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Dan River at South Boston

Highest listed crest 33.37 ftFlood stage 22.0 ft144 crests since 1928

The Dan River at South Boston crested above flood stage 99 times among the 144 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1928 to 2025. The highest, 33.37 ft on June 24, 1972, was moderate flooding, 11.37 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Dan River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
33.37 ft
June 24, 1972
Flood stage
22.0 ft
Major flooding from 34.0 ft
Crests at major
0
99 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 7, 2025
22.07 ft, minor flooding
Location
Halifax County
Virginia

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Dan River at South Boston
Action stage18.045Sep 29, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)22.085Jul 7, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage29.014Nov 15, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage34.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

144 crests from 1928 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Dan River at South Boston, 1928 to 2025 1520253035ft Flood stage 22.0 ftMajor 34.0 ft Aug 14, 1928: 25.80 ft, minor flooding; 31,800 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 1929: 27.03 ft, minor flooding; 40,000 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1932: 26.53 ft, minor flooding; 33,500 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1936: 28.50 ft, minor flooding; 51,000 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1937: 28.25 ft, minor flooding; 48,600 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1940: 31.80 ft, moderate flooding; 81,000 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1942: 23.90 ft, minor flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1943: 24.26 ft, minor flooding; 26,900 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 1945: 30.50 ft, moderate flooding; 68,000 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1946: 22.50 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1947: 25.70 ft, minor flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1948: 24.20 ft, minor flooding; 26,600 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1949: 23.00 ft, minor flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1951: 22.60 ft, minor flooding; 22,400 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1952: 24.12 ft, minor flooding; 26,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1953: 21.63 ft, action stageApr 18, 1956: 20.75 ft, action stageDec 31, 1958: 26.30 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 1972: 33.37 ft, moderate floodingMar 31, 1975: 29.77 ft, moderate floodingApr 28, 1978: 31.47 ft, moderate floodingSep 24, 1979: 30.67 ft, moderate floodingNov 7, 1985: 23.15 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1987: 32.57 ft, moderate floodingOct 4, 1989: 27.33 ft, minor floodingOct 23, 1990: 28.27 ft, minor floodingJan 7, 1992: 24.61 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 1992: 26.54 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 1992: 20.77 ft, action stageNov 14, 1992: 19.72 ft, action stageJan 6, 1993: 19.52 ft, action stageJan 11, 1993: 24.09 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1993: 28.80 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1993: 22.34 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 1993: 25.54 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1993: 21.11 ft, action stageApr 6, 1993: 20.82 ft, action stageApr 11, 1993: 21.76 ft, action stageApr 17, 1993: 22.34 ft, minor floodingFeb 25, 1994: 21.84 ft, action stageMar 4, 1994: 27.07 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 1994: 28.26 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 1995: 20.97 ft, action stageJun 30, 1995: 28.24 ft, minor floodingJan 21, 1996: 24.89 ft, minor floodingJan 29, 1996: 22.87 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 1996: 19.10 ft, action stageJun 12, 1996: 22.47 ft, minor floodingAug 14, 1996: 23.38 ft, minor floodingSep 8, 1996: 33.22 ft, moderate floodingDec 3, 1996: 23.88 ft, minor floodingFeb 16, 1997: 21.36 ft, action stageMar 5, 1997: 23.07 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1997: 27.23 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 1998: 27.34 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 1998: 24.59 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1998: 24.85 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 1998: 22.30 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 1998: 22.35 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1998: 25.40 ft, minor floodingMay 9, 1998: 24.85 ft, minor floodingJan 25, 1999: 21.90 ft, action stageSep 16, 1999: 19.83 ft, action stageOct 1, 1999: 22.87 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2000: 18.51 ft, action stageMar 31, 