Skip Navigation Link weather.gov  
NOAA logo - Click to go to the NOAA homepage National Weather Service NWS logo - Click to go to the NWS homepage
Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
Image background of Navigation bar Left Home News Organization
Bookmark and Share Navigation Bar End Cap

  

National Conditions
    Rivers
    Satellite
    Climate
    Observed Precip

Local Conditions
    Warnings
    Weather Forecast
    Radar

AHPS Documentation
    User Guide
    User Brochure

What is AHPS?
    Facts
    Our Partners

Feedback/Questions
    Provide Feedback
    Ask Questions

When flooded turn around don't drown
FloodSmart
USA.gov Official Web Portal
 
Hydrograph River at a Glance Download
James River (VA) at Richmond-Westham Stage (ft)Flow (kcfs)Highest Observation: 11.22 ft at 5:45AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.21 ft at 6:00AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.21 ft at 6:15AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.21 ft at 6:30AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.2 ft at 6:45AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.2 ft at 7:00AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.2 ft at 7:15AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.19 ft at 7:30AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.19 ft at 7:45AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.18 ft at 8:00AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.18 ft at 8:15AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.17 ft at 8:30AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.17 ft at 8:45AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.16 ft at 9:00AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.15 ft at 9:15AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.15 ft at 9:30AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.14 ft at 9:45AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.14 ft at 10:00AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.13 ft at 10:15AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.12 ft at 10:30AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.12 ft at 10:45AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.11 ft at 11:00AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.09 ft at 11:15AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.09 ft at 11:30AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.08 ft at 11:45AM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.06 ft at 12:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.05 ft at 12:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.04 ft at 12:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.03 ft at 12:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 11.02 ft at 1:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 11 ft at 1:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.99 ft at 1:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.98 ft at 1:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.97 ft at 2:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.95 ft at 2:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.93 ft at 2:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.92 ft at 2:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.91 ft at 3:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.89 ft at 3:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.88 ft at 3:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.86 ft at 3:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.84 ft at 4:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.83 ft at 4:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.81 ft at 4:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.79 ft at 4:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.78 ft at 5:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.76 ft at 5:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.74 ft at 5:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.72 ft at 5:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.7 ft at 6:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.68 ft at 6:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.66 ft at 6:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.64 ft at 6:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.62 ft at 7:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.6 ft at 7:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.58 ft at 7:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.57 ft at 7:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.54 ft at 8:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.52 ft at 8:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.5 ft at 8:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.48 ft at 8:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.46 ft at 9:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.44 ft at 9:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.42 ft at 9:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.4 ft at 9:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.38 ft at 10:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.35 ft at 10:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.34 ft at 10:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.31 ft at 10:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.29 ft at 11:00PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.27 ft at 11:15PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.25 ft at 11:30PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.22 ft at 11:45PM May 24, 2018Observed: 10.2 ft at 12:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.18 ft at 12:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.16 ft at 12:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.14 ft at 12:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.13 ft at 1:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.1 ft at 1:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.08 ft at 1:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.06 ft at 1:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.04 ft at 2:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10.02 ft at 2:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 10 ft at 2:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.98 ft at 2:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.96 ft at 3:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.94 ft at 3:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.92 ft at 3:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.91 ft at 3:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.89 ft at 4:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.87 ft at 4:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.85 ft at 4:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.83 ft at 4:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.82 ft at 5:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.8 ft at 5:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.78 ft at 5:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.76 ft at 5:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.75 ft at 6:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.73 ft at 6:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.71 ft at 6:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.69 ft at 6:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.67 ft at 7:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.66 ft at 7:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.64 ft at 7:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.62 ft at 7:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.61 ft at 8:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.59 ft at 8:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.58 ft at 8:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.55 ft at 8:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.53 ft at 9:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.52 ft at 9:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.5 ft at 9:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.48 ft at 9:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.46 ft at 10:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.45 ft at 10:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.43 ft at 10:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.41 ft at 10:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.4 ft at 11:00AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.38 ft at 11:15AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.36 ft at 11:30AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.35 ft at 11:45AM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.33 ft at 12:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.31 ft at 12:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.3 ft at 12:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.28 ft at 12:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.26 ft at 1:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.24 ft at 1:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.22 ft at 1:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.21 ft at 1:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.2 ft at 2:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.18 ft at 2:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.16 ft at 2:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.14 ft at 2:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.13 ft at 3:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.11 ft at 3:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.1 ft at 3:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.08 ft at 3:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.06 ft at 4:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.05 ft at 4:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.03 ft at 4:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9.02 ft at 4:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 9 ft at 5:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.99 ft at 5:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.97 ft at 5:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.96 ft at 5:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.94 ft at 6:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.93 ft at 6:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.91 ft at 6:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.9 ft at 6:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.88 ft at 7:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.87 ft at 7:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.85 ft at 7:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.84 ft at 7:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.82 ft at 8:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.81 ft at 8:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.8 ft at 8:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.78 ft at 8:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.77 ft at 9:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.76 ft at 9:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.74 ft at 9:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.73 ft at 9:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.72 ft at 10:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.7 ft at 10:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.69 ft at 10:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.68 ft at 10:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.67 ft at 11:00PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.66 ft at 11:15PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.64 ft at 11:30PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.63 ft at 11:45PM May 25, 2018Observed: 8.62 ft at 12:00AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.61 ft at 12:15AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.6 ft at 12:30AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.59 ft at 12:45AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.58 ft at 1:00AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.57 ft at 1:15AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.55 ft at 1:30AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.54 ft at 1:45AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.53 ft at 2:00AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.52 ft at 2:15AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.51 ft at 2:30AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.5 ft at 2:45AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.49 ft at 3:00AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.48 ft at 3:15AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.47 ft at 3:30AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.46 ft at 3:45AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.45 ft at 4:00AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.44 ft at 4:15AM May 26, 2018Observed: 8.43 ft at 4:30AM May 26, 2018Highest Forecast: 8.3 ft 8:00AM May 26, 2018Forecast: 8.1 ft 2:00PM May 26, 2018Forecast: 7.9 ft 8:00PM May 26, 2018Forecast: 7.7 ft 2:00AM May 27, 2018Forecast: 7.4 ft 8:00AM May 27, 2018Forecast: 7.2 ft 2:00PM May 27, 2018Forecast: 7.1 ft 8:00PM May 27, 2018Forecast: 7.1 ft 2:00AM May 28, 2018Forecast: 7.2 ft 8:00AM May 28, 2018USGS--Water Resources of the United StatesRMDV2(plotting HGIRG) Graph Created (5:30AM May 26, 2018)ObservedForecast (issued 10:36AM May 25)Latest observed value: 8.43 ft at 4:30 AM EDT 26-May-2018. Flood Stage is 12 ft
Printable Image
About this graph
Tabular Data (UTC)
Tabular Data (EDT)
XML Data
RSS Files
Datum: NGVD29
Metadata
NOTE: 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.

