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Buffalo River near Flat Woods

Highest listed crest 32.69 ftFlood stage 22.0 ft104 crests since 1921

The Buffalo River near Flat Woods crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 104 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1921 to 2024. The highest, 32.69 ft on May 3, 2010, was major flooding, 10.69 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Buffalo River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
32.69 ft
May 3, 2010; 93,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
22.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
4
22nd of 100 gauges in Tennessee
Most recent flood crest
March 31, 2021
22.07 ft, minor flooding
Location
Perry County
Tennessee

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Buffalo River near Flat Woods
Action stage15.048Feb 24, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)22.020Mar 31, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage25.06May 7, 2003Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.04May 3, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

104 crests from 1921 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Buffalo River near Flat Woods, 1921 to 2024 010203040ft Flood stage 22.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Apr 16, 1921: 15.60 ft, action stage; 14,300 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1922: 21.00 ft, action stage; 22,400 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1923: 16.40 ft, action stage; 15,500 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 1924: 17.90 ft, action stage; 17,800 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1925: 10.80 ft, below flood stage; 7,590 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1926: 8.10 ft, below flood stage; 4,550 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1927: 29.30 ft, moderate flooding; 52,200 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1928: 11.80 ft, below flood stage; 8,920 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1929: 20.18 ft, action stage; 21,200 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1930: 12.00 ft, below flood stage; 9,200 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1931: 8.00 ft, below flood stage; 4,430 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1932: 19.50 ft, action stage; 20,200 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1932: 21.80 ft, action stage; 22,300 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1934: 18.30 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1935: 17.33 ft, action stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1936: 16.20 ft, action stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 1937: 24.36 ft, minor flooding; 24,000 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1938: 18.80 ft, action stage; 15,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1939: 12.80 ft, below flood stage; 7,590 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1940: 20.55 ft, action stage; 17,600 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1940: 5.85 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1942: 9.12 ft, below flood stage; 4,100 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1942: 19.52 ft, action stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1944: 17.25 ft, action stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1945: 23.79 ft, minor flooding; 22,900 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 23.32 ft, minor flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 1947: 13.39 ft, below flood stage; 8,160 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1948: 32.00 ft, major flooding; 90,000 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1949: 17.12 ft, action stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1950: 21.23 ft, action stage; 19,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1951: 19.70 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1951: 22.22 ft, minor flooding; 20,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1953: 17.52 ft, action stage; 13,400 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1954: 18.87 ft, action stage; 15,300 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1955: 30.45 ft, major flooding; 66,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1956: 18.07 ft, action stage; 13,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1957: 20.38 ft, action stage; 17,200 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1957: 19.70 ft, action stage; 16,100 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1959: 12.85 ft, below flood stage; 7,350 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1960: 15.82 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1961: 18.46 ft, action stage; 14,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1962: 22.20 ft, minor flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 17.47 ft, action stage; 12,500 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1964: 15.47 ft, action stage; 9,800 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1965: 20.94 ft, action stage; 18,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1966: 12.28 ft, below flood stage; 6,630 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1967: 24.54 ft, minor flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1968: 15.44 ft, action stage; 9,770 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1969: 17.18 ft, action stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1969: 21.30 ft, action stage; 18,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1971: 14.38 ft, below flood stage; 8,600 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1972: 11.88 ft, below flood stage; 5,590 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1973: 26.83 ft, moderate flooding; 42,000 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1973: 27.16 ft, moderate flooding; 43,900 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1975: 29.26 ft, moderate flooding; 60,200 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1975: 13.35 ft, below flood stage; 6,940 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1977: 22.46 ft, minor flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1977: 18.91 ft, action stage; 14,400 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1979: 20.66 ft, action stage; 18,000 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1980: 26.98 ft, moderate flooding; 42,600 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1981: 10.70 ft, below flood stage; 4,610 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1982: 15.61 ft, action stage; 9,950 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1982: 24.93 ft, minor flooding; 31,700 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1984: 22.33 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1984: 11.12 ft, below flood stage; 5,530 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1986: 13.97 ft, below flood stage; 8,220 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1987: 17.45 ft, action stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1988: 18.96 ft, action stage; 14,400 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1989: 21.56 ft, action stage; 20,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1990: 23.72 ft, minor flooding; 26,700 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1991: 32.19 ft, major flooding; 96,300 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1991: 24.98 ft, minor flooding; 30,400 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1993: 11.50 ft, below flood stage; 6,270 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1994: 22.33 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1995: 17.98 ft, action stage; 15,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1996: 14.44 ft, below flood stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1997: 23.06 ft, minor flooding; 24,200 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1998: 24.13 ft, minor flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1999: 21.45 ft, action stage; 21,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2000: 11.07 ft, below flood stage; 6,470 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2001: 22.17 ft, minor flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2002: 24.84 ft, minor flooding; 29,500 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2003: 25.08 ft, moderate flooding; 35,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2004: 23.54 ft, minor flooding; 29,600 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2004: 19.87 ft, action stage; 19,900 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 2006: 16.83 ft, action stage; 14,100 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2007: 8.40 ft, below flood stage; 4,420 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2008: 15.21 ft, action stage; 11,800 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2009: 19.81 ft, action stage; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2010: 32.69 ft, major flooding; 93,100 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2011: 19.81 ft, action stage; 20,000 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2012: 8.61 ft, below flood stage; 4,620 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2013: 13.72 ft, below flood stage; 9,320 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2014: 19.83 ft, action stage; 20,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2015: 16.02 ft, action stage; 13,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 2016: 17.95 ft, action stage; 16,800 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 2017: 11.40 ft, below flood stage; 7,780 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2018: 23.40 ft, minor flooding; 32,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2019: 23.13 ft, minor flooding; 31,300 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2020: 18.25 ft, action stage; 17,300 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2021: 22.07 ft, minor flooding; 26,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2022: 17.43 ft, action stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2023: 12.89 ft, below flood stage; 9,640 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2024: 14.85 ft, below flood stage; 12,200 cubic feet per second Highest, 32.69 ft, May 3, 2010 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Buffalo River near Flat Woods 1920s: 1 1930s: 1 1940s: 3 1950s: 2 1960s: 2 1970s: 4 1980s: 3 1990s: 6 6 2000s: 4 2010s: 3 2020s: 1 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

