Rapidan River near Culpeper

Last updated: Aug 11, 2025, 11:05 PM UTC

No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.

Warning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.

US Geological Survey
Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey

Scale to Flood Categories

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Traces and Thresholds Click to turn on/off display

CATEGORY STAGE

Major Flooding 21 ft

Moderate Flooding 17 ft

Minor Flooding 13 ft

Action 11 ft

Reliability of the Forecast:

NOTE: Forecasts are issued routinely year-round.
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	CATEGORY	STAGE
	Major Flooding	21 ft
	Moderate Flooding	17 ft
	Minor Flooding	13 ft
	Action	11 ft

Flood Impacts 🅘

21 - Significant flooding of lowlands near the river will occur, including significant portions of roads near the river. Travel will be severely affected. Water is likely approaching structures.
17 - Water begins to approach outbuildings on both sides of the river downstream of the route 522 bridge.
14 - River Road on the Orange County side of the Rapidan River is flooded in a few spots, and pastureland is flooded on both sides of the river. Other low lying roads near the river are also beginning to flood, and access to homes may become limited. No structures are affected at this level.

Gauge Info

Coordinates	38.3503, -77.9753
RFC	MARFC
State	VA
WFO	LWX
County	Culpeper
Data Provider(s)
US Geological Survey	USGS--Water Resources of the United States
USGS	01667500

Gauge Location

Recent Crests

1.	15.58 ft	on 05-14-2025	(P)
2.	15.12 ft	on 01-10-2024	(P)
3.	13.32 ft	on 08-04-2018
4.	23.56 ft	on 06-23-2018
5.	14.46 ft	on 06-04-2018

Historic Crests

1.	30.40 ft	on 06-28-1995
2.	30.30 ft	on 10-16-1942
3.	29.53 ft	on 06-22-1972
4.	28.03 ft	on 04-26-1937
5.	27.49 ft	on 09-07-1996

Vertical Datum Table

type	NGVD29
major Flooding	261.30 ft
moderate Flooding	257.30 ft
minor Flooding	253.30 ft
action	251.30 ft
Latest Value	241.25 ft
Gauge Zero	240.30 ft

Gauge Photos

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Probability Information

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Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels
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Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period
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Short Range Forecast Uncertainty
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Unique Local Info

Potential River Levels - Used to

Potential River Levels Used to Estimate the Chance of Flooding and the Range of Possible River Levels
10 Day (HEFS)	7 Day (NAEFS)	7 Day (GEFS)

Note: Use the official hydrograph at the top of this web page for river levels within the next 72 hours.

Click individual graphics to enlarge.

Collaborative Agencies

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.

Resources

Hydrologic Resource Links

Additional Resource Links

WFO Information

Weather Forecast Office

(Baltimore/Washington) Sterling

43858 Weather Service Rd.

Sterling, VA 20166

(571) 888-3500

Ask Questions/Webmaster

Official Homepage

1.	15.58 ft	on 05-14-2025	(P)
2.	15.12 ft	on 01-10-2024	(P)
3.	13.32 ft	on 08-04-2018
4.	23.56 ft	on 06-23-2018
5.	14.46 ft	on 06-04-2018
6.	14.64 ft	on 06-01-2018
7.	14.64 ft	on 06-01-2018
8.	17.16 ft	on 05-17-2014
9.	14.75 ft	on 05-01-2014
10.	16.51 ft	on 06-10-2013
11.	14.35 ft	on 05-08-2013
12.	13.49 ft	on 01-31-2013
13.	13.51 ft	on 04-17-2011
14.	11.65 ft	on 03-11-2011
15.	11.93 ft	on 03-07-2011
16.	15.43 ft	on 01-26-2010
17.	12.33 ft	on 10-08-2005
18.	13.63 ft	on 01-14-2005
19.	14.06 ft	on 09-29-2004
20.	18.51 ft	on 09-19-2003
21.	14.27 ft	on 02-23-2003	(P)
22.	17.53 ft	on 09-30-1999
23.	15.73 ft	on 05-08-1998
24.	14.02 ft	on 03-21-1998
25.	17.15 ft	on 02-18-1998
26.	14.82 ft	on 02-05-1998
27.	27.49 ft	on 09-07-1996
28.	18.22 ft	on 01-20-1996
29.	30.40 ft	on 06-28-1995
30.	14.59 ft	on 11-28-1993
31.	18.91 ft	on 03-05-1993
32.	14.38 ft	on 12-11-1992
33.	14.40 ft	on 10-23-1990
34.	18.19 ft	on 05-06-1989
35.	17.77 ft	on 09-09-1987
36.	15.97 ft	on 04-17-1987
37.	22.52 ft	on 11-05-1985
38.	15.98 ft	on 03-29-1984
39.	18.24 ft	on 02-15-1984
40.	14.78 ft	on 10-02-1979
41.	17.28 ft	on 09-22-1979
42.	18.79 ft	on 09-06-1979
43.	15.41 ft	on 02-26-1979
44.	17.47 ft	on 01-26-1978
45.	17.50 ft	on 10-10-1976
46.	17.26 ft	on 03-20-1975
47.	15.20 ft	on 08-18-1973
48.	26.23 ft	on 10-06-1972
49.	29.53 ft	on 06-22-1972
50.	24.31 ft	on 08-18-1955
51.	17.10 ft	on 12-05-1950
52.	15.62 ft	on 12-04-1948
53.	14.10 ft	on 11-04-1947
54.	14.56 ft	on 09-19-1944
55.	30.30 ft	on 10-16-1942
56.	15.58 ft	on 08-09-1942
57.	15.36 ft	on 08-17-1940
58.	19.41 ft	on 10-20-1937
59.	28.03 ft	on 04-26-1937
60.	15.42 ft	on 01-21-1937
61.	19.25 ft	on 03-18-1936
62.	17.53 ft	on 09-06-1935
63.	14.77 ft	on 12-02-1934
64.	19.53 ft	on 09-17-1934
65.	15.77 ft	on 09-14-1934
66.	16.00 ft	on 04-17-1933
67.	14.90 ft	on 11-10-1932
68.	15.72 ft	on 10-18-1932

