Bluestone River at Falls Mills water level

Name: Bluestone River at Falls Mills 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, Bluestone River, Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.97ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 08:45 AM EDT (55 min ago)

Flow: 37.4 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Bluestone River at Falls Mills, where the gauge shows 1.97 ft.

It is 5.03 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.90 ft – 2.13 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: 10.96 ftMay 29, 2023

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 7.00 ft.

What happens at each level

9.00 ft: Adams Drive floods and becomes impassible near the railroad underpass. Backwater flooding of Brush Fork will begin to flood properties along Angel Lane, Tabor Avenue and Walton Street.
8.50 ft: Portions of Falls Mills Road near Big Branch Road begins to flood, making Falls Mills Road impassible.
1.97 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.96 ft	May 29, 2023
2	10.40 ft	September 28, 2024
3	9.96 ft	February 16, 2025
4	8.66 ft	January 27, 1996
5	8.54 ft	March 13, 2010
6	8.37 ft	May 7, 1984
7	8.21 ft	April 25, 1987
8	7.93 ft	February 6, 2020
9	7.80 ft	January 15, 1995
10	7.79 ft	March 24, 1993

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:36 AM Sunset 06:46 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Bluestone River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bluestone River near SpanishburgRiver gauge, Bluestone River	2.83 ft	Below flood stage	+0.07 ft	15 mi
Bluestone River near PipestemRiver gauge, Bluestone River	3.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.27 ft	25 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Brush Creek near PrincetonRiver gauge, Brush Creek	0.97 ft	Below flood stage	−0.23 ft	10 mi
Camp Creek at Highway 19 near Camp CreekRiver gauge, Camp Creek	2.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.25 ft	19 mi
Tug Fork Downstream of Elkhorn Creek at WelchRiver gauge, Tug Fork Downstream of Elkhorn Creek	3.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	20 mi
East River at WillowtonRiver gauge, East River	3.15 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	24 mi
Guyandotte River at PinevilleRiver gauge, Guyandotte River	1.24 ft	Below flood stage	−0.38 ft	25 mi
Wolf Creek near NarrowsRiver gauge, Wolf Creek	3.12 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	25 mi
New River at Glen LynRiver gauge, New River	3.74 ft	Below flood stage	−0.29 ft	25 mi
Dry Fork at BeartownRiver gauge, Dry Fork	3.04 ft	Below flood stage	+0.08 ft	29 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Bluestone River at Falls Mills?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 5.03 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 Bluestone River at Falls Mills today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 08:45 AM EDT, the water level was 1.97 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Bluestone River at Falls Mills rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Bluestone River at Falls Mills normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bluestone River at Falls Mills?

The highest level on record is 10.96 ft on May 29, 2023.

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:03177710 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.27151, -81.30482 (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	1.97 ft	2026-10-18 12:45	Provisional
Flow	37.4 cfs	2026-10-18 12:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bluestone River at Falls Mills (usgs:03177710). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/bluestone-river-at-falls-mills

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