John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton water level

Name: John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Reservoir, John H. Kerr Reservoir, Virginia, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Surface elevation

288.11ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:10 PM EDT (28 min ago)

History

7 days 10 years Years compared

20202021

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

At 288.11 ft, John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton is far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 10.51 ft below the median of 298.62 ft for mid-October, based on 16 years of readings. It is 31.89 ft below the flood stage of 320.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 288.10 ft and 288.36 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 298.62 ft10.51 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 293.55 ft – 306.39 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (16 years of records)
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 288.10 ft – 288.36 ft
Highest on record: 319.67 ftApril 29, 1987

Swimming and boating at John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton

Low water changes a lake fast for boaters. Some ramps get shorter or close, docks may be moved, and rocks and sandbars that are usually well under the surface come within reach of a prop.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

What happens at each level

326.00 ft: River stage sensor operating limit
288.11 ft: Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.48 in.

19 Mon 66° 38° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 71° 44° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 68° 46° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 71° 43° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 68° 46° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 66° 43° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 67° 42° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Allen Creek near BoydtonRiver gauge, Allen Creek	3.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	5.8 mi
Island Creek Reservoir at Dam near ClarksvilleReservoir, Island Creek Reservoir	258.47 ft	Normal	±0	10 mi
Meherrin River at RT 637 near South HillRiver gauge, Meherrin River	31.8 cfs	Normal	+6.0 cfs	16 mi
Meherrin River near LawrencevilleRiver gauge, Meherrin River	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	27 mi
North Meherrin River near LunenburgRiver gauge, North Meherrin River	0.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	28 mi
Mayo Creek near Bethel HillRiver gauge, Mayo Creek	1.98 ft	Low	±0	32 mi
Tar River near Tar RiverRiver gauge, Tar River	1.24 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	32 mi
Roanoke (Staunton) River at RandolphRiver gauge, Roanoke (Staunton) River	4.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	33 mi

Questions and answers

What is a normal level for John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 298.62 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 293.55 ft and 306.39 ft, based on 16 years of records.

Is John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton really 288.11 ft deep?

No. 288.11 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:10 PM EDT, the surface elevation was 288.11 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton?

The highest level on record is 319.67 ft on April 29, 1987.

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:02079490 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.59848, -78.29889 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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
Surface elevation	288.11 ft	2026-10-20 23:10	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/4994?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: John H. Kerr Reservoir at Dam near Boydton (usgs:02079490). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/john-h-kerr-reservoir-at-dam-near-boydton

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