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Clinch River near Speers Ferry

Highest listed crest 36.69 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft63 crests since 1862

The Clinch River near Speers Ferry crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 63 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1862 to 2025. The highest, 36.69 ft on April 5, 1977, was major flooding, 18.69 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Clinch River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
36.69 ft
April 5, 1977; 89,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 32.0 ft
Crests at major
3
55th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
28.16 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Scott County
Near Kingsport (14.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Clinch River near Speers Ferry
Action stage16.02Mar 1, 2011The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.052Feb 1, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage28.06Feb 16, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage32.03Mar 19, 2002Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

63 crests from 1862 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Clinch River near Speers Ferry, 1862 to 2025 152025303540ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 32.0 ft Feb 1, 1862: 33.00 ft, major floodingFeb 28, 1902: 26.60 ft, minor floodingFeb 3, 1923: 24.35 ft, minor flooding; 37,200 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1924: 18.00 ft, minor flooding; 25,400 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1926: 24.70 ft, minor flooding; 35,000 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1929: 20.60 ft, minor flooding; 25,400 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1932: 23.10 ft, minor flooding; 30,500 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1937: 18.42 ft, minor flooding; 22,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1939: 19.54 ft, minor flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1940: 20.98 ft, minor flooding; 25,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1944: 23.15 ft, minor flooding; 30,700 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 23.50 ft, minor flooding; 31,000 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1947: 22.40 ft, minor flooding; 29,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 22.70 ft, minor flooding; 30,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1950: 23.10 ft, minor flooding; 31,100 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1953: 19.76 ft, minor flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1955: 20.67 ft, minor flooding; 25,600 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 21.90 ft, minor flooding; 28,400 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1957: 28.92 ft, moderate flooding; 45,300 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1958: 23.95 ft, minor flooding; 33,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1961: 19.81 ft, minor flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1962: 19.32 ft, minor flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 29.93 ft, moderate flooding; 46,800 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1965: 21.00 ft, minor flooding; 25,300 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 24.43 ft, minor flooding; 33,500 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 27.43 ft, minor flooding; 40,700 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1970: 22.36 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1971: 23.61 ft, minor flooding; 31,600 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1972: 23.60 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 1973: 28.19 ft, moderate flooding; 42,600 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1974: 22.50 ft, minor flooding; 28,900 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1975: 25.19 ft, minor flooding; 35,400 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 36.69 ft, major flooding; 89,000 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 27.23 ft, minor flooding; 40,300 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1979: 22.77 ft, minor flooding; 29,500 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1984: 26.54 ft, minor flooding; 37,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1985: 18.11 ft, minor flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 20.55 ft, minor flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1989: 20.42 ft, minor flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1994: 27.00 ft, minor flooding; 39,100 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1996: 20.70 ft, minor floodingMar 3, 1997: 20.40 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1998: 24.20 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 2002: 32.45 ft, major flooding; 61,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2003: 24.50 ft, minor flooding; 29,100 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2003: 20.74 ft, minor floodingNov 20, 2003: 18.72 ft, minor flooding; 19,939 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2009: 17.99 ft, action stage; 18,200 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 2010: 22.07 ft, minor flooding; 26,600 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2011: 17.93 ft, action stage; 19,300 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2013: 22.55 ft, minor flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 20.90 ft, minor flooding; 24,400 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2015: 28.07 ft, moderate flooding; 40,400 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 25.77 ft, minor flooding; 33,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2018: 26.78 ft, minor flooding; 35,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2019: 26.52 ft, minor flooding; 35,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 28.91 ft, moderate flooding; 44,200 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2020: 23.30 ft, minor flooding; 29,100 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2021: 21.06 ft, minor flooding; 25,100 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2021: 22.55 ft, minor flooding; 27,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2023: 23.20 ft, minor flooding; 28,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2025: 19.55 ft, minor flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2025: 28.16 ft, moderate flooding; 41,200 cubic feet per second Highest, 36.69 ft, Apr 5, 1977 1880192019602000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Clinch River near Speers Ferry 1860s: 1 1870s: 0 1880s: 0 1890s: 0 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 4 1930s: 3 1940s: 5 1950s: 6 1960s: 6 1970s: 9 9 1980s: 4 1990s: 4 2000s: 4 2010s: 7 2020s: 7 1860s1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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 63 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Clinch River near Speers Ferry
1Apr 5, 197736.69+18.69Major89,000
2Feb 1, 186233.00+15.00Major—
3Mar 19, 200232.45+14.45Major61,600
4Mar 12, 196329.93+11.93Moderate46,800
5Jan 30, 195728.92+10.92Moderate45,300
6Feb 7, 202028.91+10.91Moderate44,200
7Mar 17, 197328.19+10.19Moderate42,600
8Feb 16, 202528.16+10.16Moderate41,200
9Mar 5, 201528.07+10.07Moderate40,400
10Dec 31, 196927.43+9.43Minor40,700
11Jan 26, 197827.23+9.23Minor40,300
12Feb 11, 199427.00+9.00Minor39,100
13Feb 11, 201826.78+8.78Minor35,800
14Feb 28, 190226.60+8.60Minor—
15May 7, 198426.54+8.54Minor37,900
16Feb 24, 201926.52+8.52Minor35,100
17Apr 24, 201725.77+7.77Minor33,600
18Mar 30, 197525.19+7.19Minor35,400
19Dec 22, 192624.70+6.70Minor35,000
20Feb 16, 200324.50+6.50Minor29,100
21Mar 7, 196724.43+6.43Minor33,500
22Feb 3, 192324.35+6.35Minor37,200
23Apr 17, 199824.20+6.20Minor—
24May 7, 195823.95+5.95Minor33,100
25May 8, 197123.61+5.61Minor31,600
26Dec 11, 197223.60+5.60Minor—
27Jan 8, 194623.50+5.50Minor31,000
28Apr 13, 202023.30+5.30Minor29,100
29Feb 17, 202323.20+5.20Minor28,100
30Feb 18, 194423.15+5.15Minor30,700
31Jan 30, 193223.10+5.10Minor30,500
32Feb 2, 195023.10+5.10Minor31,100
33Jan 21, 197922.77+4.77Minor29,500
34Feb 14, 194822.70+4.70Minor30,000
35Jan 17, 201322.55+4.55Minor27,400
36Mar 28, 202122.55+4.55Minor27,700
37Jan 11, 197422.50+4.50Minor28,900
38Jan 16, 194722.40+4.40Minor29,400
39Apr 28, 197022.36+4.36Minor—
40Aug 19, 201022.07+4.07Minor26,600
41Apr 16, 195621.90+3.90Minor28,400
42Mar 2, 202121.06+3.06Minor25,100
43Mar 26, 196521.00+3.00Minor25,300
44Aug 15, 194020.98+2.98Minor25,100
45Jan 31, 201320.90+2.90Minor24,400
46Apr 11, 200320.74+2.74Minor—
47Jan 27, 199620.70+2.70Minor—
48Mar 17, 195520.67+2.67Minor25,600
49Mar 24, 192920.60+2.60Minor25,400
50Apr 17, 198720.55+2.55Minor23,700

