TidalMapNew River near Galax, 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 03164000 sits on the New River and reads everything draining 1,141 square miles of the Upper New basin. Its datum sits 2,207 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1930, 95 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
No gauged site sits above this one on the mainstem, so this is the first published reading on the river. Downstream the next reading comes from New River at Ivanhoe, VA at 1,350 square miles, so what passes this gauge is about 85% of the water measured there. Water passing here goes on to New River at Allisonia, VA.
Normal flows here
The New River runs a median of 1,450 cfs at this gauge across 95 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 2,230 cfs, and September the leanest at 860 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 86,200 cfs in 1940, and the lowest is 250 cfs in 2008.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,750 cfs | 121% |
| Feb | 2,090 cfs | 144% |
| Mar | 2,230 cfs | 154% |
| Apr | 2,085 cfs | 144% |
| May | 1,800 cfs | 124% |
| Jun | 1,440 cfs | 99% |
| Jul | 1,150 cfs | 79% |
| Aug | 984 cfs | 68% |
| Sep | 860 cfs | 59% |
| Oct | 963 cfs | 66% |
| Nov | 1,160 cfs | 80% |
| Dec | 1,490 cfs | 103% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1930 to 2025. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
The New River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 9 feet. NWS starts watching it at 7 feet. The highest crest on record is 25.7 feet, in August 1940.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 7 ft |
| Minor flooding | 9 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 11 ft |
| Major flooding | 14 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| August 1940 | 25.7 ft |
| September 2024 | 21.3 ft |
| November 1977 | 18.6 ft |
| January 1995 | 15.2 ft |
| January 2010 | 13.3 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GAXV2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Chestnut Creek at Galax, VA
- New River at Ivanhoe, VA
- Reed Creek at Grahams Forge, VA
- New River at Allisonia, VA
- Yadkin River at Elkin, NC
- Greasy Creek near Indian Valley, VA
- Burkes Fork at Bolt Mill Rd near Dugspur, VA
- Ararat River at Ararat, NC
- South Fork New River near Jefferson, NC
- Reddies River at North Wilkesboro, NC
- Yadkin River at Wilkesboro, NC
- Yadkin River below W Kerr Scott Dam near Buck, NC
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 03164000. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
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