Rivers in Virginia
Clinch River at Cleveland
Below flood stage
4.02ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 3:45 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 14.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 2.60 ftThu, Sep 24, 8:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 26.40 ft1977
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 24.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 19.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 14.00 ft |
| Action | 12.00 ft |
- 26.40 ftWater floods the lower ramp of Route 82 bridge, and affects 50 to 75 houses and 400 acres.
- 24.00 ftThe old elementary school location begins to flood, and the river reaches the bottom of the Highway 82 bridge in Cleveland. About 30 to 40 houses are flooded with around 250 acres inundated.
- 21.00 ftThe water treatment plant and several houses are flooded, along with about 100 acres in the area around Cleveland.
- 19.00 ftWater affects a few houses both on Main Street and adjacent to the ballpark entrance, and approximately 35 acres about two miles up and downstream from the Highway 82 bridge.
- 18.00 ftWater begins to affect a few houses immediately along the river downstream from the ballpark, flooding approximately 25 acres. The ballpark is mostly inundated.
- 16.00 ftApproximately 10 acres are flooded, including at the ballpark.
- 14.00 ftFlooding affects the pumping station for the water treatment plant.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 6% |
| Moderate flooding | 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 16, 2026.
Crest history
40 crests on NOAA’s list since 1923.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 5, 1977 | 26.40 ft |
| 2 | January 30, 1957 | 24.40 ft |
| 3 | March 12, 1963 | 22.70 ft |
| 4 | March 18, 2002 | 21.81 ft |
| 5 | January 26, 1978 | 20.87 ft |
| 6 | August 14, 1940 | 20.60 ft |
| 7 | February 16, 2025 | 20.48 ft |
| 8 | February 6, 2020 | 20.43 ft |
| 9 | December 22, 1926 | 20.10 ft |
| 10 | March 17, 1973 | 19.94 ft |
| 11 | May 7, 1984 | 19.46 ft |
| 12 | March 30, 1975 | 18.88 ft |
| 13 | May 7, 1971 | 18.82 ft |
| 14 | March 5, 2015 | 18.66 ft |
| 15 | December 31, 1969 | 18.63 ft |
| 16 | February 11, 1994 | 18.54 ft |
| 17 | February 18, 1944 | 17.95 ft |
| 18 | November 20, 2003 | 17.85 ft |
| 19 | January 21, 1979 | 17.85 ft |
| 20 | March 14, 1975 | 17.60 ft |
| 21 | April 24, 2017 | 17.48 ft |
| 22 | July 30, 2001 | 17.28 ft |
| 23 | June 13, 1923 | 17.20 ft |
| 24 | December 11, 1972 | 17.00 ft |
| 25 | February 11, 2018 | 16.96 ft |
Most recent crests
- February 16, 2025: 20.48 ft
- February 1, 2025: 14.90 ft
- February 17, 2023: 16.08 ft
- March 1, 2021: 14.85 ft
- April 13, 2020: 16.76 ft
- February 6, 2020: 20.43 ft
- February 24, 2019: 16.43 ft
- February 11, 2018: 16.96 ft
- April 24, 2017: 17.48 ft
- March 5, 2015: 18.66 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.