South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan water level

Name: South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan 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, South Fork Hughes River, West Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.27ft Down 0.42 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:15 AM EDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 136 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan is at 5.27 ft, in the normal range.

It is 16.73 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.42 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.27 ft and 7.49 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: 26.73 ftNovember 23, 2011
Lowest on record: 3.04 ftOctober 15, 2019

Floating and fishing near South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 22.00 ft, 16.73 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

32.00 ft: The Macfarlan Post Office and adjacent mobile home begin to flood.
31.50 ft: In Macfarlan, several abandoned buildings on Staunton Turnpike Road at the intersection with County Road 30 begin to flood.
31.00 ft: A couple of homes just below the mouth of Laurel run on Laurel Run Road begin to flood.
30.00 ft: In Macfarlan, low section of Staunton Turnpike Road floods.
28.00 ft: Homes in the 300-400 block of Laurel Run Road begin to flood.
22.00 ft: Additional low sections of Oxbow Road below the gage flood.
20.00 ft: Agricultural field next to the river and just below the Staunton Turnpike bridge floods.
16.00 ft: Low spot on Oxbow Road below the gage floods.
5.27 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	26.73 ft	November 23, 2011
2	25.27 ft	March 5, 2015
3	25.19 ft	April 12, 2024
4	25.00 ft	February 4, 2022
5	23.58 ft	February 16, 2018
6	23.50 ft	July 22, 2026
7	23.43 ft	December 17, 2019
8	23.04 ft	March 2, 2017
9	22.77 ft	May 3, 2010
10	22.69 ft	March 11, 2015

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:42 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 59%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Kanawha River at PalestineRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	15.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.95 ft	10 mi
Little Kanawha River at GrantsvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	9.75 ft	High	−0.78 ft	13 mi
West Fork Little Kanawha River at RocksdaleRiver gauge, West Fork Little Kanawha River	6.44 ft	Normal	−0.19 ft	16 mi
Little Tygart Creek at Mineral WellsRiver gauge, Little Tygart Creek	1.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	19 mi
Little Kanawha River at GlenvilleRiver gauge, Little Kanawha River	4.99 ft	High	−0.27 ft	22 mi
Ohio River at ParkersburgRiver gauge, Ohio River	21.52 ft	Normal	−0.29 ft	23 mi
Ohio River at MariettaRiver gauge, Ohio River	16.54 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	26 mi
Sand Fork near GlenvilleRiver gauge, Sand Fork	47.6 cfs	Very high	−18.5 cfs	28 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 16.73 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 South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:15 AM EDT, the water level was 5.27 ft. Down 0.42 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan rising or falling?

Down 0.42 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan?

The highest level on record is 26.73 ft on November 23, 2011. The lowest is 3.04 ft on October 15, 2019.

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:03155220 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.07897, -81.21234 (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	5.27 ft	2026-10-19 12:15	Provisional
Flow	136 cfs	2026-10-19 12:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Fork Hughes River below Macfarlan (usgs:03155220). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/south-fork-hughes-river-below-macfarlan

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