The 50 highest of 104 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Buffalo River near Flat Woods
1May 3, 201032.69+10.69Major93,100
2May 27, 199132.19+10.19Major96,300
3Feb 13, 194832.00+10.00Major90,000
4Mar 22, 195530.45+8.45Major66,300
5Mar 13, 192729.30+7.30Moderate52,200
6Mar 13, 197529.26+7.26Moderate60,200
7Nov 28, 197327.16+5.16Moderate43,900
8Mar 21, 198026.98+4.98Moderate42,600
9Mar 16, 197326.83+4.83Moderate42,000
10May 7, 200325.08+3.08Moderate35,400
11Dec 3, 199124.98+2.98Minor30,400
12Dec 27, 198224.93+2.93Minor31,700
13Jan 24, 200224.84+2.84Minor29,500
14May 14, 196724.54+2.54Minor26,400
15Jan 2, 193724.36+2.36Minor24,000
16Jul 15, 199824.13+2.13Minor27,400
17Jan 1, 194523.79+1.79Minor22,900
18Feb 4, 199023.72+1.72Minor26,700
19Feb 6, 200423.54+1.54Minor29,600
20Mar 1, 201823.40+1.40Minor32,500
21Jan 8, 194623.32+1.32Minor22,000
22Feb 23, 201923.13+1.13Minor31,300
23Mar 3, 199723.06+1.06Minor24,200
24Mar 4, 197722.46+0.46Minor22,500
25Apr 22, 198422.33+0.33Minor22,200
26Mar 28, 199422.33+0.33Minor22,200
27Dec 9, 195122.22+0.22Minor20,600
28Feb 27, 196222.20+0.20Minor20,400
29Feb 17, 200122.17+0.17Minor22,600
30Mar 31, 202122.07+0.07Minor26,900
31Oct 17, 193221.80−0.20Action22,300
32Jan 13, 198921.56−0.44Action20,300
33Jan 23, 199921.45−0.55Action21,000
34Dec 30, 196921.30−0.70Action18,700
35Feb 15, 195021.23−0.77Action19,000
36Mar 10, 192221.00−1.00Action22,400
37Mar 30, 196520.94−1.06Action18,100
38Apr 2, 197920.66−1.34Action18,000
39Apr 19, 194020.55−1.45Action17,600
40Feb 1, 195720.38−1.62Action17,200
41Mar 23, 192920.18−1.82Action21,200
42Dec 1, 200419.87−2.13Action19,900
43Jun 6, 201419.83−2.17Action20,200
44May 3, 200919.81−2.19Action19,800
45Apr 28, 201119.81−2.19Action20,000
46Feb 1, 195119.70−2.30Action16,600
47Nov 19, 195719.70−2.30Action16,100
48Dec 28, 194219.52−2.48Action16,000
49Jan 30, 193219.50−2.50Action20,200
50Jan 20, 198818.96−3.04Action14,400

The worst floods along the Buffalo River

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

May 3, 2010: 32.69 ft here, major flooding

  • LobelvilleTN · May 2, 2010 · 26.00 ft · Major · its highest

May 27, 1991: 32.19 ft here, major flooding

March 22, 1955: 30.45 ft here, major flooding

  • LobelvilleTN · Mar 23, 1955 · 20.40 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Buffalo River

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

Flood gauges on the Buffalo River
Flat Woods this gaugeTN22.032.69 ft, May 3, 20104
LobelvilleTN14.026.00 ft, May 2, 20102

Other gauges in Perry County

Flood gauges in Perry County
Lobelville14.026.00 ft, May 2, 20102

Perry County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Tennessee

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FLTT1, 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.