TidalMapJames River at Cartersville, VA Water Level Today
NWS river forecast
| When | Stage | Flow |
|---|
Forecast from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service. Issued a few times a day and only while a forecast is active. Not for navigation.
Last 30 days
About this gauge
USGS gauge 02035000 sits on the James River and reads everything draining 6,252 square miles of the Middle James-Willis basin. Its datum sits 167 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1899, 127 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
One gauged site sits upstream of here. The closest is James River at Scottsville, VA, reading 4,581 square miles. This gauge adds the 1,671 square miles that drain in between. Downstream the next reading comes from James River near Richmond, VA at 6,753 square miles, so what passes this gauge is about 93% of the water measured there.
Normal flows here
The James River runs a median of 4,200 cfs at this gauge across 127 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 9,200 cfs, and September the leanest at 1,745 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 280,000 cfs in 1972, and the lowest is 330 cfs in 1966.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6,270 cfs | 149% |
| Feb | 7,540 cfs | 180% |
| Mar | 9,200 cfs | 219% |
| Apr | 8,005 cfs | 191% |
| May | 6,050 cfs | 144% |
| Jun | 3,810 cfs | 91% |
| Jul | 2,650 cfs | 63% |
| Aug | 2,200 cfs | 52% |
| Sep | 1,745 cfs | 42% |
| Oct | 1,960 cfs | 47% |
| Nov | 2,650 cfs | 63% |
| Dec | 4,750 cfs | 113% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1899 to 2026. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
The James River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 20 feet. NWS starts watching it at 15 feet. The highest crest on record is 37.9 feet, in June 1972.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 15 ft |
| Minor flooding | 20 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 23 ft |
| Major flooding | 26.4 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| June 1972 | 37.9 ft |
| August 1969 | 33.8 ft |
| November 1985 | 32.6 ft |
| September 1944 | 29.6 ft |
| September 1996 | 29 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CARV2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Rivanna River at Palmyra, VA
- Fine Creek at Fine Creek Mills, VA
- Slate River near Arvonia, VA
- Appomattox River at Mattoax, VA
- Hardware River below Briery Run near Scottsville, VA
- James River at Scottsville, VA
- Deep Creek near Mannboro, VA
- Appomattox River at Route 602 near Mannboro, VA
- South Anna River near Gordonsville, VA
- Appomattox River at Farmville, VA
- N Anna River at Rt 669 near Monrovia, VA
- Tuckahoe Creek at River Rd at Tuckahoe Village, VA
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 02035000. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
Open James River at Cartersville, VA on the live chart →
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