood stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2003: 12.25 ft, minor flooding; 6,720 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2003: 12.06 ft, minor flooding; 6,250 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 2003: 10.57 ft, below flood stage; 3,150 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 2003: 10.54 ft, below flood stage; 3,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2004: 10.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,610 cubic feet per secondAug 21, 2004: 12.02 ft, minor flooding; 6,150 cubic feet per secondSep 4, 2004: 11.68 ft, action stage; 5,270 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 2004: 11.59 ft, action stage; 5,050 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2005: 9.05 ft, below flood stage; 1,540 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2005: 12.15 ft, minor flooding; 6,540 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2006: 10.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,330 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2006: 12.03 ft, minor flooding; 5,880 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2006: 11.76 ft, action stageJan 2, 2007: 12.18 ft, minor flooding; 6,540 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2008: 9.75 ft, below flood stage; 2,070 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2009: 10.72 ft, below flood stage; 3,230 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2010: 11.14 ft, action stage; 3,910 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2010: 11.31 ft, action stage; 4,220 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 2011: 10.59 ft, below flood stage; 3,040 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2012: 9.17 ft, below flood stage; 1,630 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2013: 13.43 ft, minor flooding; 9,920 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 2014: 11.30 ft, action stage; 4,200 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2015: 10.66 ft, below flood stage; 3,140 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2015: 10.53 ft, below flood stage; 2,950 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2015: 10.79 ft, below flood stage; 3,340 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2015: 9.79 ft, below flood stage; 2,160 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 2015: 15.17 ft, moderate flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2015: 11.86 ft, action stage; 5,390 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2016: 11.52 ft, action stage; 4,620 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2016: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 9,880 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2016: 11.42 ft, action stage; 4,640 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 2016: 16.95 ft, moderate flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2017: 11.81 ft, action stage; 5,230 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 2017: 11.45 ft, action stage; 4,480 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2018: 10.64 ft, below flood stage; 2,930 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 2018: 10.83 ft, below flood stage; 3,210 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 2018: 20.19 ft, major flooding; 53,900 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 2018: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 5,660 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2019: 10.86 ft, below flood stage; 3,310 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2020: 11.67 ft, action stage; 5,150 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2020: 11.70 ft, action stage; 5,210 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2020: 11.44 ft, action stage; 4,680 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2020: 13.24 ft, minor flooding; 9,410 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2020: 11.48 ft, action stage; 4,590 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 2020: 11.42 ft, action stage; 4,470 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2020: 10.98 ft, below flood stage; 3,670 cubic feet per secondNov 21, 2020: 12.08 ft, minor flooding; 5,940 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2021: 12.03 ft, minor flooding; 5,820 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 2021: 10.56 ft, below flood stage; 3,010 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2021: 10.84 ft, below flood stage; 3,440 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2021: 14.34 ft, minor flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2022: 8.79 ft, below flood stage; 1,230 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2023: 13.24 ft, minor flooding; 9,410 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2023: 12.22 ft, minor flooding; 6,220 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 2024: 14.66 ft, minor flooding; 14,900 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2024: 12.35 ft, minor flooding; 6,560 cubic feet per second Highest, 20.19 ft, Sep 22, 2018 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Waccamaw River at Longs 1950s: 4 1960s: 8 1970s: 8 1980s: 9 1990s: 13 13 2000s: 7 2010s: 6 2020s: 8 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 159 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Waccamaw River at Longs
1Sep 22, 201820.19+8.19Major53,900
2Sep 23, 199917.94+5.94Major28,200
3Oct 14, 201616.95+4.95Moderate23,400
4Oct 6, 201515.17+3.17Moderate16,500
5Sep 15, 199614.95+2.95Minor15,800
6Aug 23, 198114.87+2.87Minor16,200
7Aug 15, 202414.66+2.66Minor14,900
8Oct 25, 199914.49+2.49Minor13,900
9Mar 27, 198314.40+2.40Minor12,200
10Feb 23, 202114.34+2.34Minor13,900
11Jul 6, 196113.94+1.94Minor—
12Sep 29, 195513.82+1.82Minor—
13Feb 9, 199813.82+1.82Minor11,100
14Feb 19, 199813.68+1.68Minor10,500
15Jan 14, 199313.63+1.63Minor10,200
16Aug 4, 196013.52+1.52Minor—
17May 8, 199913.49+1.49Minor10,400
18Jul 9, 201313.43+1.43Minor9,920
19Feb 13, 201613.42+1.42Minor9,880
20Mar 13, 195913.40+1.40Minor—
21Aug 13, 196913.26+1.26Minor—
22Jun 2, 202013.24+1.24Minor9,410
23Sep 6, 202313.24+1.24Minor9,410
24Feb 20, 197313.10+1.10Minor8,620
25Aug 23, 199213.03+1.03Minor8,380
26Apr 18, 196112.95+0.95Minor—
27Mar 12, 197112.85+0.85Minor8,300
28Apr 12, 197312.80+0.80Minor7,780
29Mar 9, 198712.75+0.75Minor7,550
30Sep 16, 197912.72+0.72Minor—
31Feb 24, 198312.70+0.70Minor7,740
32Sep 26, 200012.65+0.65Minor—
33Mar 10, 196612.64+0.64Minor—
34Oct 17, 199612.64+0.64Minor7,050
35Sep 12, 195512.55+0.55Minor—
36Apr 18, 195812.46+0.46Minor—
37Jan 21, 199512.46+0.46Minor6,400
38Feb 2, 199912.46+0.46Minor7,310
39Jan 30, 198712.41+0.41Minor6,630
40Mar 15, 197912.35+0.35Minor7,090
41Sep 25, 202412.35+0.35Minor6,560
42Mar 2, 198312.30+0.30Minor6,830
43Jan 29, 199812.29+0.29Minor6,350
44Mar 8, 198312.25+0.25Minor6,670
45Mar 23, 200312.25+0.25Minor6,720
46Mar 24, 198012.24+0.24Minor6,210
47Dec 28, 202312.22+0.22Minor6,220
48Feb 14, 197212.19+0.19Minor6,100
49Jan 2, 200712.18+0.18Minor6,540
50Oct 13, 200512.15+0.15Minor6,540

The worst floods along the Waccamaw River

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

September 22, 2018: 20.19 ft here, major flooding

  • FreelandNC · Sep 20, 2018 · 22.67 ft · Major · its highest
  • ConwaySC · Sep 26, 2018 · 21.16 ft · Major · its highest

September 23, 1999: 17.94 ft here, major flooding

  • FreelandNC · Sep 21, 1999 · 19.30 ft · Major
  • ConwaySC · Sep 27, 1999 · 17.60 ft · Major

October 14, 2016: 16.95 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FreelandNC · Oct 12, 2016 · 19.00 ft · Major
  • ConwaySC · Oct 18, 2016 · 17.89 ft · Major

Gauges on the Waccamaw River

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

Flood gauges on the Waccamaw River
FreelandNC15.022.67 ft, Sep 20, 20183
Longs this gaugeSC12.020.19 ft, Sep 22, 20182
ConwaySC11.021.16 ft, Sep 26, 201820

Other gauges in Horry County

Flood gauges in Horry County
Atlantic Coast at Myrtle Beach Springmaid Pier (IN MLLW)7.016.00 ft, Sep 22, 19892
Aiw At Hwy 544 At Socastee15.021.83 ft, Sep 27, 20183
Galivants Ferry9.017.21 ft, Sep 21, 201814
Nichols20.027.36 ft, Sep 20, 20182
Conway11.021.16 ft, Sep 26, 201820

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LNGS1, 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.