Rivers in Virginia
James River (VA) at Bent Creek
Below flood stage
2.66ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 6:45 PM EDT
- Flood stage
- 16.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 3.20 ftThu, Sep 24, 2:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 30.76 ft1985
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 22.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 18.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 16.00 ft |
| Action | 15.00 ft |
- 22.00 ftSome secondary roads are closed and some farm outbuildings affected.
- 18.00 ftFlooding of farmlands and field roads in the area.
- 16.00 ftBoth banks begin to overflow, only pasture and cropland affected.
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
69 crests on NOAA’s list since 1926.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 5, 1985 | 30.76 ft |
| 2 | June 21, 1972 | 27.13 ft |
| 3 | August 20, 1969 | 24.77 ft |
| 4 | March 18, 1936 | 23.02 ft |
| 5 | January 20, 1996 | 22.10 ft |
| 6 | April 17, 1987 | 21.73 ft |
| 7 | April 22, 1992 | 21.02 ft |
| 8 | September 8, 1987 | 20.25 ft |
| 9 | January 24, 1935 | 20.22 ft |
| 10 | August 16, 1940 | 19.63 ft |
| 11 | September 7, 1996 | 19.31 ft |
| 12 | August 17, 1928 | 18.80 ft |
| 13 | December 4, 1948 | 18.68 ft |
| 14 | March 13, 1963 | 18.47 ft |
| 15 | January 27, 1978 | 18.38 ft |
| 16 | February 26, 1979 | 18.37 ft |
| 17 | March 19, 1975 | 18.34 ft |
| 18 | May 23, 1942 | 18.34 ft |
| 19 | December 28, 1974 | 18.00 ft |
| 20 | September 19, 1944 | 18.00 ft |
| 21 | February 24, 2003 | 17.97 ft |
| 22 | September 10, 1950 | 17.80 ft |
| 23 | January 16, 1995 | 17.60 ft |
| 24 | June 28, 1995 | 17.53 ft |
| 25 | March 7, 1955 | 17.28 ft |
Most recent crests
- February 17, 2025: 17.19 ft
- January 29, 2024: 11.33 ft
- July 16, 2023: 13.13 ft
- November 13, 2020: 12.63 ft
- October 30, 2020: 11.48 ft
- February 24, 2019: 14.37 ft
- April 17, 2018: 14.46 ft
- May 23, 2017: 14.02 ft
- June 25, 2016: 13.18 ft
- March 6, 2015: 12.47 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.