South F Shenandoah River near Luray water level

Name: South F Shenandoah River near Luray water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, South F Shenandoah River, Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.17ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:45 AM EDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 476 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 02:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at South F Shenandoah River near Luray reads 2.17 ft, a normal level.

It is 11.83 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 02:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.93 ft and 2.78 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 26.95 ftSeptember 7, 1996
Forecast peak: 2.00 ftWednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 14.00 ft, still 11.83 ft away.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: Numerous homes, buildings, and roads are flooded along the river west and southwest of Luray, along with many acres of farmland.
20.00 ft: Water approaches homes and buildings south of Luray. Backyards of homes at the lower end of Egypt Bend Estates are flooded, and much of Ganders Drive and Kaufmann Mill Road are flooded.
17.00 ft: Water covers the entire parking area at the Bixlers Ferry boat launch.
16.00 ft: Portions of Kaufmann Mill Road, Ganders Drive, and Egypt Bend Road begin to flood.
14.00 ft: Water covers yards and fields near the river southwest of Luray.
13.00 ft: Water reaches the top of the boat ramp under the Route 211 bridge.
11.00 ft: Water reaches the top of the boat ramp at Bixlers Ferry.
2.17 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 12 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	26.95 ft	September 7, 1996
2	26.72 ft	November 5, 1985
3	25.70 ft	October 16, 1942
4	25.40 ft	October 1, 1896
5	22.50 ft	May 1, 1924
6	21.23 ft	January 20, 1996
7	20.46 ft	June 18, 1949
8	19.11 ft	September 20, 2003
9	18.50 ft	April 17, 1987
10	18.36 ft	September 19, 1945

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 71° 32° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 66° 42° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 67° 40° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 62° 43° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 63° 40° – Wind 4 mph

25 Sun 65° 41° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 71° 44° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:30 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the South F Shenandoah River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South F Shenandoah River near LynnwoodRiver gauge, South F Shenandoah River	2.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	25 mi
South F Shenandoah River at Front RoyalRiver gauge, South F Shenandoah River	1.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	25 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smith Creek near New MarketRiver gauge, Smith Creek	1.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi
North F Shenandoah River at Mount JacksonRiver gauge, North F Shenandoah River	2.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	9 mi
Linville Creek at BroadwayRiver gauge, Linville Creek	1.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Battle Run near Laurel MillsRiver gauge, Battle Run	1.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	25 mi
North F Shenandoah River near StrasburgRiver gauge, North F Shenandoah River	2.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	25 mi
Muddy Creek at Mount ClintonRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	2.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	25 mi
Passage Creek near BucktonRiver gauge, Passage Creek	3.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	26 mi
Rapidan River near RuckersvilleRiver gauge, Rapidan River	1.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	27 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South F Shenandoah River near Luray?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 11.83 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of South F Shenandoah River near Luray today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:45 AM EDT, the water level was 2.17 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South F Shenandoah River near Luray rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.52 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South F Shenandoah River near Luray normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South F Shenandoah River near Luray?

The highest level on record is 26.95 ft on September 7, 1996.

Is South F Shenandoah River near Luray expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.90 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 02:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01629500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.64623, -78.53473 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	2.17 ft	2026-10-21 09:45	Provisional
Flow	476 cfs	2026-10-21 09:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South F Shenandoah River near Luray (usgs:01629500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/south-f-shenandoah-river-near-luray

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer