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Appomattox River at Matoaca

Highest listed crest 18.39 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft67 crests since 1971

The Appomattox River at Matoaca crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 67 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1971 to 2025. The highest, 18.39 ft on October 7, 1972, was major flooding, 8.39 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Appomattox River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
18.39 ft
October 7, 1972; 40,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
1
90th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 18, 2025
10.62 ft, minor flooding
Location
Dinwiddie County
Near Petersburg (4.8 mi), Colonial Heights (5.0 mi), Hopewell (10.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Appomattox River at Matoaca
Action stage8.027Feb 25, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.030Feb 18, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.07Oct 14, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.01Oct 7, 1972Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

67 crests from 1971 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Appomattox River at Matoaca, 1971 to 2025 5101520ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft May 31, 1971: 10.70 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 1971: 14.10 ft, moderate floodingJun 27, 1972: 14.60 ft, moderate flooding; 22,800 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 1972: 18.39 ft, major flooding; 40,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1973: 10.65 ft, minor floodingDec 23, 1973: 9.19 ft, action stage; 8,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1975: 12.31 ft, minor flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1976: 9.22 ft, action stage; 8,550 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1978: 11.98 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1978: 11.40 ft, minor floodingFeb 26, 1979: 14.37 ft, moderate flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 1979: 11.80 ft, minor floodingOct 3, 1979: 13.09 ft, moderate flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1983: 10.61 ft, minor flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1984: 12.63 ft, minor flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1985: 8.62 ft, action stage; 7,950 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 1985: 12.07 ft, minor flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1987: 12.04 ft, minor flooding; 14,300 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1989: 9.20 ft, action stage; 8,940 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1990: 8.52 ft, action stage; 7,780 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1991: 9.05 ft, action stage; 8,680 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1992: 9.28 ft, action stage; 9,080 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1993: 11.32 ft, minor flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1993: 10.37 ft, minor flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1994: 8.47 ft, action stage; 7,650 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1994: 11.10 ft, minor flooding; 12,220 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1994: 10.26 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 10.00 ft, minor flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1996: 11.17 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1996: 9.13 ft, action stage; 8,820 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1998: 10.02 ft, minor flooding; 10,300 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1998: 11.97 ft, minor flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1999: 11.58 ft, minor flooding; 13,100 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2000: 9.13 ft, action stage; 8,820 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2001: 9.16 ft, action stage; 8,870 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2003: 8.98 ft, action stage; 8,260 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2003: 10.37 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2003: 10.14 ft, minor flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2003: 14.61 ft, moderate flooding; 25,900 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2003: 12.86 ft, minor flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 2004: 10.96 ft, minor flooding; 13,000 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 2004: 13.57 ft, moderate flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2005: 8.39 ft, action stage; 7,830 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2006: 10.73 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 2006: 10.29 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2008: 8.17 ft, action stage; 6,550 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2008: 9.30 