Rivers in Virginia
Blackwater River (VA) above Franklin
Below flood stage
0.81ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 10:45 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 10.80 ft
- Forecast crest
- 1.10 ftMon, Sep 28, 8:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 25.11 ft1999
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 18.80 ft |
| Moderate flood | 14.80 ft |
| Minor flood | 10.80 ft |
| Action | 6.80 ft |
- 30.00 ftRiver stage sensor operating limit
- 25.11 ftFlood of record during Hurricane Floyd
- 20.80 ft2nd and Mechanic Streets flooded, Bowers Road residences flooded.
- 19.80 ftFlooded up to the corner of Main and 2nd Streets.
- 18.84 ftMajor flooding begins.
- 15.43 ftStage of the 25-year flood.
- 14.80 ftModerate flooding, access road to water treatment plant begins to floods.
- 12.30 ftA portion of State Route 611, Joyners Bridge Road, in Isle of Wight County is flooded.
- 11.80 ftA portion of State Route 611 in Southampton County, Joyners Bridge Road, is innundated. A portion of State Route 619, in Isle of Wight County, is flooded.
- 10.80 ftA portion of Barretts Landing River Walk is innundated in Downtown Franklin area.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 11% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 15, 2026.
Crest history
109 crests on NOAA’s list since 1940.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 18, 1999 | 25.11 ft |
| 2 | October 10, 2006 | 21.61 ft |
| 3 | August 19, 1940 | 20.84 ft |
| 4 | March 10, 1944 | 16.11 ft |
| 5 | September 14, 1960 | 15.98 ft |
| 6 | September 21, 2003 | 15.63 ft |
| 7 | October 10, 2016 | 15.51 ft |
| 8 | February 9, 1943 | 14.49 ft |
| 9 | September 20, 2020 | 14.49 ft |
| 10 | September 4, 2006 | 14.45 ft |
| 11 | February 7, 1998 | 14.11 ft |
| 12 | June 6, 1963 | 13.81 ft |
| 13 | August 31, 2011 | 13.57 ft |
| 14 | November 14, 2020 | 13.49 ft |
| 15 | April 13, 2003 | 13.26 ft |
| 16 | September 12, 2011 | 13.15 ft |
| 17 | June 12, 2013 | 13.07 ft |
| 18 | March 22, 1975 | 13.05 ft |
| 19 | August 19, 2020 | 12.78 ft |
| 20 | March 5, 1994 | 12.67 ft |
| 21 | September 8, 2000 | 12.64 ft |
| 22 | April 9, 1989 | 12.52 ft |
| 23 | January 24, 1987 | 12.51 ft |
| 24 | August 17, 2004 | 12.47 ft |
| 25 | February 20, 2021 | 12.46 ft |
Most recent crests
- March 21, 2025: 10.78 ft
- March 10, 2024: 11.12 ft
- December 21, 2023: 8.52 ft
- February 20, 2021: 12.46 ft
- November 14, 2020: 13.49 ft
- September 20, 2020: 14.49 ft
- September 11, 2020: 11.04 ft
- August 19, 2020: 12.78 ft
- February 14, 2020: 11.10 ft
- April 22, 2019: 7.40 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Southeast 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 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Stage may be affected by ice.
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.