TidalMapPowell River near Jonesville, 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 03531500 sits on the Powell River and reads everything draining 319 square miles of the Powell basin. Its datum sits 1,259 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1932, 95 years of it.
Where this gauge sits in the drainage
One gauged site sits upstream of here. The closest is Powell River at Big Stone Gap, VA, reading 112 square miles. This gauge adds the 207 square miles that drain in between.
Normal flows here
The Powell River runs a median of 234 cfs at this gauge across 95 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 713 cfs, and October the leanest at 78 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 35,000 cfs in 1977, and the lowest is 18 cfs in 1954.
| Month | Median flow | Share of annual median |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 517 cfs | 221% |
| Feb | 663 cfs | 284% |
| Mar | 713 cfs | 305% |
| Apr | 538 cfs | 230% |
| May | 359 cfs | 154% |
| Jun | 191 cfs | 82% |
| Jul | 151 cfs | 65% |
| Aug | 122 cfs | 52% |
| Sep | 81 cfs | 35% |
| Oct | 78 cfs | 33% |
| Nov | 136 cfs | 58% |
| Dec | 373 cfs | 160% |
Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1932 to 2026. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.
Flood stages and record crests
The Powell River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 18 feet. NWS starts watching it at 15 feet. The highest crest on record is 44.3 feet, in April 1977.
| Category | Gage height |
|---|---|
| Action | 15 ft |
| Minor flooding | 18 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 30 ft |
| Major flooding | 35 ft |
| When | Crest |
|---|---|
| April 1977 | 44.3 ft |
| March 1963 | 33.4 ft |
| January 1918 | 33 ft |
| March 2002 | 32.4 ft |
| December 1969 | 32.2 ft |
Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge JNSV2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.
Nearby river gauges
- Clinch River at Kyles Ford, TN
- Martins Fork near Smith, KY
- Martins Fork above Smith, KY
- Big Creek near Rogersville, TN
- Crockett Creek below Rogersville, TN
- Martin's Fork near Harlan, KY
- Cumberland River near Harlan, KY
- Poor Fork at Cumberland, KY
- Clinch River at Speers Ferry, VA
- Powell River at Big Stone Gap, VA
- Clinch River above Tazewell, TN
- North Fork Holston River near Gate City, VA
Live streamflow and gage height: USGS gauge 03531500. Percentile context computed against the gauge's period of record. Not for navigation.
Open Powell River near Jonesville, VA on the live chart →
River pins, dam-release overlays and wadability lines live in the app, start a free TidalMap trial.