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Elk River near Frametown water level

River gauge, Elk River, West Virginia, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

3.94ft Down 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
1,630 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 20.39 ft Minor floodstage 18.00 ft Lowest on record 0.89 ft

History

246ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 21246ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Elk River near Frametown is above normal at 3.94 ft.

The median for late October is 2.14 ft, based on 12 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.81 ft above typical. It is 14.06 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.30 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.94 ft and 5.89 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 12 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.14 ft1.81 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.48 ft – 4.01 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (12 years of records)
Highest on record
20.39 ftJuly 31, 1996
Lowest on record
0.89 ftOctober 8, 1958

Floating and fishing near Elk River near Frametown

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 18.00 ft, 14.06 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft
House 100 feet upstream from river gage begins to flood. Numerous homes and camps along Route 4 are flooded.
21.00 ft
Homes and camps along Route 4 are flooded.
18.00 ft
Camp 500 feet downstream of gage begins to flood.
3.94 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
120.39 ftJuly 31, 1996
217.62 ftJune 24, 2016
316.65 ftMarch 1, 1997
416.31 ftDecember 3, 1991
516.05 ftMarch 15, 1967
616.03 ftMay 8, 1994
715.84 ftDecember 7, 2013
814.93 ftJune 2, 1974
914.63 ftDecember 30, 1969
1014.40 ftJanuary 22, 1959

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 1.12 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

19 Mon 62° 34° – Wind 5 mph
20 Tue 63° 38° – Wind 5 mph
21 Wed 67° 42° – Wind 4 mph
22 Thu 64° 42° – Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 67° 43° – Wind 5 mph
24 Sat 69° 44° – Wind 4 mph
25 Sun 68° 43° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:38 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Elk River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Elk River below Webster SpringsRiver gauge, Elk River 4.81 ft Below flood stage −0.23 ft 21 mi
Elk River at SuttonRiver gauge, Elk River 13.96 ft Very high −0.36 ft 11 mi
Elk River at ClayRiver gauge, Elk River 3.61 ft Below flood stage −0.58 ft 14 mi
Elk River at Queen ShoalsRiver gauge, Elk River 6.70 ft Below flood stage −0.23 ft 23 mi
Elk River at CharlestonRiver gauge, Elk River 2,660 cfs High −480.0 cfs 43 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Birch River at HeroldRiver gauge, Birch River 3.58 ft Below flood stage −0.33 ft 4.7 mi
Gauley River at Camden on GauleyRiver gauge, Gauley River 3.71 ft Below flood stage −0.32 ft 22 mi
Little Kanawha River at BurnsvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River 4.07 ft High −0.05 ft 22 mi
Little Kanawha River near WildcatRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River 150 cfs High −41.0 cfs 22 mi
Little Kanawha River at GlenvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River 3.93 ft High −0.44 ft 24 mi
Peters Creek near LockwoodRiver gauge, Peters Creek 31.2 cfs Normal −6.2 cfs 24 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Elk River near Frametown?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 14.06 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Elk River near Frametown in late October?

The median for late October is 2.14 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.48 ft and 4.01 ft, based on 12 years of records.

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 Elk River near Frametown today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 01:00 AM EDT, the water level was 3.94 ft. Down 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Elk River near Frametown rising or falling?

Down 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.53 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Elk River near Frametown normal?

High for late October. Compared with 12 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Elk River near Frametown?

The highest level on record is 20.39 ft on July 31, 1996. The lowest is 0.89 ft on October 8, 1958.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:03196600 (Agency page)
Coordinates
38.59232, -80.88455 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.94 ft 2026-10-21 05:00 Provisional
Flow 1,630 cfs 2026-10-21 05:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elk River near Frametown (usgs:03196600). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/elk-river-near-frametown

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