Elk River near Frametown water level

Name: Elk River near Frametown 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, Elk River, West Virginia, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

4.37ft Down 0.47 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT (42 min ago)

Flow: 2,160 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Elk River near Frametown is above normal at 4.37 ft.

The median for mid-October is 2.37 ft, based on 12 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.01 ft above typical. It is 13.63 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.47 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.37 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: 2.37 ft2.01 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.51 ft – 5.19 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, 13.63 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.
4.37 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.39 ft	July 31, 1996
2	17.62 ft	June 24, 2016
3	16.65 ft	March 1, 1997
4	16.31 ft	December 3, 1991
5	16.05 ft	March 15, 1967
6	16.03 ft	May 8, 1994
7	15.84 ft	December 7, 2013
8	14.93 ft	June 2, 1974
9	14.63 ft	December 30, 1969
10	14.40 ft	January 22, 1959

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:41 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Elk River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elk River below Webster SpringsRiver gauge, Elk River	5.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.30 ft	21 mi
Elk River at SuttonRiver gauge, Elk River	14.47 ft	High	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Elk River at ClayRiver gauge, Elk River	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	−1.00 ft	14 mi
Elk River at Queen ShoalsRiver gauge, Elk River	7.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.63 ft	23 mi
Elk River at CharlestonRiver gauge, Elk River	3,380 cfs	Very high	−990.0 cfs	43 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Birch River at HeroldRiver gauge, Birch River	4.07 ft	Below flood stage	−0.30 ft	4.7 mi
Gauley River at Camden on GauleyRiver gauge, Gauley River	4.18 ft	Below flood stage	−0.44 ft	22 mi
Little Kanawha River at BurnsvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	4.59 ft	High	−0.40 ft	22 mi
Little Kanawha River near WildcatRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	216 cfs	High	−73.0 cfs	22 mi
Little Kanawha River at GlenvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	4.91 ft	High	−0.22 ft	24 mi
Peters Creek near LockwoodRiver gauge, Peters Creek	42.4 cfs	Very high	−10.0 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 13.63 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 2.37 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.51 ft and 5.19 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 19, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT, the water level was 4.37 ft. Down 0.47 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Elk River near Frametown rising or falling?

Down 0.47 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Elk River near Frametown normal?

High for mid-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

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	4.37 ft	2026-10-19 19:00	Provisional
Flow	2,160 cfs	2026-10-19 19:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elk River near Frametown (usgs:03196600). Accessed October 19, 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