Dan River at Paces water level
River gauge, Dan River, Virginia, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 780 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.60 ft by Monday, October 19 at 02:00 AM. Issued Friday, October 16 at 08:48 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Dan River at Paces is at 2.67 ft, in the normal range.
It is 19.33 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft.
The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.60 ft by Monday, October 19 at 02:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.67 ft and 2.78 ft.
Compared with the flood stage set by the forecasting service. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 33.15 ftJune 23, 1972
- Forecast peak
- 3.60 ftMonday, October 19 at 02:00 AM
Floating and fishing near Dan River at Paces
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 22.00 ft, 19.33 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 30.00 ft
- Water begins to overtop the Highway 658 bridge across the Dan River.
- 29.00 ft
- Water reaches the underside of the Route 658 bridge over the Dan River.
- 24.00 ft
- Low spots along routes 658 and 671 begin to flood.
- 20.00 ft
- Low-lying pasture/agricultural lands are flooded.
- 2.67 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: 10 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33.15 ft | June 23, 1972 |
| 2 | 32.20 ft | August 16, 1940 |
| 3 | 31.43 ft | September 7, 1996 |
| 4 | 31.36 ft | October 13, 2018 |
| 5 | 30.91 ft | April 17, 1987 |
| 6 | 29.75 ft | February 9, 2020 |
| 7 | 29.34 ft | September 24, 1979 |
| 8 | 29.14 ft | April 26, 2017 |
| 9 | 29.13 ft | May 23, 2020 |
| 10 | 29.08 ft | April 28, 1978 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Dan River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan River near FranciscoRiver gauge, Dan River | 1.57 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 68 mi |
| Dan River at Pine HallRiver gauge, Dan River | 1.89 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 58 mi |
| Dan River near WentworthRiver gauge, Dan River | 1.51 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 44 mi |
| Dan River at Stp near DanvilleRiver gauge, Dan River | 4.49 ft | Below flood stage | 16 mi | |
| Dan River at South BostonRiver gauge, Dan River | 5.94 ft | Low | 11 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyco Lake at Dam near RoxboroReservoir, Hyco Lake | 407.72 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 9 mi |
| Hyco River below Abay D near McGehees MillRiver gauge, Hyco River | 3.90 ft | Normal | 0.00 ft | 10 mi |
| Afterbay Reservoir at Dam near McGehees MillReservoir, Afterbay Reservoir | 364.26 ft | Very low | −0.04 ft | 10 mi |
| Banister River at HalifaxRiver gauge, Banister River | 47.2 cfs | Very low | 13 mi | |
| Mayo Creek near Bethel HillRiver gauge, Mayo Creek | 1.97 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 14 mi |
| Hyco Creek near LeasburgRiver gauge, Hyco Creek | 22.77 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 18 mi |
| Sandy River near DanvilleRiver gauge, Sandy River | 1.01 ft | Below flood stage | 23 mi | |
| Roanoke (Staunton) River at RandolphRiver gauge, Roanoke (Staunton) River | 4.86 ft | Below flood stage | 27 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Dan River at Paces?
The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The river is currently 19.33 ft below it.
What is the record level at Dan River at Paces?
The highest reading on record is 33.15 ft (June 23, 1972).
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.
How often is Dan River at Paces updated?
Several times an hour. New readings from U.S. Geological Survey appear here as they arrive. Latest: Oct 16, 2026, 07:45 PM EDT.
What is the water level of Dan River at Paces today?
On Oct 16, 2026, 07:45 PM EDT, the water level was 2.67 ft. Normal.
Is the level of Dan River at Paces normal?
Below flood stage. Compared with the flood stage set by the forecasting service.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Dan River at Paces?
The highest level on record is 33.15 ft on June 23, 1972.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:02075500(Agency page)- Coordinates
36.64236, -79.08946(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 stage | 2.67 ft | 2026-10-16 23:45 | Provisional |
Flow discharge | 780 cfs | 2026-10-16 23:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Dan River at Paces (usgs:02075500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/dan-river-at-paces
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