2001: 21.83 ft, action stageNov 18, 2002: 20.29 ft, action stageDec 15, 2002: 21.13 ft, action stageFeb 25, 2003: 24.74 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 2003: 30.34 ft, moderate flooding; 44,100 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2003: 27.36 ft, minor floodingFeb 8, 2004: 23.90 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 2004: 20.35 ft, action stageJun 17, 2004: 21.40 ft, action stageSep 10, 2004: 22.96 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 2004: 25.19 ft, minor floodingDec 11, 2004: 21.78 ft, action stage; 17,060 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2006: 23.43 ft, minor flooding; 20,421 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 2006: 23.99 ft, minor flooding; 21,657 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 2007: 27.06 ft, minor flooding; 35,896 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2007: 23.09 ft, minor flooding; 19,690 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2008: 23.19 ft, minor flooding; 19,733 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 2009: 27.50 ft, minor flooding; 41,645 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2010: 23.93 ft, minor flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2010: 22.30 ft, minor flooding; 21,539 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2010: 22.10 ft, minor flooding; 21,149 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2011: 19.00 ft, action stage; 13,635 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2012: 21.74 ft, action stage; 20,455 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2013: 20.15 ft, action stage; 17,848 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2014: 23.34 ft, minor flooding; 23,625 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2014: 20.66 ft, action stage; 18,650 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2014: 19.76 ft, action stage; 17,250 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2014: 22.13 ft, minor flooding; 21,206 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2015: 21.91 ft, action stage; 17,100 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 2015: 25.80 ft, minor flooding; 29,477 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 2015: 22.46 ft, minor flooding; 21,853 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 2015: 19.00 ft, action stage; 16,100 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 2015: 25.68 ft, minor flooding; 29,000 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2015: 19.38 ft, action stage; 16,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 2016: 23.20 ft, minor flooding; 23,338 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2016: 23.09 ft, minor flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2016: 22.38 ft, minor flooding; 16,300 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2016: 21.64 ft, action stage; 20,265 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2016: 24.51 ft, minor flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2017: 22.03 ft, minor flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2017: 30.25 ft, moderate flooding; 50,400 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2017: 21.60 ft, action stage; 17,200 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2017: 23.19 ft, minor flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2018: 19.96 ft, action stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2018: 22.20 ft, minor flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2018: 25.58 ft, minor flooding; 28,900 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2018: 27.06 ft, minor flooding; 33,870 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2018: 23.90 ft, minor flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2018: 31.40 ft, moderate flooding; 51,000 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 2018: 26.05 ft, minor flooding; 30,400 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2018: 25.13 ft, minor flooding; 27,500 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2018: 24.99 ft, minor flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2018: 24.32 ft, minor flooding; 25,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2019: 19.13 ft, action stage; 14,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2019: 27.32 ft, minor flooding; 34,738 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2019: 20.51 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2020: 30.56 ft, moderate flooding; 47,300 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2020: 30.11 ft, moderate flooding; 45,400 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2020: 22.47 ft, minor flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2020: 19.33 ft, action stage; 14,700 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2020: 21.63 ft, action stage; 18,700 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 