Yadkin River at Patterson, NC
River level and flood forecast · Caldwell County
Normal1.7 ftas of Mon 2:45 PM
The river is 3.3 ft below flood stage (5 ft).
Flow: 111 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 | 10 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 7 ft |
| Flood stage | 5 ft |
| Action stage | 4 ft |
| Record crest (August 7, 1973) | 12.8 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 12 ftSTATE HIGHWAY 286 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
- 9 ftHOMES BETWEEN THE DAM AND STATE HIGHWAY 268 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD
- 8 ftROADS AND BRIDGES BELOW THE DAM WILL BE FLOODED. LOADING DOCKS WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD IN THE SEALED AIR CORPATION PARKING LOT.
- 7 ftSTATE HIGHWAY 1514 AND 1515 WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
- 6 ftWATER WILL ENTER PARKING LOT NEAR LOADING DOCKS OF SEALED AIR COMPANY. HOMES BETWEEN HIGHWAY 268 AND THE RIVER WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD. THE HAPPY VALLEY COMMUNITY WILL BEGIN TO FLOOD.
- 5 ftINDIAN GRAVE ROAD IN THE HAPPY VALLEY COMMUNITY AND CHEEKS CROSS ROAD JUST BELOW THE DAM WILL BE FLOODED. HOMES NEAR THE RIVER WILL GET WATER INTO BACKYARDS.
- 3.25 ft3.25 INCH 12 HR BASIN WIDE RAINFALL CAUSED A 3.5 FT RISE...FROM 1.1 FT TO 4.55 FT
- 2.5 ft2.5 BASIN WIDE WILL TAKE PATN7 UP TO 3.5 IN DROUGHT AND 4.5 FT IN NORMAL TIMES.
- 2 ft2 INCHES IN 45 MINS CAUSED RIVER TO RISE TO 3.0 FEET...NO FLOODING REPORTED.
- 1.9 ft1.9 INCHES IN 1.5 HOURS DID NOT CAUSE FLOODING. RIVER ROSE TO 5 FT (IN DROUGHT).
- 1.75 ft1.75 IN 1 HOUR WILL CAUSE THE RIVER TO RISE TO AROUND 3 FT...NO FLOODING REPORTED.
- 1.5 ftGENERAL RAIN OF 1.5 IN 6 TO 12 HOURS CAUSED PATN7 TO RISE FROM 1.13 FT TO 2.8 FT
- 1 ft1 INCH IN 2 HOURS CAUSED A FT RISE ON CREEK.
Highest crests on record
- 12.8 ft — August 7, 1973
- 12.7 ft — August 13, 1940
- 9.38 ft — August 17, 1994
- 8.44 ft — November 16, 1989
- 8.25 ft — October 12, 1990
Recent crests: 4 ft (December 24, 2015) · 5.03 ft (July 8, 2013) · 5.04 ft (July 5, 2013) · 4.74 ft (April 16, 2011) · 4.55 ft (March 6, 2011)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- DownstreamYadkin River at Wilkesboro, NC
- Elk Creek (NC) at Elkville, NC
- Johns River at Corpening Bridge Rd, 6 NNW Morganton, NC
- Lower Little River near Ellendale, NC
- Watauga River near Sugar Grove, NC
- South Fork Catawba River near HENRY FORK, NC
- Linville River near Nebo, NC
- Reddies River at N. Wilkesboro, NC
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (PATN7); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.