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Cumberland River at Carthage

Highest listed crest 59.80 ftFlood stage 40.0 ft21 crests since 1886

The Cumberland River at Carthage crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 21 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1886 to 2010. The highest, 59.80 ft on December 30, 1926, was major flooding, 19.80 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Cumberland River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
59.80 ft
December 30, 1926; 186,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
40.0 ft
Major flooding from 47.0 ft
Crests at major
8
11th of 100 gauges in Tennessee
Most recent flood crest
May 3, 2010
46.10 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Smith County
Tennessee

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cumberland River at Carthage
Action stage35.02Mar 6, 1989The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)40.01May 8, 1984Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage43.02May 3, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage47.08Mar 14, 1975Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

21 crests from 1886 to 2010. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cumberland River at Carthage, 1886 to 2010 2030405060ft Flood stage 40.0 ftMajor 47.0 ft Apr 7, 1886: 54.40 ft, major floodingFeb 4, 1918: 58.20 ft, major floodingDec 30, 1926: 59.80 ft, major flooding; 186,000 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1929: 55.90 ft, major floodingJan 26, 1937: 54.70 ft, major floodingJan 10, 1946: 50.80 ft, major floodingFeb 15, 1948: 54.00 ft, major floodingFeb 2, 1950: 45.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 14, 1975: 47.95 ft, major floodingMar 21, 1980: 35.13 ft, action stageMay 19, 1983: 30.04 ft, below flood stageMay 8, 1984: 40.20 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1989: 39.72 ft, action stageFeb 4, 1990: 30.31 ft, below flood stageFeb 19, 1991: 33.04 ft, below flood stageMar 18, 2002: 30.43 ft, below flood stageFeb 16, 2003: 32.10 ft, below flood stageMay 8, 2003: 34.30 ft, below flood stageDec 1, 2004: 31.86 ft, below flood stageJan 23, 2006: 25.57 ft, below flood stageMay 3, 2010: 46.10 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 59.80 ft, Dec 30, 1926 190019201940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cumberland River at Carthage 1880s: 1 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 1 1920s: 2 2 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 1880s1890s1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Cumberland River at Carthage
1Dec 30, 192659.80+19.80Major186,000
2Feb 4, 191858.20+18.20Major—
3Mar 25, 192955.90+15.90Major—
4Jan 26, 193754.70+14.70Major—
5Apr 7, 188654.40+14.40Major—
6Feb 15, 194854.00+14.00Major—
7Jan 10, 194650.80+10.80Major—
8Mar 14, 197547.95+7.95Major—
9May 3, 201046.10+6.10Moderate—
10Feb 2, 195045.20+5.20Moderate—
11May 8, 198440.20+0.20Minor—
12Mar 6, 198939.72−0.28Action—
13Mar 21, 198035.13−4.87Action—
14May 8, 200334.30−5.70Below flood stage—
15Feb 19, 199133.04−6.96Below flood stage—
16Feb 16, 200332.10−7.90Below flood stage—
17Dec 1, 200431.86−8.14Below flood stage—
18Mar 18, 200230.43−9.57Below flood stage—
19Feb 4, 199030.31−9.69Below flood stage—
20May 19, 198330.04−9.96Below flood stage—
21Jan 23, 200625.57−14.43Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Cumberland River

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

December 30, 1926: 59.80 ft here, major flooding

  • CelinaTN · Dec 29, 1926 · 57.25 ft · Major
  • NashvilleTN · Jan 1, 1927 · 56.20 ft · Major · its highest

February 4, 1918: 58.20 ft here, major flooding

  • CelinaTN · Feb 1, 1918 · 57.30 ft · Major
  • NashvilleTN · Feb 5, 1918 · 49.90 ft · Major

March 25, 1929: 55.90 ft here, major flooding

  • CelinaTN · Mar 27, 1929 · 54.80 ft · Major
  • NashvilleTN · Mar 30, 1929 · 51.00 ft · Major

Gauges on the Cumberland River

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

Flood gauges on the Cumberland River
Ashland CityTN28.028.66 ft, Feb 24, 20190
BarbourvilleKY27.045.91 ft, Apr 6, 197715
BaxterKY16.034.20 ft, Apr 4, 197717
BurkesvilleKY46.056.60 ft, Feb 28, 20190
Carthage this gaugeTN40.059.80 ft, Dec 30, 19268
CelinaTN40.059.20 ft, Mar 1, 182610
ClarksvilleTN46.062.58 ft, May 4, 20105
DoverTN66.074.17 ft, May 5, 20102
EdenwoldTN49.050.70 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Hunters PointTN52.053.66 ft, Mar 6, 19890
NashvilleTN40.056.20 ft, Jan 1, 192722
OmohundroTN41.044.69 ft, Feb 24, 20190
PinevilleKY1,002.01,021.80 ft, Apr 5, 19772
WilliamsburgKY21.035.03 ft, Apr 7, 19774
HermitageTN48.049.11 ft, Feb 24, 20190
Penington BendTN47.048.83 ft, Feb 24, 20190

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CTHT1, 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.