Smith River at Martinsville water level

Name: Smith River at Martinsville 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, Smith River, Virginia, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.85ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 AM EDT (44 min ago)

Flow: 185 cfs
Water temperature: 53 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Smith River at Martinsville reads 1.85 ft, a normal level.

It is 9.15 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.83 ft and 1.91 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 53 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 20.08 ftSeptember 8, 1987

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 11.00 ft, still 9.15 ft away.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: Homes and apartments on the left bank are definitely affected by flood waters.
14.00 ft: Water begins to threaten some homes along the left bank across from the gage and water is into backyards in this area.
11.00 ft: Minor flooding of left and right banks occurs near the gage site.
1.85 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.08 ft	September 8, 1987
2	16.75 ft	September 6, 1996
3	16.59 ft	September 22, 1979
4	15.43 ft	August 18, 1985
5	15.19 ft	January 25, 2010
6	14.95 ft	June 21, 1972
7	12.87 ft	May 25, 2020
8	12.79 ft	October 12, 2018
9	10.98 ft	July 6, 1989
10	10.96 ft	January 10, 2024

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 61° 46° 0.17 in, 83% Wind 13 mph

18 Sun 57° 40° – Wind 10 mph

19 Mon 67° 39° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 74° 45° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 70° 46° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 72° 44° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 70° 46° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:39 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 56%

Map

Other gauges on the Smith River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smith River at Smith River Church near WoolwineRiver gauge, Smith River	2.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	22 mi
Smith River near PhilpottRiver gauge, Smith River	139 cfs	Normal	±0	11 mi
Smith River at BassettRiver gauge, Smith River	153 cfs	Normal	−4.0 cfs	10 mi
Smith River at EdenRiver gauge, Smith River	2.01 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	11 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Mayo River near SpencerRiver gauge, North Mayo River	1.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	9 mi
Mayo River near PriceRiver gauge, Mayo River	1.11 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	11 mi
Philpott Reservoir at Philpott Dam near PhilpottReservoir, Philpott Reservoir	970.60 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	12 mi
South Mayo River near NettleridgeRiver gauge, South Mayo River	3.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Dan River near WentworthRiver gauge, Dan River	1.36 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	18 mi
Sandy River near DanvilleRiver gauge, Sandy River	1.02 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	21 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Smith River at Martinsville?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 9.15 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 Smith River at Martinsville today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 AM EDT, the water level was 1.85 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Smith River at Martinsville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Smith River at Martinsville normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Smith River at Martinsville?

The highest level on record is 20.08 ft on September 8, 1987.

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:02073000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.66125, -79.88059 (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	1.85 ft	2026-10-19 04:45	Provisional
Flow	185 cfs	2026-10-19 04:45	Provisional
Water temperature	53 °F	2026-10-19 04:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Smith River at Martinsville (usgs:02073000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/virginia/smith-river-at-martinsville

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