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Tennessee River at Savannah

Highest listed crest 401.20 ftFlood stage 370.0 ft82 crests since 1897

The Tennessee River at Savannah crested at major flood stage 13 times among the 82 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1897 to 2025. The highest, 401.20 ft on March 21, 1897, was major flooding, 31.20 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Tennessee River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
401.20 ft
March 21, 1897
Flood stage
370.0 ft
Major flooding from 388.0 ft
Crests at major
13
6th of 100 gauges in Tennessee
Most recent flood crest
March 17, 2025
371.59 ft, minor flooding
Location
Hardin County
Tennessee

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Tennessee River at Savannah
Action stage365.07Feb 6, 2014The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)370.010Mar 17, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage375.050Feb 17, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage388.013Feb 26, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

82 crests from 1897 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Tennessee River at Savannah, 1897 to 2025 360370380390400410ft Flood stage 370.0 ftMajor 388.0 ft Mar 21, 1897: 401.20 ft, major floodingMar 16, 1922: 385.10 ft, moderate floodingJan 2, 1927: 392.70 ft, major floodingMar 27, 1929: 385.90 ft, moderate floodingFeb 8, 1932: 381.60 ft, moderate floodingFeb 23, 1933: 382.36 ft, moderate floodingMar 8, 1934: 382.46 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1936: 389.05 ft, major floodingJan 27, 1937: 383.87 ft, moderate floodingFeb 17, 1939: 385.54 ft, moderate floodingJan 3, 1943: 383.71 ft, moderate floodingApr 1, 1944: 386.04 ft, moderate floodingFeb 23, 1945: 380.85 ft, moderate floodingJan 13, 1946: 391.61 ft, major floodingJan 20, 1947: 383.73 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 1948: 392.29 ft, major floodingJan 8, 1949: 386.68 ft, moderate floodingFeb 14, 1950: 383.99 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 1951: 385.44 ft, moderate floodingJan 26, 1954: 385.55 ft, moderate floodingMar 22, 1955: 385.58 ft, moderate floodingFeb 5, 1956: 383.23 ft, moderate floodingFeb 6, 1957: 392.42 ft, major floodingNov 21, 1957: 386.44 ft, moderate floodingJan 24, 1959: 369.49 ft, action stageMar 5, 1960: 372.77 ft, minor floodingMar 12, 1961: 381.01 ft, moderate floodingMar 3, 1962: 388.76 ft, major floodingMar 17, 1963: 388.96 ft, major floodingMar 20, 1964: 379.58 ft, moderate floodingMar 31, 1965: 387.87 ft, moderate floodingFeb 18, 1966: 373.25 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1967: 370.68 ft, minor floodingJan 13, 1968: 372.51 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 1969: 381.27 ft, moderate floodingJan 4, 1970: 382.45 ft, moderate floodingFeb 24, 1971: 376.03 ft, moderate floodingJan 16, 1972: 375.81 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1973: 396.11 ft, major floodingJan 14, 1974: 389.00 ft, major floodingMar 17, 1975: 387.88 ft, moderate floodingJan 5, 1976: 368.11 ft, action stageMar 11, 1977: 370.68 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 1978: 382.43 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 1979: 379.88 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1980: 387.89 ft, moderate floodingJun 6, 1981: 364.28 ft, below flood stageJan 7, 1982: 376.47 ft, moderate floodingMay 23, 1983: 386.09 ft, moderate floodingMay 11, 1984: 387.25 ft, moderate floodingFeb 6, 1985: 369.27 ft, action stageFeb 21, 1986: 365.89 ft, action stageMar 3, 1987: 378.66 ft, moderate floodingJan 21, 1988: 369.66 ft, action stageMar 9, 1989: 383.39 ft, moderate floodingFeb 22, 1990: 383.57 ft, moderate floodingDec 4, 1991: 386.65 ft, moderate floodingMar 27, 1993: 375.60 ft, moderate flooding; 209,000 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1994: 386.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 1995: 375.48 ft, moderate floodingJan 30, 1996: 375.82 ft, moderate floodingMar 6, 1997: 382.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 1998: 378.83 ft, moderate floodingJan 24, 1999: 376.97 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 2000: 378.18 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 2001: 373.99 ft, minor floodingJan 29, 2002: 384.64 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 2003: 390.70 ft, major floodingDec 12, 2004: 390.42 ft, major floodingFeb 25, 2005: 370.31 ft, minor floodingJan 24, 2006: 372.95 ft, minor floodingJan 7, 2007: 366.93 ft, action stageDec 16, 2008: 370.54 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 2009: 379.02 ft, moderate floodingMay 4, 2010: 378.44 ft, moderate floodingDec 2, 2011: 379.02 ft, moderate floodingFeb 2, 2012: 364.48 ft, below flood stageMay 9, 2013: 379.38 ft, moderate floodingFeb 6, 2014: 367.44 ft, action stageFeb 26, 2019: 395.30 ft, major floodingFeb 17, 2025: 375.16 ft, moderate flooding; 4,350,283 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2025: 371.59 ft, minor flooding; 4,305,980 cubic feet per second Highest, 401.20 ft, Mar 21, 1897 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Tennessee River at Savannah 1890s: 1 1900s: 0 1910s: 0 1920s: 3 1930s: 6 1940s: 7 1950s: 7 1960s: 10 10 1970s: 9 1980s: 6 1990s: 9 2000s: 9 2010s: 4 2020s: 2 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.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 82 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Tennessee River at Savannah
1Mar 21, 1897401.20+31.20Major—
2Mar 20, 1973396.11+26.11Major—
3Feb 26, 2019395.30+25.30Major—
4Jan 2, 1927392.70+22.70Major—
5Feb 6, 1957392.42+22.42Major—
6Feb 16, 1948392.29+22.29Major—
7Jan 13, 1946391.61+21.61Major—
8May 12, 2003390.70+20.70Major—
9Dec 12, 2004390.42+20.42Major—
10Apr 10, 1936389.05+19.05Major—
11Jan 14, 1974389.00+19.00Major—
12Mar 17, 1963388.96+18.96Major—
13Mar 3, 1962388.76+18.76Major—
14Mar 24, 1980387.89+17.89Moderate—
15Mar 17, 1975387.88+17.88Moderate—
16Mar 31, 1965387.87+17.87Moderate—
17May 11, 1984387.25+17.25Moderate—
18Jan 8, 1949386.68+16.68Moderate—
19Dec 4, 1991386.65+16.65Moderate—
20Nov 21, 1957386.44+16.44Moderate—
21Mar 29, 1994386.10+16.10Moderate—
22May 23, 1983386.09+16.09Moderate—
23Apr 1, 1944386.04+16.04Moderate—
24Mar 27, 1929385.90+15.90Moderate—
25Mar 22, 1955385.58+15.58Moderate—
26Jan 26, 1954385.55+15.55Moderate—
27Feb 17, 1939385.54+15.54Moderate—
28Mar 30, 1951385.44+15.44Moderate—
29Mar 16, 1922385.10+15.10Moderate—
30Jan 29, 2002384.64+14.64Moderate—
31Feb 14, 1950383.99+13.99Moderate—
32Jan 27, 1937383.87+13.87Moderate—
33Jan 20, 1947383.73+13.73Moderate—
34Jan 3, 1943383.71+13.71Moderate—
35Feb 22, 1990383.57+13.57Moderate—
36Mar 9, 1989383.39+13.39Moderate—
37Feb 5, 1956383.23+13.23Moderate—
38Mar 8, 1934382.46+12.46Moderate—
39Jan 4, 1970382.45+12.45Moderate—
40Apr 8, 1978382.43+12.43Moderate—
41Feb 23, 1933382.36+12.36Moderate—
42Mar 6, 1997382.00+12.00Moderate—
43Feb 8, 1932381.60+11.60Moderate—
44Feb 7, 1969381.27+11.27Moderate—
45Mar 12, 1961381.01+11.01Moderate—
46Feb 23, 1945380.85+10.85Moderate—
47Mar 9, 1979379.88+9.88Moderate—
48Mar 20, 1964379.58+9.58Moderate—
49May 9, 2013379.38+9.38Moderate—
50May 8, 2009379.02+9.02Moderate—

