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Little Kanawha River at Burnsville water level

River gauge, Little Kanawha River, West Virginia, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

4.06ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
195 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 16.32 ft Minor floodstage 13.00 ft Lowest on record 2.40 ft

History

510ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 21Minor flood stage510ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21Minor flood stage
Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Little Kanawha River at Burnsville shows 4.06 ft, above normal for late October.

The median for late October is 3.62 ft, based on 15 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.44 ft above typical. It is 8.94 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.06 ft and 7.47 ft.

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

Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3.62 ft0.44 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
3.07 ft – 4.35 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Highest on record
16.32 ftJune 2, 1974
Lowest on record
2.40 ftMay 24, 1977

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 13.00 ft, still 8.94 ft away.

What happens at each level

23.00 ft
Route 5 is flooded at the DOH yard entrance near Buffalo Creek.
21.50 ft
DOL yard near Buffalo Creek is flooded.
13.00 ft
Fields along river, near the gage, and home and other areas along Buffalo Creek road start to flood.
4.06 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
116.32 ftJune 2, 1974
215.74 ftNovember 9, 2003
315.41 ftJune 5, 2008
414.82 ftJuly 31, 1996
514.79 ftMarch 1, 1997
614.48 ftFebruary 19, 2000
714.38 ftSeptember 28, 2018
814.30 ftJanuary 26, 1978
913.97 ftOctober 10, 1976
1013.50 ftSeptember 2, 2003

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:37 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 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 12 mi
Little Kanawha River at GlenvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River 3.90 ft Normal −0.18 ft 10 mi
Little Kanawha River at GrantsvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River 8.50 ft Normal −0.84 ft 23 mi
Little Kanawha River at PalestineRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River 15.42 ft Below flood stage −0.21 ft 41 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Sand Fork near GlenvilleRiver gauge, Sand Fork 32.0 cfs Very high −6.8 cfs 5.3 mi
West Fork River at WalkersvilleRiver gauge, West Fork River 3.34 ft Normal −0.18 ft 12 mi
Elk River at SuttonRiver gauge, Elk River 13.96 ft Very high −0.35 ft 14 mi
Stonewall Jackson Lake near WestonLake, Stonewall Jackson Lake 1,071.96 ft Very high −0.22 ft 14 mi
West Fork River below Stonewall Jackson Dam near WestonRiver gauge, West Fork River 368 cfs Very high −3.0 cfs 15 mi
West Fork River at WestonRiver gauge, West Fork River 7.17 ft High −0.01 ft 16 mi
West Fork River at ButchervilleRiver gauge, West Fork River 2.79 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 19 mi
Elk River below Webster SpringsRiver gauge, Elk River 4.76 ft Below flood stage −0.23 ft 21 mi

Questions and answers

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

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 8.94 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little Kanawha River at Burnsville in late October?

The median for late October is 3.62 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.07 ft and 4.35 ft, based on 15 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 Little Kanawha River at Burnsville today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:50 AM EDT, the water level was 4.06 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Kanawha River at Burnsville rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.92 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Kanawha River at Burnsville normal?

High for late October. Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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

The highest level on record is 16.32 ft on June 2, 1974. The lowest is 2.40 ft on May 24, 1977.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:03151600 (Agency page)
Coordinates
38.86510, -80.67621 (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 4.06 ft 2026-10-21 09:50 Provisional
Flow 195 cfs 2026-10-21 09:50 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Kanawha River at Burnsville (usgs:03151600). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/little-kanawha-river-at-burnsville

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