Cumberland River at Williamsburg water level
River gauge, Cumberland River, Kentucky, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 293 cfs
History
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 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35.03 ft | April 7, 1977 |
| 2 | 35.02 ft | February 8, 2020 |
| 3 | 34.54 ft | March 15, 1975 |
| 4 | 33.78 ft | January 31, 1957 |
| 5 | 31.96 ft | February 13, 1994 |
| 6 | 31.19 ft | February 18, 2025 |
| 7 | 31.13 ft | November 30, 1973 |
| 8 | 31.10 ft | May 9, 1984 |
| 9 | 30.71 ft | March 30, 2021 |
| 10 | 30.70 ft | April 21, 1998 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
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
| Parameter | Last value | Time (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.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer