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Potomac River at Harpers Ferry

Highest listed crest 36.50 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft48 crests since 1877

The Potomac River at Harpers Ferry crested at major flood stage 14 times among the 48 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1877 to 2025. The highest, 36.50 ft on March 19, 1936, was major flooding, 18.50 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Potomac River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 4 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
36.50 ft
March 19, 1936
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
14
3rd of 108 gauges in Maryland
Most recent flood crest
May 15, 2025
19.65 ft, minor flooding
Location
Washington County
Maryland
Identifiers
NWS HFEW2
No USGS station

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Potomac River at Harpers Ferry
Action stage16.01Mar 12, 2011The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.027May 15, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.56Jun 4, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.014Sep 8, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

48 crests from 1877 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry, 1877 to 2025 152025303540ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft Nov 25, 1877: 29.20 ft, major floodingJun 1, 1889: 34.80 ft, major floodingApr 1, 1891: 19.60 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 1893: 21.00 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 1896: 33.00 ft, major floodingFeb 24, 1897: 26.50 ft, major floodingAug 11, 1898: 19.50 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1899: 18.70 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1901: 22.20 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 1902: 24.40 ft, major floodingMar 2, 1902: 27.00 ft, major floodingJan 13, 1908: 19.90 ft, minor floodingFeb 16, 1908: 18.50 ft, minor floodingJan 17, 1910: 21.20 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 1913: 18.60 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 1924: 19.00 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 1924: 20.70 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 1924: 27.60 ft, major floodingMay 2, 1928: 18.90 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1929: 21.30 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 1932: 20.00 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1936: 36.50 ft, major floodingApr 27, 1937: 29.00 ft, major floodingOct 27, 1937: 21.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1942: 18.60 ft, minor floodingOct 16, 1942: 33.80 ft, major floodingSep 19, 1945: 18.50 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 1949: 18.50 ft, minor floodingDec 5, 1950: 18.80 ft, minor floodingOct 17, 1954: 18.50 ft, minor floodingAug 20, 1955: 23.90 ft, moderate floodingJun 23, 1972: 27.70 ft, major floodingMar 23, 1975: 21.50 ft, moderate floodingOct 10, 1976: 21.50 ft, moderate floodingNov 6, 1985: 30.10 ft, major floodingMar 6, 1993: 20.80 ft, minor floodingJan 21, 1996: 29.40 ft, major floodingSep 8, 1996: 29.80 ft, major floodingSep 20, 2003: 19.84 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 2010: 20.78 ft, minor flooding; 160,920 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2011: 17.33 ft, action stageApr 18, 2011: 18.87 ft, minor flooding; 134,245 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2011: 19.14 ft, minor flooding; 137,959 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2014: 19.06 ft, minor flooding; 136,840 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2018: 21.74 ft, moderate flooding; 175,100 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2018: 18.33 ft, minor flooding; 126,955 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2018: 18.81 ft, minor flooding; 133,435 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2025: 19.65 ft, minor flooding; 145,100 cubic feet per second Highest, 36.50 ft, Mar 19, 1936 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Potomac River at Harpers Ferry 1870s: 1 1880s: 1 1890s: 6 1900s: 5 1910s: 2 1920s: 5 1930s: 4 1940s: 4 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 3 1980s: 1 1990s: 3 2000s: 1 2010s: 7 7 2020s: 1 1870s1890s1910s1930s1950s1970s1990s2010s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Potomac River at Harpers Ferry
1Mar 19, 193636.50+18.50Major—
2Jun 1, 188934.80+16.80Major—
3Oct 16, 194233.80+15.80Major—
4Oct 1, 189633.00+15.00Major—
5Nov 6, 198530.10+12.10Major—
6Sep 8, 199629.80+11.80Major—
7Jan 21, 199629.40+11.40Major—
8Nov 25, 187729.20+11.20Major—
9Apr 27, 193729.00+11.00Major—
10Jun 23, 197227.70+9.70Major—
11May 3, 192427.60+9.60Major—
12Mar 2, 190227.00+9.00Major—
13Feb 24, 189726.50+8.50Major—
14Feb 21, 190224.40+6.40Major—
15Aug 20, 195523.90+5.90Moderate—
16Apr 22, 190122.20+4.20Moderate—
17Jun 4, 201821.74+3.74Moderate175,100
18Oct 27, 193721.50+3.50Moderate—
19Mar 23, 197521.50+3.50Moderate—
20Oct 10, 197621.50+3.50Moderate—
21Apr 17, 192921.30+3.30Minor—
22Jan 17, 191021.20+3.20Minor—
23May 5, 189321.00+3.00Minor—
24Mar 6, 199320.80+2.80Minor—
25Mar 15, 201020.78+2.78Minor160,920
26Mar 30, 192420.70+2.70Minor—
27May 13, 193220.00+2.00Minor—
28Jan 13, 190819.90+1.90Minor—
29Sep 20, 200319.84+1.84Minor—
30May 15, 202519.65+1.65Minor145,100
31Apr 1, 189119.60+1.60Minor—
32Aug 11, 189819.50+1.50Minor—
33May 19, 201119.14+1.14Minor137,959
34May 17, 201419.06+1.06Minor136,840
35Mar 9, 192419.00+1.00Minor—
36May 2, 192818.90+0.90Minor—
37Apr 18, 201118.87+0.87Minor134,245
38Dec 17, 201818.81+0.81Minor133,435
39Dec 5, 195018.80+0.80Minor—
40Mar 6, 189918.70+0.70Minor—
41Mar 28, 191318.60+0.60Minor—
42May 24, 194218.60+0.60Minor—
43Feb 16, 190818.50+0.50Minor—
44Sep 19, 194518.50+0.50Minor—
45Jun 19, 194918.50+0.50Minor—
46Oct 17, 195418.50+0.50Minor—
47Sep 29, 201818.33+0.33Minor126,955
48Mar 12, 201117.33−0.67Action—

The worst floods along the Potomac River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Potomac River that crested above flood stage within a week.

March 19, 1936: 36.50 ft here, major flooding

June 1, 1889: 34.80 ft here, major flooding

October 16, 1942: 33.80 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Potomac River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Potomac River
AlexandriaDC3.38.66 ft, Sep 19, 20032
Edwards FerryMD15.022.45 ft, Jun 5, 20180
Georgetown / Wisconsin AveDC6.017.72 ft, Oct 17, 19429
HancockMD25.047.60 ft, Mar 18, 19368
Harpers Ferry this gaugeMD18.036.50 ft, Mar 19, 193614
Lewisetta (IN MLLW)VA3.05.76 ft, Sep 1, 200611
Paw PawMD25.054.00 ft, Mar 18, 19368
Point of RocksMD16.041.03 ft, Mar 19, 193614
ShepherdstownWV15.042.07 ft, Mar 19, 193614
Washington DC (Little Falls)MD10.022.03 ft, Jun 24, 19724

Other gauges in Washington County

Flood gauges in Washington County
Sharpsburg8.016.73 ft, Jul 20, 19564
Waynesboro6.512.33 ft, Jun 22, 19721
Fairview10.024.50 ft, Jun 23, 19727
Pecktonville10.011.50 ft, May 14, 20250
Hancock25.047.60 ft, Mar 18, 19368
Bellegrove7.512.44 ft, Jun 22, 19720

Washington County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Maryland

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HFEW2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.