Shavers Fork below Bowden water level

Name: Shavers Fork below Bowden 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, Shavers Fork, West Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.90ft Up 0.25 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 02:30 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 955 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Shavers Fork below Bowden, where the gauge shows 5.90 ft.

It is 7.10 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

It is on the way up, by 0.25 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 7.10 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 5.62 ft – 5.90 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 13.37 ftApril 16, 2018
Lowest on record: 2.55 ftOctober 1, 1998

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.

What happens at each level

21.50 ft: The Cheat River Resturant near the Old Route 33 highway bridge starts to get water on the lower floors. Most areas from Bowden to downstream of the Old Route 33 Bridges are flooded.
17.60 ft: Several areas from Bowden to downstream of the Old Route 33 Bridge are flooded. The Old Route 33 and Route 5/12 bridges have water over them.
15.00 ft: A campground as well as homes downstream from the old Route 33 highway bridges are flooded. Several areas along the river are flooded.
13.80 ft: Campgrounds and homes are flooded. Water is over the Old Route 33, upstream from the highway bridge. Also a local convenience store starts to get water in it upstream from bridge.
13.00 ft: Camps in and around Bowden start to flood. Water is at the bottom of the Old Route 33 Bridge as well as the Route 5/12 Bridge.
5.90 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.37 ft	April 16, 2018
2	13.22 ft	August 29, 2013
3	13.03 ft	January 25, 2010
4	12.75 ft	September 30, 2016
5	12.37 ft	March 5, 2008
6	12.37 ft	November 19, 2003
7	12.16 ft	June 19, 1998
8	11.50 ft	March 23, 1991
9	11.50 ft	August 23, 1989
10	11.47 ft	December 26, 1973

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:39 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 43%

Map

Other gauges on Shavers Fork

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Shavers Fork near Cheat BridgeRiver gauge, Shavers Fork	5.99 ft	Below flood stage	+0.31 ft	21 mi
Shavers Fork at BemisRiver gauge, Shavers Fork	4.84 ft	Below flood stage	+0.24 ft	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tygart Valley River near ElkinsRiver gauge, Tygart Valley River	5.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.45 ft	5.9 mi
Tygart Valley River near DaileyRiver gauge, Tygart Valley River	3.32 ft	Below flood stage	+0.13 ft	9 mi
Tygart Valley River at BelingtonRiver gauge, Tygart Valley River	6.28 ft	Below flood stage	−1.19 ft	12 mi
Dry Fork at HendricksRiver gauge, Dry Fork	3.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.24 ft	14 mi
Dry Fork at GladwinRiver gauge, Dry Fork	6.02 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	15 mi
Cheat River near ParsonsRiver gauge, Cheat River	7.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.34 ft	15 mi
Middle Fork River at EllamoreRiver gauge, Middle Fork River	5.72 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	17 mi
Middle Fork River at AudraRiver gauge, Middle Fork River	4.73 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	18 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Shavers Fork below Bowden?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 7.10 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 Shavers Fork below Bowden today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 02:30 PM EDT, the water level was 5.90 ft. Up 0.25 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Shavers Fork below Bowden rising or falling?

Up 0.25 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Shavers Fork below Bowden normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Shavers Fork below Bowden?

The highest level on record is 13.37 ft on April 16, 2018. The lowest is 2.55 ft on October 1, 1998.

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:03068800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.91316, -79.77034 (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	5.90 ft	2026-10-17 18:30	Provisional
Flow	955 cfs	2026-10-17 18:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Shavers Fork below Bowden (usgs:03068800). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/shavers-fork-below-bowden

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