River stage
Fayetteville, Elk River
- River level
- 1.50 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.01 ft
- Recent high
- 6.18 ft
- Recent low
- 1.41 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS FYTT1
- 30-day change
- +0.04 ft
- Average
- 2.07 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 29.52 ft
In brief
The Elk River at Fayetteville, TN read 1.50 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 12.50 ft below action stage. That is 0.04 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge FYTT1
Water 65 °F (18 °C) · 2 °F warmer than normal for this date
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29.52 ft | 1990-12-23 |
| 2 | 28.60 ft | 1973-03-16 |
| 3 | 27.50 ft | 1842-03-13 |
| 4 | 27.20 ft | 1963-03-12 |
| 5 | 27.20 ft | 1929-03-23 |
| 6 | 27.20 ft | 1949-01-05 |
| 7 | 26.70 ft | 1957-02-03 |
| 8 | 24.21 ft | 2020-02-06 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 14.00 ft
The 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.
- 17.50 ft
Bottomland 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.
- 22.00 ft
Floodwaters begin to cover Eldad Road north of Barley Drive approaching the bend in the road traveling toward the Eldad Road bridge itself.
- 23.00 ft
Floodwaters 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.
- 24.00 ft
Eldad 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.
- 26.00 ft
Several 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.
- 29.00 ft
Widespread 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.
- 29.52 ft
Flood of Record occurred Dedcember 23, 1990.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Elk River flooding at Fayetteville?
No. The Elk River at Fayetteville is at 1.5 ft, 12.5 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Fayetteville?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 14 ft, minor flooding 17.5 ft, moderate flooding 23 ft and major flooding 26 ft.
What is the highest the Elk River has been at Fayetteville?
The highest crest on record is 29.52 ft, on 1990-12-23.
Is the Elk River high or low right now at Fayetteville?
At 1.5 ft it is higher than 25% of readings over the last 122 days.
How warm is the water at Fayetteville, Elk River?
The water temperature at Fayetteville, Elk River is 65 °F (18.3 °C), measured 7:15 pm by USGS, which is 2 °F warmer than normal for this date over the past ten years. It has risen 0.7 °F in the last 24 hours.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge FYTT1); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 03582000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.