Rivers in Virginia
James River (VA) at Holcomb Rock
Below flood stage
4.12ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 12:45 PM EDT
- Flood stage
- 22.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 4.30 ftFri, Sep 25, 2:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 42.15 ft1985
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 28.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 24.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 22.00 ft |
| Action | 18.00 ft |
- 32.00 ftWater floods railroad tracks along right bank.
- 28.00 ftWater reaches mail floor of powerhouse.
- 23.00 ftPower equipment yard and access flooded at holcomb rock dam.
- 22.00 ftTwo feet of water in powerhouse lower floor.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
82 crests on NOAA’s list since 1913.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 5, 1985 | 42.15 ft |
| 2 | August 20, 1969 | 35.50 ft |
| 3 | June 22, 1972 | 32.38 ft |
| 4 | March 28, 1913 | 31.30 ft |
| 5 | January 20, 1996 | 30.99 ft |
| 6 | March 18, 1936 | 30.78 ft |
| 7 | April 22, 1992 | 29.48 ft |
| 8 | April 17, 1987 | 28.36 ft |
| 9 | February 23, 2003 | 26.90 ft |
| 10 | June 28, 1995 | 26.87 ft |
| 11 | January 23, 1935 | 26.61 ft |
| 12 | January 26, 1978 | 25.59 ft |
| 13 | January 16, 1995 | 24.76 ft |
| 14 | March 13, 1963 | 24.75 ft |
| 15 | December 29, 1973 | 24.69 ft |
| 16 | May 22, 1942 | 24.62 ft |
| 17 | February 26, 1979 | 24.56 ft |
| 18 | September 29, 2004 | 24.50 ft |
| 19 | August 16, 1940 | 24.25 ft |
| 20 | September 8, 1987 | 24.20 ft |
| 21 | January 9, 1998 | 24.11 ft |
| 22 | September 10, 1950 | 24.00 ft |
| 23 | January 26, 2010 | 23.78 ft |
| 24 | June 13, 1982 | 23.67 ft |
| 25 | February 17, 2025 | 23.63 ft |
Most recent crests
- February 17, 2025: 23.63 ft
- September 28, 2024: 16.56 ft
- January 10, 2024: 17.02 ft
- April 14, 2020: 18.91 ft
- February 24, 2019: 20.27 ft
- April 17, 2018: 20.84 ft
- May 25, 2017: 20.11 ft
- May 5, 2017: 18.17 ft
- June 24, 2016: 19.36 ft
- March 6, 2015: 18.21 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Middle Atlantic 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 72 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.