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James River at Lick Run water level

River gauge, James River, Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.68ft Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
863 cfs
0 10 20 30 Highest onrecord 33.00 ft Minor floodstage 16.00 ft

History

2.02.5ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 202.02.5ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.00 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 11:17 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at James River at Lick Run reads 2.68 ft, a normal level.

It is 13.32 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.36 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.00 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.51 ft and 3.04 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record
33.00 ftNovember 24, 1877
Forecast peak
2.50 ftSunday, October 18 at 02:00 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 16.00 ft, still 13.32 ft away.

What happens at each level

28.00 ft
CSX Railroad tracks and parts of Simmons Lane on right bank are flooded. Parts of Glen Wilton Road flooded on left bank.
16.00 ft
Minor flooding occurs in low-lying areas in Eagle Rock.
10.00 ft
Minor lowland flooding begins on right bank just downstream from the gage.
2.68 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: 11 %.

RankLevelDate
133.00 ftNovember 24, 1877
230.40 ftMarch 12, 1913
330.22 ftNovember 5, 1985
427.01 ftJune 21, 1972
525.65 ftMarch 18, 1936
625.53 ftAugust 20, 1969
725.03 ftJanuary 19, 1996
824.77 ftDecember 27, 1973
922.98 ftJanuary 23, 1935
1022.84 ftJune 24, 2016

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:39 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 47%

Map

Other gauges on the James River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
James River at BuchananRiver gauge, James River 1,250 cfs High +200 cfs 18 mi
James River at Bedford Dam near MajorRiver gauge, James River 6.05 ft No reference yet +0.07 ft 26 mi
James River at Blue Ridge Pkwy near Big IslandRiver gauge, James River 1,630 cfs Normal +300 cfs 27 mi
James River at Holcomb RockRiver gauge, James River 4.81 ft Below flood stage +0.16 ft 34 mi
James River at Bent CreekRiver gauge, James River 3.15 ft Below flood stage +0.06 ft 55 mi
James River at ScottsvilleRiver gauge, James River 3.58 ft Below flood stage −0.59 ft 71 mi
James River at CartersvilleRiver gauge, James River 2.20 ft Below flood stage −0.21 ft 93 mi
James River near RichmondRiver gauge, James River 4.17 ft Below flood stage −0.31 ft 123 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cowpasture River near Clifton ForgeRiver gauge, Cowpasture River 2.37 ft Below flood stage −0.44 ft 1.8 mi
Craig Creek at ParrRiver gauge, Craig Creek 3.87 ft Below flood stage −0.15 ft 10 mi
Jackson River below Dunlap Creek at CovingtonRiver gauge, Jackson River 4.89 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 12 mi
Potts Creek near CovingtonRiver gauge, Potts Creek 2.33 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 14 mi
Dunlap Creek near CovingtonRiver gauge, Dunlap Creek 1.69 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 14 mi
Jackson River below Gathright Dam near Hot SpringsRiver gauge, Jackson River 200 cfs Normal −7.0 cfs 15 mi
Kerrs Creek near LexingtonRiver gauge, Kerrs Creek 2.65 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 19 mi
Jackson River near BacovaRiver gauge, Jackson River 3.70 ft Below flood stage −0.18 ft 19 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the James River at Lick Run?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 13.32 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 Lick Run today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:00 AM EDT, the water level was 2.68 ft. Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is James River at Lick Run rising or falling?

Down 0.36 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of James River at Lick Run 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 Lick Run?

The highest level on record is 33.00 ft on November 24, 1877.

Is James River at Lick Run expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.00 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:02016500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
37.77374, -79.78449 (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 2.68 ft 2026-10-18 06:00 Provisional
Flow 863 cfs 2026-10-18 06:00 Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: James River at Lick Run (usgs:02016500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/james-river-at-lick-run

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