The worst floods along the Tennessee River

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

March 21, 1897: 401.20 ft here, major flooding

  • FlorenceAL · Mar 19, 1897 · 32.50 ft · Major · its highest

March 20, 1973: 396.11 ft here, major flooding

  • ChattanoogaTN · Mar 18, 1973 · 657.98 ft · Major
  • PerryvilleTN · Mar 21, 1973 · 377.80 ft · Major
  • WhitesburgAL · Mar 19, 1973 · 26.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • FlorenceAL · Mar 17, 1973 · 30.03 ft · Moderate
  • DecaturAL · Mar 18, 1973 · 9.97 ft · Minor

February 26, 2019: 395.30 ft here, major flooding

  • PerryvilleTN · Feb 27, 2019 · 378.20 ft · Major
  • JohnsonvilleTN · Mar 4, 2019 · 369.50 ft · Moderate
  • FlorenceAL · Feb 24, 2019 · 28.99 ft · Moderate
  • WhitesburgAL · Feb 25, 2019 · 22.90 ft · Moderate
  • ChattanoogaTN · Feb 24, 2019 · 651.14 ft · Minor
  • DecaturAL · Feb 24, 2019 · 10.11 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Tennessee River

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

Flood gauges on the Tennessee River
ChattanoogaTN651.1678.90 ft, Mar 11, 18674
DecaturAL9.014.80 ft, Mar 15, 18671
FlorenceAL18.032.50 ft, Mar 19, 18971
JohnsonvilleTN361.5372.64 ft, May 4, 20111
PerryvilleTN365.0380.90 ft, Mar 1, 18975
Savannah this gaugeTN370.0401.20 ft, Mar 21, 189713
WhitesburgAL17.026.10 ft, Mar 19, 19738

Other gauges in Hardin County

Flood gauges in Hardin County
Savannah 2SE13.822.85 ft, May 27, 19910

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SAVT1, 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.