Elk River (TN) near Fayetteville, TN

River level and flood forecast · Lincoln County

Normal1.5 ftas of Mon 2:15 PM

The river is 16.0 ft below flood stage (17.5 ft).

Forecast to hold near 1.5 ft through Sat, Oct 17, 7 AM.

Flow: 299 cubic feet per second (USGS).

The last 7 days and the forecast

NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 8:23 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

Major flood stage	26 ft
Moderate flood stage	23 ft
Flood stage	17.5 ft
Action stage	14 ft
Record crest (December 23, 1990)	29.52 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

29.52 ftFlood of Record occurred Dedcember 23, 1990.
29 ftWidespread significant flooding is ongoing at the gage and throughout much of Fayetteville. The main bridge on Highway 231 is underwater and businesses on the South side of the bridge are impacted with multiple feet of water affecting them. Thorton Taylor Parkway is also underwater at this time and likely impassable between Highway 231 and Eldad Road intersections.
26 ftSeveral businesses and homes are flooded along Norris Creek on the East side of town, along with any streets that intersect Norris Street inundated with 1 to 2 feet of water. On the West side of town, backwater flooding is likely ongoing on Cane Creek, with portions of Highway 64 likely underwater near the intersection of Morgan Bend Road.
24 ftEldad Road becomes impassable with at least a foot of water covering it between Barley Drive and the Eldad Road bridge itself. Portions of Grisham Road are also covered less than half a mile from the intersection with Eldad Road. In and around Fayetteville, floodwaters have caused portions of Highway 273 to become impassable and is likely closed.
23 ftFloodwaters cover portions of Eldad Road South of Rambo Road. Floodwaters also approach the South side of Grisham Road immediately North of the River gage. In and around Fayetteville, flood waters cover portions of Highway 273 and it will become impassable shortly.
22 ftFloodwaters begin to cover Eldad Road north of Barley Drive approaching the bend in the road traveling toward the Eldad Road bridge itself.
17.5 ftBottomland along the river begins to flood, spreading across fields on both sides of the river. Just south of Rambo Road, floodwaters begin to pool by the bend in the road band again further south closer to Old Limestone Road.
14 ftThe Elk River reaches bankfull, with any additional water spilling into neighboring fields along the river and causing lowland/nuisance flooding on the banks of the river upstream of Fayetteville.

Highest crests on record

29.52 ft — December 23, 1990
28.6 ft — March 16, 1973
27.5 ft — March 13, 1842
27.2 ft — March 12, 1963
27.2 ft — March 23, 1929

Recent crests: 19.51 ft (March 16, 2025) · 21.12 ft (February 23, 2022) · 21.48 ft (September 20, 2021) · 20.86 ft (April 1, 2021) · 19.7 ft (March 24, 2020)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Lincoln County NWS gauge page USGS gauge 03582000

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (FYTT1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.