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Elizabeth River near Pinehurst in Portsmouth (IN MLLW)

Highest listed crest 6.85 ftFlood stage 5.0 ft28 crests since 2015

The Elizabeth River near Pinehurst in Portsmouth (IN MLLW) crested above flood stage 28 times among the 28 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2015 to 2026. The highest, 6.85 ft on October 4, 2015, was moderate flooding, 1.85 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Elizabeth River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
6.85 ft
October 4, 2015
Flood stage
5.0 ft
Major flooding from 7.0 ft
Crests at major
0
28 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
September 25, 2026
6.44 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Portsmouth city
Near Portsmouth (1.2 mi), Norfolk (8.6 mi), Chesapeake (11.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Elizabeth River near Pinehurst in Portsmouth (IN MLLW)
Action stage4.50—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)5.021Oct 28, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage6.07Sep 25, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage7.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

28 crests from 2015 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Elizabeth River near Pinehurst in Portsmouth (IN MLLW), 2015 to 2026 55.566.57ft Flood stage 5.0 ftMajor 7.0 ft Oct 4, 2015: 6.85 ft, moderate floodingOct 9, 2016: 6.36 ft, moderate floodingMar 19, 2021: 5.04 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 2021: 5.75 ft, minor floodingOct 11, 2021: 5.41 ft, minor floodingNov 7, 2021: 5.61 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 2022: 6.63 ft, moderate floodingMay 10, 2022: 5.81 ft, minor floodingSep 9, 2022: 5.18 ft, minor floodingSep 30, 2022: 5.82 ft, minor floodingNov 10, 2022: 5.71 ft, minor floodingAug 31, 2023: 5.53 ft, minor floodingSep 23, 2023: 6.01 ft, moderate floodingSep 28, 2023: 5.55 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 2024: 5.19 ft, minor floodingFeb 13, 2024: 5.13 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 2024: 5.20 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 2024: 5.52 ft, minor floodingSep 22, 2024: 5.49 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 2024: 5.07 ft, minor floodingNov 15, 2024: 5.87 ft, minor floodingAug 22, 2025: 5.83 ft, minor floodingSep 10, 2025: 5.28 ft, minor floodingSep 16, 2025: 6.02 ft, moderate floodingOct 1, 2025: 5.24 ft, minor floodingOct 12, 2025: 6.52 ft, moderate floodingOct 28, 2025: 5.67 ft, minor floodingSep 25, 2026: 6.44 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 6.85 ft, Oct 4, 2015 201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Elizabeth River near Pinehurst in Portsmouth (IN MLLW) 2010s: 2 2020s: 26 26 2010s2020s
  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, Elizabeth River near Pinehurst in Portsmouth (IN MLLW)
1Oct 4, 20156.85+1.85Moderate—
2Jan 3, 20226.63+1.63Moderate—
3Oct 12, 20256.52+1.52Moderate—
4Sep 25, 20266.44+1.44Moderate—
5Oct 9, 20166.36+1.36Moderate—
6Sep 16, 20256.02+1.02Moderate—
7Sep 23, 20236.01+1.01Moderate—
8Nov 15, 20245.87+0.87Minor—
9Aug 22, 20255.83+0.83Minor—
10Sep 30, 20225.82+0.82Minor—
11May 10, 20225.81+0.81Minor—
12May 30, 20215.75+0.75Minor—
13Nov 10, 20225.71+0.71Minor—
14Oct 28, 20255.67+0.67Minor—
15Nov 7, 20215.61+0.61Minor—
16Sep 28, 20235.55+0.55Minor—
17Aug 31, 20235.53+0.53Minor—
18May 11, 20245.52+0.52Minor—
19Sep 22, 20245.49+0.49Minor—
20Oct 11, 20215.41+0.41Minor—
21Sep 10, 20255.28+0.28Minor—
22Oct 1, 20255.24+0.24Minor—
23Mar 10, 20245.20+0.20Minor—
24Feb 7, 20245.19+0.19Minor—
25Sep 9, 20225.18+0.18Minor—
26Feb 13, 20245.13+0.13Minor—
27Oct 1, 20245.07+0.07Minor—
28Mar 19, 20215.04+0.04Minor—

The worst floods along the Elizabeth River

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

October 4, 2015: 6.85 ft here, moderate flooding

January 3, 2022: 6.63 ft here, moderate flooding

October 12, 2025: 6.52 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Elizabeth River

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

Flood gauges on the Elizabeth River
Bailey Creek near Chesapeake VA (IN MLLW)VA5.56.76 ft, Oct 12, 20250
Route 165 in Virginia BeachVA4.56.45 ft, Oct 9, 20160
Scuffeltown Creek (IN MLLW)VA5.06.54 ft, Oct 12, 20250
The Hague at Pedestrian BridgeVA4.56.87 ft, Oct 4, 20151
the Midtown Tunnel (in MLLW)VA5.06.73 ft, Jan 3, 20220
Money Point (IN MLLW)VA5.08.60 ft, Nov 12, 20098
Pinehurst in Portsmouth (IN MLLW) this gaugeVA5.06.85 ft, Oct 4, 20150

Portsmouth city: every hazard · River floods across the country · Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ELZV2, 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.