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Clinch River near Richlands

Highest listed crest 21.30 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft87 crests since 1901

The Clinch River near Richlands crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 87 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1901 to 2025. The highest, 21.30 ft on June 22, 1901, was major flooding, 11.30 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
21.30 ft
June 22, 1901; 11,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
6
29th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
16.09 ft, major flooding
Location
Tazewell County
Virginia

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Clinch River near Richlands
Action stage7.525Jan 10, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.037Feb 1, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.06Feb 6, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.06Feb 16, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

87 crests from 1901 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Clinch River near Richlands, 1901 to 2025 0510152025ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 16.0 ft Jun 22, 1901: 21.30 ft, major flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1944: 13.70 ft, moderate flooding; 5,500 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 3,860 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1947: 10.60 ft, minor flooding; 4,130 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 3,860 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1948: 10.50 ft, minor flooding; 4,080 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1950: 11.30 ft, minor flooding; 4,520 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1950: 7.84 ft, action stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1952: 8.35 ft, action stage; 2,630 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1953: 13.23 ft, moderate flooding; 5,080 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1954: 7.42 ft, below flood stage; 2,180 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1955: 12.51 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 10.54 ft, minor flooding; 3,650 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1957: 19.30 ft, major flooding; 9,640 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1958: 10.70 ft, minor flooding; 3,750 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1959: 7.75 ft, action stage; 2,360 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1959: 6.68 ft, below flood stage; 1,860 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1961: 11.79 ft, minor flooding; 4,340 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 1961: 9.22 ft, action stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 16.09 ft, major flooding; 7,370 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1964: 5.64 ft, below flood stage; 1,450 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1965: 10.36 ft, minor flooding; 3,870 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1966: 6.91 ft, below flood stage; 2,100 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 10.82 ft, minor flooding; 4,100 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1968: 9.65 ft, action stage; 3,480 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1969: 5.34 ft, below flood stage; 1,330 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 10.34 ft, minor flooding; 3,840 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1971: 11.27 ft, minor flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1972: 14.65 ft, moderate flooding; 6,420 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1973: 11.65 ft, minor flooding; 4,590 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1974: 9.20 ft, action stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1975: 12.44 ft, minor flooding; 5,060 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1976: 7.68 ft, action stage; 2,490 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 16.06 ft, major flooding; 7,340 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 16.10 ft, major flooding; 7,370 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1979: 11.15 ft, minor flooding; 4,290 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1980: 7.23 ft, below flood stage; 2,260 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1981: 8.38 ft, action stage; 2,810 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1982: 9.05 ft, action stage; 3,150 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1982: 6.84 ft, below flood stage; 2,070 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1984: 14.70 ft, moderate flooding; 6,450 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1985: 10.38 ft, minor flooding; 3,680 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 1985: 6.70 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1987: 9.94 ft, action stage; 3,620 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1988: 4.11 ft, below flood stage; 802 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1989: 10.23 ft, minor flooding; 3,770 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1990: 8.86 ft, action stage; 3,050 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1991: 8.03 ft, action stage; 2,620 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1991: 8.98 ft, action stage; 3,110 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1993: 10.78 ft, minor flooding; 4,080 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1994: 12.48 ft, minor flooding; 5,060 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1995: 9.88 ft, action stage; 3,580 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 9.40 ft, action stage; 3,330 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1996: 8.40 ft, action stage; 2,820 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1997: 9.08 ft, action stage; 3,165 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1998: 12.67 ft, minor flooding; 5,180 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1998: 10.59 ft, minor flooding; 3,970 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2001: 9.85 ft, action stageMar 18, 2002: 11.74 ft, minor flooding; 4,620 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2002: 10.85 ft, minor flooding; 4,060 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2003: 11.67 ft, minor flooding; 4,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2003: 10.23 ft, minor flooding; 3,750 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2003: 14.65 ft, moderate flooding; 6,420 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2004: 10.37 ft, minor flooding; 3,848 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 2004: 7.18 ft, below flood stage; 2,120 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2006: 7.47 ft, below flood stage; 2,280 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2010: 8.54 ft, action stage; 2,880 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2010: 8.64 ft, action stage; 2,940 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2011: 9.57 ft, action stage; 3,420 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2012: 9.36 ft, action stage; 3,300 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 12.20 ft, minor flooding; 4,893 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2015: 7.21 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2015: 12.29 ft, minor flooding; 4,947 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 10.68 ft, minor flooding; 4,023 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2018: 10.97 ft, minor flooding; 4,181 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2018: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 3,986 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2020: 14.33 ft, moderate flooding; 6,205 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2020: 12.77 ft, minor flooding; 5,235 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2021: 10.97 ft, minor flooding; 4,181 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 2022: 10.33 ft, minor flooding; 3,826 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2022: 7.76 ft, action stage; 2,453 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2023: 11.22 ft, minor flooding; 4,320 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2023: 7.89 ft, action stage; 2,531 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 7.60 ft, action stageApr 12, 2024: 6.94 ft, below flood stage; 1,988 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2025: 11.20 ft, minor floodingFeb 16, 2025: 16.09 ft, major flooding; 7,359 cubic feet per second Highest, 21.30 ft, Jun 22, 1901 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Clinch River near Richlands 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 5 1950s: 6 1960s: 5 1970s: 7 7 1980s: 3 1990s: 4 2000s: 6 2010s: 5 2020s: 7 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 87 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Clinch River near Richlands
1Jun 22, 190121.30+11.30Major11,500
2Jan 29, 195719.30+9.30Major9,640
3Jan 26, 197816.10+6.10Major7,370
4Mar 12, 196316.09+6.09Major7,370
5Feb 16, 202516.09+6.09Major7,359
6Apr 5, 197716.06+6.06Major7,340
7May 7, 198414.70+4.70Moderate6,450
8Apr 14, 197214.65+4.65Moderate6,420
9Nov 19, 200314.65+4.65Moderate6,420
10Feb 6, 202014.33+4.33Moderate6,205
11Feb 18, 194413.70+3.70Moderate5,500
12May 19, 195313.23+3.23Moderate5,080
13Apr 13, 202012.77+2.77Minor5,235
14Mar 21, 199812.67+2.67Minor5,180
15Mar 1, 195512.51+2.51Minor4,700
16Feb 11, 199412.48+2.48Minor5,060
17Mar 14, 197512.44+2.44Minor5,060
18Mar 5, 201512.29+2.29Minor4,947
19Jan 31, 201312.20+2.20Minor4,893
20Feb 25, 196111.79+1.79Minor4,340
21Mar 18, 200211.74+1.74Minor4,620
22Feb 16, 200311.67+1.67Minor4,500
23Mar 16, 197311.65+1.65Minor4,590
24Feb 2, 195011.30+1.30Minor4,520
25May 7, 197111.27+1.27Minor4,360
26Feb 17, 202311.22+1.22Minor4,320
27Feb 1, 202511.20+1.20Minor—
28Jan 21, 197911.15+1.15Minor4,290
29Feb 11, 201810.97+0.97Minor4,181
30Mar 1, 202110.97+0.97Minor4,181
31May 3, 200210.85+0.85Minor4,060
32Mar 7, 196710.82+0.82Minor4,100
33Mar 24, 199310.78+0.78Minor4,080
34May 6, 195810.70+0.70Minor3,750
35Apr 24, 201710.68+0.68Minor4,023
36Apr 16, 201810.62+0.62Minor3,986
37Jan 15, 194710.60+0.60Minor4,130
38Apr 17, 199810.59+0.59Minor3,970
39Apr 16, 195610.54+0.54Minor3,650
40Dec 4, 194810.50+0.50Minor4,080
41Feb 1, 198510.38+0.38Minor3,680
42May 25, 200410.37+0.37Minor3,848
43Mar 26, 196510.36+0.36Minor3,870
44Dec 31, 196910.34+0.34Minor3,840
45Jan 2, 202210.33+0.33Minor3,826
46May 6, 198910.23+0.23Minor3,770
47Feb 23, 200310.23+0.23Minor3,750
48Jan 8, 194610.10+0.10Minor3,860
49Feb 14, 194810.10+0.10Minor3,860
50Apr 25, 19879.94−0.06Action3,620

