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SwedenCheat River near Parsons water level
River gauge, Cheat River, West Virginia, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 3,160 cfs
- Water temperature
- 51 °F
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 6.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Cheat River near Parsons, where the gauge shows 5.95 ft.
It is 12.55 ft below the flood stage of 18.50 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.97 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 6.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 PM. The 30-day range is 5.95 ft – 8.12 ft.
The water temperature at the gauge is 51 °F.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 24.30 ftNovember 5, 1985
- Forecast peak
- 6.10 ftSunday, October 18 at 08:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 18.50 ft.
What happens at each level
- 21.50 ft
- Water begins to flood low lying sections of Parsons along Walnut, 2nd, 3rd and Water Streets and in the south end of Parsons, Poplar and Missouri Streets. Flooding also occurs along areas near River Avenue, Currance Street and around the Parsons Nursery.
- 20.00 ft
- Flooding affects portions of Water Street, Walnut Street, 4th Street, River Avenue and Buchanan Street.
- 19.50 ft
- Water levels reach the flood levels of the flood of February 19, 2000.
- 18.50 ft
- Water floods areas of 4th Street, Water Street and Central Avenue.
- 17.50 ft
- Water covers much of Parsons City Park closest to Shavers Fork and back yards of homes on lower end of 4th Street.
- 16.90 ft
- Water rises to the level reached on July 29, 2017.
- 15.00 ft
- Water affects the low end of Parsons City Park closest to the Shavers Fork.
- 5.95 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 | 24.30 ft | November 5, 1985 |
| 2 | 20.50 ft | July 10, 1888 |
| 3 | 19.80 ft | January 19, 1996 |
| 4 | 19.08 ft | October 16, 1954 |
| 5 | 18.97 ft | February 9, 1994 |
| 6 | 18.90 ft | March 12, 1917 |
| 7 | 17.58 ft | June 30, 2019 |
| 8 | 17.50 ft | March 29, 1924 |
| 9 | 17.20 ft | February 4, 1932 |
| 10 | 17.00 ft | March 13, 1918 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Cheat River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheat River below Saltlick Creek at RowlesburgRiver gauge, Cheat River | 5.20 ft | Below flood stage | −0.69 ft | 16 mi |
| Cheat River at AlbrightRiver gauge, Cheat River | 14.33 ft | Below flood stage | −0.91 ft | 26 mi |
| Cheat River at Lake LynnRiver gauge, Cheat River | 12.34 ft | No reference yet | −0.13 ft | 43 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Fork at HendricksRiver gauge, Dry Fork | 3.33 ft | Below flood stage | −0.41 ft | 4.4 mi |
| Dry Fork at GladwinRiver gauge, Dry Fork | 5.30 ft | Below flood stage | −0.62 ft | 11 mi |
| Blackwater River at DavisRiver gauge, Blackwater River | 3.20 ft | Below flood stage | −0.87 ft | 11 mi |
| Shavers Fork below BowdenRiver gauge, Shavers Fork | 5.41 ft | Below flood stage | −0.46 ft | 15 mi |
| Tygart Valley River at BelingtonRiver gauge, Tygart Valley River | 5.48 ft | Below flood stage | −0.62 ft | 15 mi |
| Tygart Valley River near ElkinsRiver gauge, Tygart Valley River | 5.08 ft | Below flood stage | −0.31 ft | 17 mi |
| Tygart Valley River at PhilippiRiver gauge, Tygart Valley River | 6.19 ft | Below flood stage | −0.81 ft | 20 mi |
| Middle Fork River at AudraRiver gauge, Middle Fork River | 4.19 ft | Below flood stage | −0.49 ft | 22 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Cheat River near Parsons?
The official flood stage is 18.50 ft. The level is currently 12.55 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 Cheat River near Parsons today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 09:30 PM EDT, the water level was 5.95 ft. Down 0.97 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Cheat River near Parsons rising or falling?
Down 0.97 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Cheat River near Parsons normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cheat River near Parsons?
The highest level on record is 24.30 ft on November 5, 1985.
Is Cheat River near Parsons expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to rise to 6.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 PM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:03069500(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.12156, -79.67553(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 | 5.95 ft | 2026-10-19 01:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 3,160 cfs | 2026-10-19 01:30 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 51 °F | 2026-10-19 01:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Cheat River near Parsons (usgs:03069500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/cheat-river-near-parsons
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