Canada
United States
Belgium
France
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Austria
Czechia
Germany
Poland
Slovenia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Türkiye
Denmark
Finland
Norway
SwedenBig Coal River at Ashford water level
River gauge, Big Coal River, West Virginia, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 396 cfs
History
What this means
The Big Coal River at Ashford is at 3.01 ft, in the normal range.
It is 13.99 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.
It has dropped 0.26 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.01 ft and 4.66 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 35.66 ftAugust 9, 1916
- Lowest on record
- 0.00 ftOctober 6, 1930
Floating and fishing near Big Coal River at Ashford
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 17.00 ft, 13.99 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 30.00 ft
- Several homes along Emmons Road toward White Oak Road flood. A significant portion of the railroad from just above Ashford down to Emmons is under water. Many homes next to the river from Ashford to Emmons flood.
- 28.00 ft
- Ashford Lane at intersection with the Ashford Nellis Road bridge begins to flood. Nearly the entire length of Emmons Road is under water.
- 25.00 ft
- The church on Ashford Nellis Road and some homes along Ashford Lane, next to the river, flood at stages between 25 and 27 feet.
- 22.00 ft
- Intersection of Emmons Road and Lower White Oak Road floods.
- 21.00 ft
- Three homes along Dartmouth Ashford Road, just below the intersection with Ashford Nellis Road, flood.
- 20.00 ft
- Dartmouth Ashford Road just below the intersection with Ashford Nellis Road floods.
- 18.00 ft
- Intersection of Darmouth Ashford Road and Ashford Nellis Road in Ashford floods. Sections of Emmons Road begin to flood below the intersection with the Ashford Nellis Road bridge.
- 17.00 ft
- Ridgeview Nellis Road just above the Ashford Nellis Road bridge floods.
- 3.01 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35.66 ft | August 9, 1916 |
| 2 | 27.00 ft | March 7, 1967 |
| 3 | 26.14 ft | December 31, 1969 |
| 4 | 26.05 ft | January 26, 1978 |
| 5 | 25.95 ft | November 19, 2003 |
| 6 | 25.80 ft | March 12, 1963 |
| 7 | 25.70 ft | February 3, 1939 |
| 8 | 25.68 ft | April 15, 2007 |
| 9 | 24.67 ft | April 5, 1977 |
| 10 | 23.59 ft | March 5, 2015 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.26 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Coal River at DanvilleRiver gauge, Little Coal River | 2.18 ft | Below flood stage | −0.15 ft | 10 mi |
| Kanawha River at S Side Bridge at CharlestonRiver gauge, Kanawha River | 8.34 ft | Below flood stage | +0.10 ft | 12 mi |
| Coal River at TornadoRiver gauge, Coal River | 10.43 ft | Below flood stage | −0.19 ft | 13 mi |
| Elk River at CharlestonRiver gauge, Elk River | 2,900 cfs | High | −1,190.0 cfs | 13 mi |
| Kanawha River at CharlestonRiver gauge, Kanawha River | 11,500 cfs | High | −3,000.0 cfs | 13 mi |
| Elk Twomile Creek near CharlestonRiver gauge, Elk Twomile Creek | 2.35 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 14 mi |
| Clear Fork at WhitesvilleRiver gauge, Clear Fork | 12.34 ft | Below flood stage | −0.10 ft | 18 mi |
| Middle Fork Mud River near GriffithsvilleRiver gauge, Middle Fork Mud River | 2.76 ft | Below flood stage | −0.16 ft | 19 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Big Coal River at Ashford?
The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 13.99 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 Big Coal River at Ashford today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 AM EDT, the water level was 3.01 ft. Down 0.26 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Big Coal River at Ashford rising or falling?
Down 0.26 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Big Coal River at Ashford normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Coal River at Ashford?
The highest level on record is 35.66 ft on August 9, 1916. The lowest is 0.00 ft on October 6, 1930.
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:03198500(Agency page)- Coordinates
38.17982, -81.71151(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 | 3.01 ft | 2026-10-20 04:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 396 cfs | 2026-10-20 04:45 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Big Coal River at Ashford (usgs:03198500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/big-coal-river-at-ashford
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