The worst floods along the Clinch River

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

January 29, 1957: 19.30 ft here, major flooding

  • ClevelandVA · Jan 30, 1957 · 24.40 ft · Major
  • TazewellTN · Jan 31, 1957 · 21.00 ft · Major
  • Speers FerryVA · Jan 30, 1957 · 28.92 ft · Moderate

January 26, 1978: 16.10 ft here, major flooding

  • ClevelandVA · Jan 26, 1978 · 20.87 ft · Moderate
  • TazewellTN · Jan 27, 1978 · 16.45 ft · Moderate
  • Speers FerryVA · Jan 26, 1978 · 27.23 ft · Minor

March 12, 1963: 16.09 ft here, major flooding

  • TazewellTN · Mar 13, 1963 · 22.27 ft · Major
  • Speers FerryVA · Mar 12, 1963 · 29.93 ft · Moderate
  • ClevelandVA · Mar 12, 1963 · 22.70 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Clinch River

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

Flood gauges on the Clinch River
TazewellTN12.029.32 ft, Apr 5, 19776
BlackfordVA10.516.82 ft, Feb 16, 20250
ClevelandVA14.026.40 ft, Apr 5, 19772
DungannonVA12.014.85 ft, Feb 16, 20250
Richlands this gaugeVA10.021.30 ft, Jun 22, 19016
Speers FerryVA18.036.69 ft, Apr 5, 19773

Other gauges in Tazewell County

Flood gauges in Tazewell County
Falls Mills7.010.96 ft, May 29, 20230

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RLRV2, 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.