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SwedenJames River at Holcomb Rock water level
River gauge, James River, Virginia, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 1,450 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.50 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 11:17 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The gauge at James River at Holcomb Rock reads 4.87 ft, a normal level.
It is 17.13 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft.
The water is rising: up 0.23 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.50 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 PM. There is still 17.13 ft of room before flood stage. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.60 ft and 5.15 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 42.15 ftNovember 5, 1985
- Forecast peak
- 4.90 ftSunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 22.00 ft, still 17.13 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 32.00 ft
- Water floods railroad tracks along right bank.
- 28.00 ft
- Water reaches mail floor of powerhouse.
- 23.00 ft
- Power equipment yard and access flooded at holcomb rock dam.
- 22.00 ft
- Two feet of water in powerhouse lower floor.
- 4.87 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: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42.15 ft | November 5, 1985 |
| 2 | 35.50 ft | August 20, 1969 |
| 3 | 32.38 ft | June 22, 1972 |
| 4 | 30.99 ft | January 20, 1996 |
| 5 | 30.78 ft | March 18, 1936 |
| 6 | 29.48 ft | April 22, 1992 |
| 7 | 28.36 ft | April 17, 1987 |
| 8 | 26.90 ft | February 23, 2003 |
| 9 | 26.87 ft | June 28, 1995 |
| 10 | 26.61 ft | January 23, 1935 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the James River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James River at Lick RunRiver gauge, James River | 2.58 ft | Below flood stage | −0.33 ft | 34 mi |
| James River at BuchananRiver gauge, James River | 1,150 cfs | High | −190.0 cfs | 23 mi |
| James River at Bedford Dam near MajorRiver gauge, James River | 6.02 ft | No reference yet | +0.04 ft | 8 mi |
| James River at Blue Ridge Pkwy near Big IslandRiver gauge, James River | 1,550 cfs | Normal | +200 cfs | 7 mi |
| James River at Bent CreekRiver gauge, James River | 3.16 ft | Below flood stage | +0.05 ft | 24 mi |
| James River at ScottsvilleRiver gauge, James River | 3.58 ft | Below flood stage | −0.56 ft | 47 mi |
| James River at CartersvilleRiver gauge, James River | 1.92 ft | Below flood stage | −0.17 ft | 65 mi |
| James River near RichmondRiver gauge, James River | 4.10 ft | Below flood stage | −0.30 ft | 94 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Creek below Route 130 near MonroeRiver gauge, Harris Creek | 3.2 cfs | Very low | +0.8 cfs | 5.4 mi |
| Pedlar River at Forest Road near Buena VistaRiver gauge, Pedlar River | 6.1 cfs | Low | −0.4 cfs | 14 mi |
| Piney River at Piney RiverRiver gauge, Piney River | 2.33 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 19 mi |
| Maury River near Buena VistaRiver gauge, Maury River | 1.72 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 19 mi |
| Big Otter River near EvingtonRiver gauge, Big Otter River | 2.04 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 20 mi |
| Tye River near LovingstonRiver gauge, Tye River | 2.72 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 21 mi |
| Kerrs Creek near LexingtonRiver gauge, Kerrs Creek | 2.63 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 24 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the James River at Holcomb Rock?
The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 17.13 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 James River at Holcomb Rock today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 09:45 AM EDT, the water level was 4.87 ft. Up 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is James River at Holcomb Rock rising or falling?
Up 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of James River at Holcomb Rock normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at James River at Holcomb Rock?
The highest level on record is 42.15 ft on November 5, 1985.
Is James River at Holcomb Rock expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.50 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 PM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:02025500(Agency page)- Coordinates
37.50125, -79.26253(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 | 4.87 ft | 2026-10-18 13:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 1,450 cfs | 2026-10-18 13:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: James River at Holcomb Rock (usgs:02025500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/james-river-at-holcomb-rock
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