ft, action stage; 8,670 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 2009: 9.96 ft, action stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2009: 9.23 ft, action stage; 8,520 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2009: 8.76 ft, action stage; 7,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2010: 8.62 ft, action stage; 7,340 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2010: 9.50 ft, action stage; 9,850 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2013: 8.52 ft, action stage; 7,720 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2014: 9.13 ft, action stage; 9,040 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2014: 9.20 ft, action stage; 9,170 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2015: 11.34 ft, minor flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2016: 8.22 ft, action stage; 7,120 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2016: 7.92 ft, below flood stage; 6,550 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2018: 10.38 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2018: 9.85 ft, action stage; 10,700 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 2018: 13.86 ft, moderate flooding; 21,100 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2018: 8.83 ft, action stage; 7,870 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2019: 8.55 ft, action stage; 7,340 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2019: 7.96 ft, below flood stage; 6,280 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 2020: 10.58 ft, minor flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2024: 10.52 ft, minor flooding; 11,453 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2025: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 11,686 cubic feet per second Highest, 18.39 ft, Oct 7, 1972 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Appomattox River at Matoaca 1970s: 11 11 1980s: 4 1990s: 9 2000s: 8 2010s: 3 2020s: 3 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 67 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Appomattox River at Matoaca
1Oct 7, 197218.39+8.39Major40,800
2May 26, 200314.61+4.61Moderate25,900
3Jun 27, 197214.60+4.60Moderate22,800
4Feb 26, 197914.37+4.37Moderate22,000
5Oct 25, 197114.10+4.10Moderate—
6Oct 14, 201813.86+3.86Moderate21,100
7Aug 31, 200413.57+3.57Moderate21,800
8Oct 3, 197913.09+3.09Moderate17,700
9Sep 20, 200312.86+2.86Minor19,300
10Feb 16, 198412.63+2.63Minor16,200
11Mar 19, 197512.31+2.31Minor15,200
12Nov 6, 198512.07+2.07Minor14,400
13Apr 18, 198712.04+2.04Minor14,300
14Mar 12, 197811.98+1.98Minor14,200
15Mar 21, 199811.97+1.97Minor14,100
16Sep 24, 197911.80+1.80Minor—
17Sep 16, 199911.58+1.58Minor13,100
18May 2, 197811.40+1.40Minor—
19Dec 26, 201511.34+1.34Minor14,500
20Mar 6, 199311.32+1.32Minor12,500
21Sep 12, 199611.17+1.17Minor12,300
22Mar 4, 199411.10+1.10Minor12,220
23Aug 3, 200410.96+0.96Minor13,000
24Oct 9, 200610.73+0.73Minor12,900
25May 31, 197110.70+0.70Minor10,500
26Feb 6, 197310.65+0.65Minor—
27Feb 18, 202510.62+0.62Minor11,686
28Mar 21, 198310.61+0.61Minor10,900
29Nov 17, 202010.58+0.58Minor11,600
30Jan 13, 202410.52+0.52Minor11,453
31May 20, 201810.38+0.38Minor12,000
32Dec 3, 199310.37+0.37Minor10,900
33Mar 23, 200310.37+0.37Minor11,400
34Nov 16, 200610.29+0.29Minor10,400
35Apr 2, 199410.26+0.26Minor10,800
36Apr 11, 200310.14+0.14Minor10,900
37Jan 30, 199810.02+0.02Minor10,300
38Jan 20, 199610.000.00Minor10,200
39Nov 15, 20099.96−0.04Action10,000
40Sep 20, 20189.85−0.15Action10,700
41Mar 31, 20109.50−0.50Action9,850
42Dec 14, 20089.30−0.70Action8,670
43Mar 8, 19929.28−0.72Action9,080
44Dec 16, 20099.23−0.77Action8,520
45Jan 29, 19769.22−0.78Action8,550
46May 8, 19899.20−0.80Action8,940
47May 22, 20149.20−0.80Action9,170
48Dec 23, 19739.19−0.81Action8,500
49Apr 1, 20019.16−0.84Action8,870
50Dec 8, 19969.13−0.87Action8,820

The worst floods along the Appomattox River

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

October 7, 1972: 18.39 ft here, major flooding

  • MattoaxVA · Oct 7, 1972 · 31.10 ft · Major
  • FarmvilleVA · Oct 6, 1972 · 19.14 ft · Minor

May 26, 2003: 14.61 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FarmvilleVA · May 19, 2003 · 16.26 ft · Minor

June 27, 1972: 14.60 ft here, moderate flooding

  • MattoaxVA · Jun 25, 1972 · 34.08 ft · Major
  • FarmvilleVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 29.70 ft · Major · its highest

Gauges on the Appomattox River

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

Flood gauges on the Appomattox River
FarmvilleVA16.029.70 ft, Jun 22, 19721
Matoaca this gaugeVA10.018.39 ft, Oct 7, 19721
MattoaxVA21.035.30 ft, Aug 18, 19406
PocahontasVA17.017.51 ft, Oct 1, 20240
ROUTE 602 NEAR MANNBOROVA18.022.09 ft, Oct 13, 20180
TuggleVA16.019.93 ft, Feb 16, 20250

Dinwiddie County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MTCV2, 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.