South River near Waynesboro water level

Name: South River near Waynesboro 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 River, Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.40ft

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 31.2 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at South River near Waynesboro reads 2.40 ft, a normal level.

It is 7.10 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft.

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.40 ft and 2.51 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.30 ftNovember 4, 1985
Forecast peak: 2.40 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM

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 9.50 ft, still 7.10 ft away.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: A large portion of downtown Waynesboro is flooded, including water over several bridges in town and many feet of water flooding areas between Meadowbrook Road and Fifth Street.
13.00 ft: Numerous homes and businesses in Waynesboro are flooded, along with many roads.
11.00 ft: Significant portions of downtown Waynesboro are flooded.
10.00 ft: Portions of the Club Court neighborhood, Rife Road, and Shore Road, along with nearby homes, are flooded. Water also reaches low lying areas of downtown Waynesboro.
9.50 ft: Portions of the Club Court neighborhood begin to flood.
9.00 ft: Low portions of Meadowbrook Road and Arch Avenue begin to flood.
6.00 ft: Water begins to overflow the banks into low lying areas.
2.40 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.30 ft	November 4, 1985
2	15.27 ft	August 20, 1969
3	14.30 ft	October 15, 1942
4	14.25 ft	June 21, 1972
5	13.95 ft	August 18, 1955
6	13.95 ft	September 19, 2003
7	13.58 ft	January 19, 1996
8	13.46 ft	September 6, 1996
9	11.92 ft	September 17, 2018
10	11.41 ft	October 5, 1972

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 67° 38° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 64° 39° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 68° 41° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 64° 42° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 61° 38° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 65° 40° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 69° 43° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:30 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the South River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South River near DoomsRiver gauge, South River	2.02 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	2.7 mi
South River at HarristonRiver gauge, South River	2.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	12 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rockfish River near GreenfieldRiver gauge, Rockfish River	2.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	14 mi
Middle River near GrottoesRiver gauge, Middle River	3.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Mechums River near White HallRiver gauge, Mechums River	24.4 cfs	Normal	−0.9 cfs	17 mi
North River near BurketownRiver gauge, North River	2.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	20 mi
Moormans River near Free UnionRiver gauge, Moormans River	15.5 cfs	Normal	+1.2 cfs	20 mi
South F Shenandoah River near LynnwoodRiver gauge, South F Shenandoah River	2.56 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	20 mi
Tye River near LovingstonRiver gauge, Tye River	2.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	24 mi
South F Rivanna River near CharlottesvilleRiver gauge, South F Rivanna River	48.1 cfs	Normal	±0	25 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South River near Waynesboro?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 7.10 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 River near Waynesboro today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 PM EDT, the water level was 2.40 ft.

Is the level of South River near Waynesboro normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South River near Waynesboro?

The highest level on record is 15.30 ft on November 4, 1985.

Is South River near Waynesboro expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01626000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.05764, -78.90808 (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	2.40 ft	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional
Flow	31.2 cfs	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South River near Waynesboro (usgs:01626000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/south-river-near-waynesboro

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