NOTE: Forecasts for the James River (VA) at Richmond-Westham are issued routinely year-round.

Return to Area Map
Upstream Gauge - at Cartersville Upstream Gauge Downstream Gauge Downstream Gauge - at Richmond Locks
Flood Categories (in feet)
Major Flood Stage: 22
Moderate Flood Stage: 15
Flood Stage: 12
Action Stage: 9
Low Stage (in feet): -9999

Historic Crests
(1) 28.62 ft on 06/23/1972
(2) 24.95 ft on 08/21/1969
(3) 24.77 ft on 11/07/1985
(4) 23.42 ft on 03/19/1936
(5) 22.65 ft on 04/27/1937
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 13.64 ft on 04/18/2018 (P)
(2) 15.40 ft on 02/12/2018 (P)
(3) 14.27 ft on 05/27/2017
(4) 13.92 ft on 05/07/2017
(5) 13.40 ft on 02/25/2016
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
(1) 2.00 ft on 09/22/1966
(2) 2.94 ft on 10/21/1968
(3) 2.94 ft on 10/10/1970
(4) 3.00 ft on 09/25/1936
(5) 3.00 ft on 09/17/1943
Show More Low Water Records

For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov.
Zoom Level:14
KML Image
Gauge LocationGauge Map Marker
 Disclaimer
Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.
Flood Impacts & Photos Collapse
If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
32 River stage sensor operating limit
28.62 Flood of record during Hurricane Agnes.
27 Near record flooding begins.
23 Richmond City Water Filtration Plant endangered.
22 Major flooding begins. Downstream industries, shops and streets along the riverfront are flooded at and above this level.
18.2 CSX Railroad tracks flooded.
15 Begin moderate flooding. Residences near gage threatened with some driveways under one to one and a half feet of water.
13 Approximately 20 acres of lowland flooded in vicinity of gage.
12 Flood stage. Minor flooding along both banks, no damage at this level.
About This Location Collapse

Latitude: 37.563056° N, Longitude: 77.547222° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD27

River Stage
Reference Frame		 Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses
NWS stage 0 ft 12 ft Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps
Vertical Datum Elevation
(gauge height = 0)		 Elevation
(gauge height = flood stage)		 Elevation information source
NAVD88 Not Available Not Available Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29 98.82 ft 110.82 ft Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL Not Available Not Available Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other Not Available Not Available  

Current/Historical Observations:
Additional Information Collapse
Potential River Levels - Used to
Potential River Levels
Used to Estimate the Chance of Flooding and the Range of Possible River Levels
3 Day (SREF) 7 Day (NAEFS) 7 Day (GEFS)
SREF Ensemble NAEFS Ensemble  GEFS Ensemble 

Note: Use the official hydrograph at the top of this web page for river levels within the next 48 hours.

See the Product Description Document link for more details on the interpretation of the 3,7 day graphics. 

Click individual graphics to enlarge.

Gage Photos

Gage Photo

Hydromet Outlook
24 Hour Hydrometerological Outlook Link to Graphic
Hydro Forecast Discussion
Hydrologist's Forecast Discussion
Significant Flood Outlook
Significant River Flood Outlook Link to Graphic
Flash Flood Guidance
Flash Flood Guidance Link to Graphic

Additional Water and Weather Topics from the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center (MARFC):
MARFC Home Page, Current Hazards, Current Conditions James River, Current Conditions Appomattox River,
Water Resources, Observed precipitation, Radar, Tropical Weather, Climate,
Flood History, About the MARFC, Contact Us
Resources Collapse
Hydrologic Resources Additional Resources
Collaborative Agencies Collapse
The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.
NWS Information
National Weather Service
Wakefield Weather Forecast Office
10009 General Mahone Hwy
Wakefield, VA 23888
(757) 899-4200
Ask Questions/Webmaster
Page last modified: 21-Dec-2016 10:38 PM 		Disclaimer
Credits
Glossary 		Privacy Policy
About Us
Career Opportunities