The worst floods along the Clinch River

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

April 5, 1977: 36.69 ft here, major flooding

  • TazewellTN · Apr 5, 1977 · 29.32 ft · Major · its highest
  • ClevelandVA · Apr 5, 1977 · 26.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • RichlandsVA · Apr 5, 1977 · 16.06 ft · Major

March 19, 2002: 32.45 ft here, major flooding

  • TazewellTN · Mar 19, 2002 · 21.37 ft · Major
  • ClevelandVA · Mar 18, 2002 · 21.81 ft · Moderate
  • RichlandsVA · Mar 18, 2002 · 11.74 ft · Minor

March 12, 1963: 29.93 ft here, moderate flooding

  • TazewellTN · Mar 13, 1963 · 22.27 ft · Major
  • RichlandsVA · Mar 12, 1963 · 16.09 ft · Major
  • ClevelandVA · Mar 12, 1963 · 22.70 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Clinch River

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

Flood gauges on the Clinch River
TazewellTN12.029.32 ft, Apr 5, 19776
BlackfordVA10.516.82 ft, Feb 16, 20250
ClevelandVA14.026.40 ft, Apr 5, 19772
DungannonVA12.014.85 ft, Feb 16, 20250
RichlandsVA10.021.30 ft, Jun 22, 19016
Speers Ferry this gaugeVA18.036.69 ft, Apr 5, 19773

Other gauges in Scott County

Flood gauges in Scott County
Gate City9.011.23 ft, Feb 16, 20250
Dungannon12.014.85 ft, Feb 16, 20250
Gate City12.022.50 ft, Feb 1, 18624
Stoney Creek6.58.60 ft, Mar 28, 20210
Fort Blackmore 3NNW13.014.94 ft, Feb 15, 20250

Scott County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SFYV2, 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.