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Harpeth River below Franklin

Highest listed crest 32.31 ftFlood stage 27.0 ft18 crests since 1990

The Harpeth River below Franklin crested above flood stage 5 times among the 18 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1990 to 2010. The highest, 32.31 ft on May 2, 2010, was moderate flooding, 5.31 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Harpeth River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
32.31 ft
May 2, 2010
Flood stage
27.0 ft
Major flooding from 33.0 ft
Crests at major
0
5 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 2, 2010
32.31 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Williamson County
Near Franklin (2.9 mi), Brentwood (7.0 mi), Nolensville (11.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Harpeth River below Franklin
Action stage22.09Jan 23, 2006The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)27.04Feb 6, 2004Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage30.01May 2, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage33.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

18 crests from 1990 to 2010. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Harpeth River below Franklin, 1990 to 2010 1520253035ft Flood stage 27.0 ftMajor 33.0 ft Feb 4, 1990: 28.97 ft, minor floodingFeb 20, 1991: 25.79 ft, action stageDec 3, 1991: 26.45 ft, action stageMay 3, 1993: 15.71 ft, below flood stageMar 28, 1994: 28.18 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 1995: 23.96 ft, action stageOct 6, 1995: 21.53 ft, below flood stageMar 3, 1997: 26.20 ft, action stageJun 5, 1998: 21.00 ft, below flood stageJan 23, 1999: 28.07 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 2000: 18.10 ft, below flood stage; 5,130 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2001: 25.27 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2002: 25.49 ft, action stage; 9,170 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2003: 26.81 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2004: 28.11 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2004: 24.67 ft, action stage; 8,910 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 2006: 22.54 ft, action stage; 7,170 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2010: 32.31 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 32.31 ft, May 2, 2010 19901995200020052010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Harpeth River below Franklin 1990s: 3 3 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 1990s2000s2010s
  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, Harpeth River below Franklin
1May 2, 201032.31+5.31Moderate—
2Feb 4, 199028.97+1.97Minor—
3Mar 28, 199428.18+1.18Minor—
4Feb 6, 200428.11+1.11Minor13,300
5Jan 23, 199928.07+1.07Minor—
6Feb 16, 200326.81−0.19Action10,800
7Dec 3, 199126.45−0.55Action—
8Mar 3, 199726.20−0.80Action—
9Feb 20, 199125.79−1.21Action—
10Jan 25, 200225.49−1.51Action9,170
11Feb 17, 200125.27−1.73Action10,500
12Dec 1, 200424.67−2.33Action8,910
13Mar 8, 199523.96−3.04Action—
14Jan 23, 200622.54−4.46Action7,170
15Oct 6, 199521.53−5.47Below flood stage—
16Jun 5, 199821.00−6.00Below flood stage—
17Mar 20, 200018.10−8.90Below flood stage5,130
18May 3, 199315.71−11.29Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Harpeth River

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

May 2, 2010: 32.31 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Kingston SpringsTN · May 2, 2010 · 46.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • BellevueTN · May 2, 2010 · 33.23 ft · Major · its highest
  • FranklinTN · May 2, 2010 · 35.32 ft · Moderate · its highest

February 4, 1990: 28.97 ft here, minor flooding

March 28, 1994: 28.18 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Harpeth River

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

Flood gauges on the Harpeth River
FranklinTN30.035.32 ft, May 2, 20100
Franklin this gaugeTN27.032.31 ft, May 2, 20100
BellevueTN20.033.23 ft, May 2, 20101
Kingston SpringsTN20.046.00 ft, May 2, 20102

Other gauges in Williamson County

Flood gauges in Williamson County
Franklin30.035.32 ft, May 2, 20100

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HBFT1, 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.