1.	30.40 ft	on 06-28-1995
2.	30.30 ft	on 10-16-1942
3.	29.53 ft	on 06-22-1972
4.	28.03 ft	on 04-26-1937
5.	27.49 ft	on 09-07-1996
6.	26.23 ft	on 10-06-1972
7.	24.31 ft	on 08-18-1955
8.	23.56 ft	on 06-23-2018
9.	22.52 ft	on 11-05-1985
10.	19.53 ft	on 09-17-1934
11.	19.41 ft	on 10-20-1937
12.	19.25 ft	on 03-18-1936
13.	18.91 ft	on 03-05-1993
14.	18.79 ft	on 09-06-1979
15.	18.51 ft	on 09-19-2003
16.	18.24 ft	on 02-15-1984
17.	18.22 ft	on 01-20-1996
18.	18.19 ft	on 05-06-1989
19.	17.77 ft	on 09-09-1987
20.	17.53 ft	on 09-30-1999
21.	17.53 ft	on 09-06-1935
22.	17.50 ft	on 10-10-1976
23.	17.47 ft	on 01-26-1978
24.	17.28 ft	on 09-22-1979
25.	17.26 ft	on 03-20-1975
26.	17.16 ft	on 05-17-2014
27.	17.15 ft	on 02-18-1998
28.	17.10 ft	on 12-05-1950
29.	16.51 ft	on 06-10-2013
30.	16.00 ft	on 04-17-1933
31.	15.98 ft	on 03-29-1984
32.	15.97 ft	on 04-17-1987
33.	15.77 ft	on 09-14-1934
34.	15.73 ft	on 05-08-1998
35.	15.72 ft	on 10-18-1932
36.	15.62 ft	on 12-04-1948
37.	15.58 ft	on 08-09-1942
38.	15.58 ft	on 05-14-2025	(P)
39.	15.43 ft	on 01-26-2010
40.	15.42 ft	on 01-21-1937
41.	15.41 ft	on 02-26-1979
42.	15.36 ft	on 08-17-1940
43.	15.20 ft	on 08-18-1973
44.	15.12 ft	on 01-10-2024	(P)
45.	14.90 ft	on 11-10-1932
46.	14.82 ft	on 02-05-1998
47.	14.78 ft	on 10-02-1979
48.	14.77 ft	on 12-02-1934
49.	14.75 ft	on 05-01-2014
50.	14.64 ft	on 06-01-2018
51.	14.64 ft	on 06-01-2018
52.	14.59 ft	on 11-28-1993
53.	14.56 ft	on 09-19-1944
54.	14.46 ft	on 06-04-2018
55.	14.40 ft	on 10-23-1990
56.	14.38 ft	on 12-11-1992
57.	14.35 ft	on 05-08-2013
58.	14.27 ft	on 02-23-2003	(P)
59.	14.10 ft	on 11-04-1947
60.	14.06 ft	on 09-29-2004
61.	14.02 ft	on 03-21-1998
62.	13.63 ft	on 01-14-2005
63.	13.51 ft	on 04-17-2011
64.	13.49 ft	on 01-31-2013
65.	13.32 ft	on 08-04-2018
66.	12.33 ft	on 10-08-2005
67.	11.93 ft	on 03-07-2011
68.	11.65 ft	on 03-11-2011