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Cumberland River at Williamsburg water level

River gauge, Cumberland River, Kentucky, United States

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Right now

Below flood stage

Water level

2.98ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
293 cfs
0 10 20 30 Highest onrecord 35.03 ft Minor floodstage 21.00 ft

History

History
2.93.03.1ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 19Oct 21Oct 232.93.03.1ftOct 16Oct 19Oct 23
Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 09:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Cumberland River at Williamsburg is at 2.98 ft, in the normal range.

It is 18.02 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.98 ft and 3.19 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record
35.03 ftApril 7, 1977
Forecast peak
3.00 ftMonday, October 19 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Cumberland River at Williamsburg

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

Flood stage here is 21.00 ft, 18.02 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

39.40 ft
The levee and floodwall will begin to overtop.
37.00 ft
Floodwall is threatened. Full evacuation of the Williamsburg downtown area is necessary.
36.00 ft
Overtopping or failure of levee and floodwall is possible.
35.03 ft
Flooding will exceed the highest flood on record.
31.00 ft
Flooding threatens many homes and businesses. Roads begin to flood, severing evacuation routes. Major flooding threatens downtown area.
25.00 ft
Low lying areas along George Hayes Road flood.
21.00 ft
Flooding threatens low lying roads and structures.
2.98 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: 39 %.

RankLevelDate
135.03 ftApril 7, 1977
235.02 ftFebruary 8, 2020
334.54 ftMarch 15, 1975
433.78 ftJanuary 31, 1957
531.96 ftFebruary 13, 1994
631.19 ftFebruary 18, 2025
731.13 ftNovember 30, 1973
831.10 ftMay 9, 1984
930.71 ftMarch 30, 2021
1030.70 ftApril 21, 1998

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:56 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 57%

Map

Other gauges on the Cumberland River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cumberland River near HarlanRiver gauge, Cumberland River 178 cfs Normal +4.0 cfs 45 mi
Cumberland River at Pine St Branch at PinevilleRiver gauge, Cumberland River 242 cfs Normal +5.0 cfs 26 mi
Cumberland River at BarbourvilleRiver gauge, Cumberland River 1.55 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 17 mi
Cumberland River at Cumberland FallsRiver gauge, Cumberland River 292 cfs Normal −27.0 cfs 12 mi
Cumberland River at Long Bottom near RowenaRiver gauge, Cumberland River 2.50 ft No reference yet +0.63 ft 55 mi
Cumberland River at BurkesvilleRiver gauge, Cumberland River 25.78 ft Below flood stage −1.17 ft 67 mi
Cumberland River at CelinaRiver gauge, Cumberland River 13.60 ft Below flood stage −0.11 ft 76 mi
Cumberland River below Cordell Hull DamRiver gauge, Cumberland River 447.03 ft No reference yet +0.34 ft 104 mi
Cumberland River at EdenwoldRiver gauge, Cumberland River 15.78 ft Very low −0.37 ft 144 mi
Cumberland River at Stones River near HermitageRiver gauge, Cumberland River 18.35 ft Very low +0.09 ft 145 mi
Cumberland River at Omohundro Wtr Plant at NashvilleRiver gauge, Cumberland River 19.53 ft Normal −0.10 ft 148 mi
Cumberland River at NashvilleRiver gauge, Cumberland River 17.14 ft Below flood stage −0.22 ft 151 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Clear Fork at SaxtonRiver gauge, Clear Fork 35.0 cfs Normal −1.2 cfs 8 mi
Lynn Camp Creek at CorbinRiver gauge, Lynn Camp Creek 4.8 cfs Normal −1.1 cfs 15 mi
South Fork Cumberland River near StearnsRiver gauge, South Fork Cumberland River 70.2 cfs Low −9.4 cfs 22 mi
Rockcastle River at BillowsRiver gauge, Rockcastle River 64.5 cfs Normal −27.6 cfs 31 mi
Powell River near ArthurRiver gauge, Powell River 2.20 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 32 mi
New River at New RiverRiver gauge, New River 22.9 cfs Normal −3.8 cfs 33 mi
South Fork Cumberland River at Leatherwood FordRiver gauge, South Fork Cumberland River 69.0 cfs Normal −14.2 cfs 34 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Cumberland River at Williamsburg?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 18.02 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 Cumberland River at Williamsburg today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 02:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.98 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Cumberland River at Williamsburg rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Cumberland River at Williamsburg normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cumberland River at Williamsburg?

The highest level on record is 35.03 ft on April 7, 1977.

Is Cumberland River at Williamsburg expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:03404000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
36.74342, -84.15604 (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 2.98 ft 2026-10-19 06:00 Provisional
Flow 293 cfs 2026-10-19 06:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cumberland River at Williamsburg (usgs:03404000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kentucky/cumberland-river-at-williamsburg

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.