2020: 29.44 ft, moderate flooding; 42,700 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2020: 23.60 ft, minor flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 2020: 20.03 ft, action stage; 15,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2021: 23.99 ft, minor flooding; 24,100 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2021: 22.27 ft, minor flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2022: 19.68 ft, action stage; 15,300 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2022: 21.16 ft, action stage; 17,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2023: 21.08 ft, action stage; 17,700 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2023: 19.13 ft, action stage; 14,400 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2024: 26.89 ft, minor flooding; 33,200 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2024: 24.53 ft, minor flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2024: 19.01 ft, action stage; 14,200 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2024: 20.87 ft, action stage; 17,300 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 2024: 23.31 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2024: 21.44 ft, action stage; 18,400 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2024: 20.47 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2025: 23.39 ft, minor flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2025: 22.07 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per second Highest, 33.37 ft, Jun 24, 1972 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Dan River at South Boston 1920s: 2 1930s: 3 1940s: 8 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 4 1980s: 3 1990s: 27 27 2000s: 12 2010s: 25 2020s: 12 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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.
  3. 2 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 24.50 ft on May 23, 1901; 23.50 ft on Mar 24, 1903.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 144 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Dan River at South Boston
1Jun 24, 197233.37+11.37Moderate—
2Sep 8, 199633.22+11.22Moderate—
3Apr 18, 198732.57+10.57Moderate—
4Aug 16, 194031.80+9.80Moderate81,000
5Apr 28, 197831.47+9.47Moderate—
6Oct 13, 201831.40+9.40Moderate51,000
7Sep 24, 197930.67+8.67Moderate—
8Feb 9, 202030.56+8.56Moderate47,300
9Sep 20, 194530.50+8.50Moderate68,000
10Mar 23, 200330.34+8.34Moderate44,100
11Apr 27, 201730.25+8.25Moderate50,400
12May 24, 202030.11+8.11Moderate45,400
13Mar 31, 197529.77+7.77Moderate—
14Nov 15, 202029.44+7.44Moderate42,700
15Mar 6, 199328.80+6.80Minor—
16Jan 21, 193628.50+6.50Minor51,000
17Oct 23, 199028.27+6.27Minor—
18Apr 30, 199428.26+6.26Minor—
19Oct 22, 193728.25+6.25Minor48,600
20Jun 30, 199528.24+6.24Minor—
21Nov 14, 200927.50+5.50Minor41,645
22Apr 13, 200327.36+5.36Minor—
23Jan 30, 199827.34+5.34Minor—
24Oct 4, 198927.33+5.33Minor—
25Feb 26, 201927.32+5.32Minor34,738
26May 1, 199727.23+5.23Minor—
27Mar 4, 199427.07+5.07Minor—
28Jan 3, 200727.06+5.06Minor35,896
29Sep 20, 201827.06+5.06Minor33,870
30Oct 4, 192927.03+5.03Minor40,000
31Jan 12, 202426.89+4.89Minor33,200
32Apr 25, 199226.54+4.54Minor—
33Oct 20, 193226.53+4.53Minor33,500
34Dec 31, 195826.30+4.30Minor—
35Nov 15, 201826.05+4.05Minor30,400
36Aug 14, 192825.80+3.80Minor31,800
37Oct 5, 201525.80+3.80Minor29,477
38Sep 26, 194725.70+3.70Minor32,000
39Dec 27, 201525.68+3.68Minor29,000
40May 19, 201825.58+3.58Minor28,900
41Mar 26, 199325.54+3.54Minor—
42Apr 19, 199825.40+3.40Minor—
43Oct 1, 200425.19+3.19Minor—
44Dec 17, 201825.13+3.13Minor27,500
45Dec 23, 201824.99+2.99Minor27,000
46Jan 21, 199624.89+2.89Minor—
47Feb 19, 199824.85+2.85Minor—
48May 9, 199824.85+2.85Minor—
49Feb 25, 200324.74+2.74Minor—
50Jan 7, 199224.61+2.61Minor—

The worst floods along the Dan River

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

June 24, 1972: 33.37 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WentworthNC · Jun 22, 1972 · 31.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • PacesVA · Jun 23, 1972 · 33.15 ft · Moderate · its highest

September 8, 1996: 33.22 ft here, moderate flooding

April 18, 1987: 32.57 ft here, moderate flooding

  • PacesVA · Apr 17, 1987 · 30.91 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Dan River

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

Flood gauges on the Dan River
PacesVA22.033.15 ft, Jun 23, 19720
Pine HallNC23.027.94 ft, Feb 7, 20200
South Boston this gaugeVA22.033.37 ft, Jun 24, 19720
STP near DanvilleVA21.030.01 ft, Oct 12, 20180
FranciscoNC13.019.50 ft, Aug 17, 19851
WentworthNC19.031.60 ft, Jun 22, 19721

Other gauges in Halifax County

Flood gauges in Halifax County
Paces22.033.15 ft, Jun 23, 19720
Randolph24.041.60 ft, Aug 16, 19403

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SBNV2, 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.