Rivers in Virginia
North Fork Holston River near Gate City
Below flood stage
2.39ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 10:15 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 12.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 5.20 ftFri, Sep 25, 2:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 22.50 ft1862
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 18.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 15.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 12.00 ft |
| Action | 10.00 ft |
- 23.00 ftWater may reach floors of shopping center immediately downstream from the Hwy 23 bridge.
- 21.50 ftThe river reaches the bottom of the Highway 23 bridge and the area around the bridge is flooded. Around 100 acres are also affected.
- 20.00 ftMore homes are flooded and 50 to 75 acres are inundated. Flooding of Warm Springs Road near Apple Orchard Road.
- 19.00 ftPortions of Newland Hollow Road begin to flood.
- 18.00 ftSeveral homes are flooded and 20 to 30 acres are inundated.
- 14.00 ftFlooding begins on North Holston River Drive beneath the West Carters Valley Road bridge. County Road 614 is cut off 1 1/2 miles downstream from the Highway 23 bridge.
- 12.00 ftWater begins to cover River Road and some low lying county roads.
- 10.00 ftCaution stage.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 8% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 16, 2026.
Crest history
47 crests on NOAA’s list since 1862.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 1, 1862 | 22.50 ft |
| 2 | April 5, 1977 | 19.79 ft |
| 3 | March 18, 2002 | 19.36 ft |
| 4 | April 24, 2017 | 18.54 ft |
| 5 | February 12, 2018 | 17.45 ft |
| 6 | January 30, 1957 | 16.73 ft |
| 7 | March 12, 1963 | 16.42 ft |
| 8 | February 7, 2020 | 16.33 ft |
| 9 | April 13, 2020 | 15.97 ft |
| 10 | February 24, 2019 | 15.89 ft |
| 11 | February 16, 2025 | 15.89 ft |
| 12 | March 30, 1975 | 15.83 ft |
| 13 | December 11, 1972 | 15.62 ft |
| 14 | May 8, 1984 | 15.27 ft |
| 15 | March 17, 1973 | 15.14 ft |
| 16 | November 20, 2003 | 15.10 ft |
| 17 | February 11, 1994 | 15.00 ft |
| 18 | March 28, 2021 | 14.99 ft |
| 19 | August 14, 1940 | 14.75 ft |
| 20 | February 18, 1944 | 14.44 ft |
| 21 | January 26, 1978 | 14.42 ft |
| 22 | April 28, 1970 | 14.32 ft |
| 23 | December 31, 1969 | 14.13 ft |
| 24 | April 17, 1998 | 14.11 ft |
| 25 | April 16, 1956 | 14.10 ft |
Most recent crests
- February 16, 2025: 15.89 ft
- February 18, 2023: 12.72 ft
- February 25, 2022: 12.45 ft
- March 28, 2021: 14.99 ft
- April 13, 2020: 15.97 ft
- February 7, 2020: 16.33 ft
- February 24, 2019: 15.89 ft
- February 12, 2018: 17.45 ft
- April 24, 2017: 18.54 ft
- March 5, 2015: 12.46 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamNorth Fork Holston River at Saltville
- DownstreamHolston River at John Sevier Detention Resrvr near Rogersville
- Big Moccasin Creek at Big Moccasin
- South Fork Holston River at Kingsport
- South Fork Holston River at Fort Patrick Henry Dam
- Clinch River at Speers Ferry
- Clinch River at Ft Blackmore
- Stoney Creek at Stoney Creek
- South Fork Holston River at BOONE DAM - JOHNSON CITY
- North Fork Clinch River
What this means
Forecasts by the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.