TidalMapJames River near Richmond, 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 02037500 sits on the James River and reads everything draining 6,753 square miles of the Middle James-Willis basin. Its datum sits 98 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1937, 89 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
One gauged site sits upstream of here. The closest is James River at Cartersville, VA, reading 6,252 square miles. This gauge adds the 501 square miles that drain in between.
Normal flows here
The James River runs a median of 4,170 cfs at this gauge across 89 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 9,130 cfs, and September the leanest at 1,480 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 296,000 cfs in 1972, and the lowest is 10 cfs in 1966.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6,320 cfs | 152% |
| Feb | 7,720 cfs | 185% |
| Mar | 9,130 cfs | 219% |
| Apr | 7,475 cfs | 179% |
| May | 6,320 cfs | 152% |
| Jun | 3,510 cfs | 84% |
| Jul | 2,280 cfs | 55% |
| Aug | 1,900 cfs | 46% |
| Sep | 1,480 cfs | 35% |
| Oct | 1,770 cfs | 42% |
| Nov | 2,560 cfs | 61% |
| Dec | 4,900 cfs | 118% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1937 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 12 feet. NWS starts watching it at 9 feet. The highest crest on record is 28.6 feet, in June 1972.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 9 ft |
| Minor flooding | 12 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 15 ft |
| Major flooding | 22 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| June 1972 | 28.6 ft |
| August 1969 | 24.9 ft |
| November 1985 | 24.8 ft |
| March 1936 | 23.4 ft |
| April 1937 | 22.6 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RMDV2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Little Westham Creek at Ur Drive at Richmond, VA
- Tuckahoe Creek at River Rd at Tuckahoe Village, VA
- Upham Brook at Spring Pk at Rt 161 at Richmond, VA
- North Run at Hilliard Rd near Richmond, VA
- North Run at Mountain Road at Glen Allen, VA
- North Run at Old Washington Hwy at Glen Allen, VA
- Upham Brook near Richmond, VA
- Chickahominy River at Chamberlayne Rd near Atlee, VA
- South Anna River near Ashland, VA
- Fourmile Creek near Richmond Heights, VA
- Fine Creek at Fine Creek Mills, VA
- Fourmile Creek at Kingsland Rd near Varina, VA
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 02037500. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
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