South Fork Holston River at Riverside, near Chilhowie, VA Water Level Today

NWS river forecast

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 03471500 sits on the South Fork Holston River and reads everything draining 77 square miles of the South Fork Holston basin. Its datum sits 2,107 feet above sea level NAVD88. Daily flow has been on record here since 1921, 94 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 South Fork Holston River near Damascus, VA at 303 square miles, so what passes this gauge is about 25% of the water measured there. Water passing here goes on to South Fork Holston River below South Holston Dam, TN.

Normal flows here

The South Fork Holston River runs a median of 70 cfs at this gauge across 94 years of record. March is the fullest month at a median 150 cfs, and September the leanest at 32 cfs. The highest daily mean on record is 6,160 cfs in 2024, and the lowest is 8.0 cfs in 1926.

Medians from the USGS daily-statistics record, 1921 to 2026. A month at 100% is running at its own long-term median.

Flood stages and record crests

The South Fork Holston River reaches flood stage at this gauge at 7 feet. NWS starts watching it at 5 feet. The highest crest on record is 10.9 feet, in September 2024.

Flood categories and crest history from the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SHLV2. Stages are gage height, not depth. Not for navigation.