Little Kanawha River at Palestine water level

Name: Little Kanawha River at Palestine 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, Little Kanawha River, West Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

15.42ft Down 0.21 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 05:00 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,190 cfs
Water temperature: 58 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 15.00 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:48 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Little Kanawha River at Palestine reads 15.42 ft, a normal level.

It is 20.58 ft below the flood stage of 36.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.21 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 15.00 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 15.42 ft and 18.98 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 58 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 40.04 ftMarch 3, 1997
Lowest on record: 3.32 ftSeptember 24, 1946
Forecast peak: 15.40 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 36.00 ft, still 20.58 ft away.

What happens at each level

44.00 ft: Major flooding occurs in and around Elizabeth and Palestine. Flood water reaches the middle school, high school, water plant, and some homes along the river.
38.00 ft: Homes along the river and Snodgrass Road begin to flood. Low sections near the river around Elizabeth and Palestine also begin to flood.
36.00 ft: Sections of Snodgrass Road adjacent to the river flood.
15.42 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	40.04 ft	March 3, 1997
2	39.14 ft	March 7, 1967
3	36.44 ft	February 24, 2003
4	36.37 ft	December 10, 1979
5	36.34 ft	November 23, 2011
6	36.04 ft	February 19, 2000
7	35.00 ft	January 26, 1978
8	34.43 ft	November 6, 1985
9	34.22 ft	February 2, 1951
10	33.56 ft	January 12, 1974

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 68° 40° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 65° 41° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 66° 44° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 69° 43° – Wind 3 mph

25 Sun 70° 45° – Wind 4 mph

26 Mon 69° 47° – Wind 5 mph

27 Tue 67° 48° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:42 AM Sunset 06:40 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Kanawha River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Kanawha River near WildcatRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	142 cfs	High	−42.0 cfs	51 mi
Little Kanawha River at BurnsvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	4.06 ft	High	−0.05 ft	41 mi
Little Kanawha River at GlenvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	3.90 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	31 mi
Little Kanawha River at GrantsvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	8.50 ft	Normal	−0.84 ft	18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Fork Hughes River below MacfarlanRiver gauge, South Fork Hughes River	4.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	10 mi
Little Tygart Creek at Mineral WellsRiver gauge, Little Tygart Creek	1.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Ohio River at ParkersburgRiver gauge, Ohio River	21.57 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	17 mi
West Fork Little Kanawha River at RocksdaleRiver gauge, West Fork Little Kanawha River	6.22 ft	Normal	−0.10 ft	17 mi
Ohio River at MariettaRiver gauge, Ohio River	16.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	24 mi
Shade River near Chester OHRiver gauge, Shade River	5.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	26 mi
Duck Creek below Whipple OHRiver gauge, Duck Creek	2.05 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	31 mi
Middle Island Creek at LittleRiver gauge, Middle Island Creek	3.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Little Kanawha River at Palestine?

The official flood stage is 36.00 ft. The level is currently 20.58 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 Little Kanawha River at Palestine today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:00 AM EDT, the water level was 15.42 ft. Down 0.21 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Kanawha River at Palestine rising or falling?

Down 0.21 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 3.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Kanawha River at Palestine normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Little Kanawha River at Palestine?

The highest level on record is 40.04 ft on March 3, 1997. The lowest is 3.32 ft on September 24, 1946.

Is Little Kanawha River at Palestine expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 15.00 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03155000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.05897, -81.38956 (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	15.42 ft	2026-10-21 09:00	Provisional
Flow	1,190 cfs	2026-10-21 09:00	Provisional
Water temperature	58 °F	2026-10-21 08:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Kanawha River at Palestine (usgs:03155000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/little-kanawha-river-at-palestine

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