Gauge Description:

A new correlation has been developed (The "Maxwell Coefficient") to the Cullasaja River which shares a ridgeline in the NC headwaters of this stream. A reading of 225 cfs is approx. equal to about 0.9ft on Overflow, 310 is about 1.5 ft and 500 cfs is about 2.0 ft. At 0.9 ft it's a minimal, boney run, 2.0 ft is rather juicy. Know the run very well above 2.0 ft. 3.0 ft is the highest intentional run that I've heard of, and the gentleman involved has more runs here than anyone I know (Snuffy). Mass hike-outs at varying locations have occured when it flashed to over 4.5 ft.


Click on Macon Co. for additional Highlands real-time rainfall totals info on this AFWS site: http://www.afws.net/states/nc/nc.htm


Generally, an inch or more is needed to get Overflow going, with multiple inches in the summer; less rain if the region has been saturated recently. The Hwy 76 level can be unreliable, as water can be long gone when it's all the way down to Sec 4. If it's 2.5ft and headed straight up though, that's a good sign!