Little Tennessee River near NEEDMORE, NC
River level and flood forecast · Swain County
Normal2.6 ftas of Mon 4:15 PM
The river is 8.4 ft below flood stage (11 ft).
Flow: 656 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 7 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 16 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 13 ft |
| Flood stage | 11 ft |
| Action stage | 7.5 ft |
| Record crest (October 5, 1964) | 13.06 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 10 ftSEVERAL ROADS ALONG RIVER START TO FLOOD.
- 8 ftNEEDMORE ROAD FLOODS NEAR MACON/SWAIN COUNTY LINE. MOSTLY IN SWAIN COUNTY. THIS IS GRAVEL ROAD AND CLOSE TO THE RIVER.
- 7.5 ftWATER APPROACHES HIGHWAY 28 BRIDGE ROADWAY...4 MILES NORTH OF FRANKLIN NEAR IOTLA.
- 6.5 ftLOW PARTS OF NEEDMORE ROAD WILL BEGIN TO GET WATER ON IT. THIS IS A GRAVEL ROAD.
- 2.5 ft2.5 INCHES IN ONE HOUR WILL CAUSE FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES ALONG NEEDMORE ROAD WEST OF HIGHWAY 28.
Highest crests on record
- 13.06 ft — October 5, 1964
- 13 ft — October 1, 1918
- 12.33 ft — September 17, 2004
- 11.5 ft — August 30, 1940
- 11.1 ft — June 16, 1949
Recent crests: 10.16 ft (September 27, 2024) · 8.87 ft (December 29, 2015) · 10.21 ft (December 25, 2015) · 7.87 ft (December 2, 2015) · 7.98 ft (December 23, 2013)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- Nantahala River near Hewitt, NC
- Tuckasegee River below Everett St, in Bryson City, NC
- Oconaluftee River below Contesky Dr, in Birdtown, NC
- Cartoogechaye Creek near Franklin, NC
- Tuckasegee River at Barkers creek nr Dillsboro, NC
- Nantahala River near Rainbow Springs, NC
- Little Tennessee River near Prentiss, NC
- Tuckasegee River at sr1172 nr Cullowhee, NC
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (NEEN7); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.