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SwedenRapidan River near Culpeper water level
River gauge, Rapidan River, Virginia, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 245 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 0.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 10:56 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Rapidan River near Culpeper, where the gauge shows 0.97 ft.
It is 12.03 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 0.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. The 30-day range is 0.97 ft – 1.22 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 30.40 ftJune 28, 1995
- Forecast peak
- 1.00 ftSunday, October 18 at 08:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 21.00 ft
- Significant flooding of lowlands near the river will occur, including significant portions of roads near the river. Travel will be severely affected. Water is likely approaching structures.
- 17.00 ft
- Water begins to approach outbuildings on both sides of the river downstream of the route 522 bridge.
- 14.00 ft
- River Road on the Orange County side of the Rapidan River is flooded in a few spots, and pastureland is flooded on both sides of the river. Other low lying roads near the river are also beginning to flood, and access to homes may become limited. No structures are affected at this level.
- 13.00 ft
- Farmland near the river between Rapidan and Raccoon Ford begins to flood.
- 4.00 ft
- The Friends of the Rappahannock recommend that levels greater than 4 feet at the Culpeper gage are unsafe for recreational use.
- 0.97 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: 22 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30.40 ft | June 28, 1995 |
| 2 | 30.30 ft | October 16, 1942 |
| 3 | 29.53 ft | June 22, 1972 |
| 4 | 28.03 ft | April 26, 1937 |
| 5 | 27.49 ft | September 7, 1996 |
| 6 | 26.23 ft | October 6, 1972 |
| 7 | 24.31 ft | August 18, 1955 |
| 8 | 23.56 ft | June 23, 2018 |
| 9 | 22.52 ft | November 5, 1985 |
| 10 | 19.53 ft | September 17, 1934 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Rapidan River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapidan River near RuckersvilleRiver gauge, Rapidan River | 2.01 ft | Below flood stage | −0.08 ft | 20 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson River near Locust DaleRiver gauge, Robinson River | 2.28 ft | Below flood stage | −0.07 ft | 7 mi |
| Rappahannock River at RemingtonRiver gauge, Rappahannock River | 3.50 ft | Below flood stage | −0.18 ft | 15 mi |
| Hazel River at RixeyvilleRiver gauge, Hazel River | 3.50 ft | Below flood stage | −0.15 ft | 17 mi |
| Battle Run near Laurel MillsRiver gauge, Battle Run | 1.52 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 22 mi |
| Po River near SpotsylvaniaRiver gauge, Po River | 38.4 cfs | High | +2.4 cfs | 24 mi |
| Rappahannock River near FredericksburgRiver gauge, Rappahannock River | 2.50 ft | Below flood stage | −0.19 ft | 24 mi |
| Cedar Run near CatlettRiver gauge, Cedar Run | 2.53 ft | Below flood stage | −0.20 ft | 27 mi |
| North F Rivanna River near EarlysvilleRiver gauge, North F Rivanna River | 35.4 cfs | Normal | −5.8 cfs | 28 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Rapidan River near Culpeper?
The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 12.03 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 Rapidan River near Culpeper today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 AM EDT, the water level was 0.97 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Rapidan River near Culpeper rising or falling?
Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Rapidan River near Culpeper normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Rapidan River near Culpeper?
The highest level on record is 30.40 ft on June 28, 1995.
Is Rapidan River near Culpeper expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 0.90 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:01667500(Agency page)- Coordinates
38.35041, -77.97500(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 | 0.97 ft | 2026-10-19 04:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 245 cfs | 2026-10-19 04:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Rapidan River near Culpeper (usgs:01667500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/rapidan-river-near-culpeper
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