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James River (VA) at Bent Creek

Highest listed crest 30.76 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft69 crests since 1926

The James River (VA) at Bent Creek crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 69 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1926 to 2025. The highest, 30.76 ft on November 5, 1985, was major flooding, 14.76 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the James River (VA) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
30.76 ft
November 5, 1985; 226,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
5
32nd of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 17, 2025
17.19 ft, minor flooding
Location
Nelson County
Virginia

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, James River (VA) at Bent Creek
Action stage15.07May 8, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.023Feb 17, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.015Sep 7, 1996Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.05Jan 20, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

69 crests from 1926 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the James River (VA) at Bent Creek, 1926 to 2025 010203040ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Dec 27, 1926: 14.58 ft, below flood stageAug 17, 1928: 18.80 ft, moderate floodingOct 18, 1932: 15.32 ft, action stageJan 24, 1935: 20.22 ft, moderate floodingMar 18, 1936: 23.02 ft, major floodingJan 21, 1937: 15.64 ft, action stageOct 20, 1937: 16.76 ft, minor floodingAug 16, 1940: 19.63 ft, moderate floodingMay 23, 1942: 18.34 ft, moderate floodingSep 19, 1944: 18.00 ft, moderate floodingDec 4, 1948: 18.68 ft, moderate floodingSep 10, 1950: 17.80 ft, minor floodingFeb 22, 1953: 16.07 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1954: 16.78 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1955: 17.28 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1957: 16.60 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1960: 16.19 ft, minor floodingOct 22, 1961: 16.42 ft, minor flooding; 59,800 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1963: 18.47 ft, moderate flooding; 75,500 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1967: 16.23 ft, minor flooding; 58,600 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1969: 24.77 ft, major flooding; 144,000 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1970: 16.08 ft, minor flooding; 57,600 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1971: 16.31 ft, minor flooding; 59,200 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1972: 27.13 ft, major flooding; 176,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1973: 15.01 ft, action stage; 50,600 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1973: 15.75 ft, action stage; 55,400 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1974: 18.00 ft, moderate flooding; 71,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1975: 18.34 ft, moderate flooding; 75,100 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1977: 16.66 ft, minor flooding; 61,600 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1978: 18.38 ft, moderate flooding; 75,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1979: 18.37 ft, moderate flooding; 75,300 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1980: 15.37 ft, action stage; 53,000 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1982: 16.75 ft, minor flooding; 69,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1984: 16.11 ft, minor flooding; 64,400 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1985: 30.76 ft, major flooding; 226,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 21.73 ft, moderate flooding; 115,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1987: 16.67 ft, minor flooding; 68,900 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 1987: 20.25 ft, moderate flooding; 101,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1992: 21.02 ft, moderate flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1993: 16.49 ft, minor flooding; 67,425 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1995: 17.60 ft, minor flooding; 76,607 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1995: 17.53 ft, minor flooding; 76,013 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 22.10 ft, major flooding; 119,127 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1996: 19.31 ft, moderate flooding; 91,747 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1998: 17.00 ft, minor flooding; 71,581 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2000: 9.59 ft, below flood stage; 22,800 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2001: 9.82 ft, below flood stage; 23,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2003: 17.97 ft, minor flooding; 79,995 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2004: 16.99 ft, minor flooding; 71,500 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2005: 10.93 ft, below flood stage; 29,700 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2006: 15.71 ft, action stage; 61,300 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2007: 13.40 ft, below flood stage; 44,700 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2008: 10.25 ft, below flood stage; 26,100 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2009: 9.07 ft, below flood stage; 20,300 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2010: 16.85 ft, minor flooding; 70,350 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 14.25 ft, below flood stage; 53,900 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 2011: 13.17 ft, below flood stage; 46,700 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2013: 15.15 ft, action stage; 63,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 2014: 10.70 ft, below flood stage; 32,300 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2015: 12.47 ft, below flood stage; 43,500 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2016: 13.18 ft, below flood stage; 48,400 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2017: 14.02 ft, below flood stage; 55,400 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2018: 14.46 ft, below flood stage; 57,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2019: 14.37 ft, below flood stage; 57,000 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2020: 11.48 ft, below flood stage; 37,500 cubic feet per secondNov 13, 2020: 12.63 ft, below flood stage; 45,100 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2023: 13.13 ft, below flood stage; 48,600 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 2024: 11.33 ft, below flood stage; 36,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2025: 17.19 ft, minor flooding; 80,206 cubic feet per second Highest, 30.76 ft, Nov 5, 1985 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, James River (VA) at Bent Creek 1920s: 1 1930s: 3 1940s: 4 1950s: 5 1960s: 5 1970s: 8 8 1980s: 6 1990s: 7 2000s: 2 2010s: 1 2020s: 1 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.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 69 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, James River (VA) at Bent Creek
1Nov 5, 198530.76+14.76Major226,000
2Jun 21, 197227.13+11.13Major176,000
3Aug 20, 196924.77+8.77Major144,000
4Mar 18, 193623.02+7.02Major—
5Jan 20, 199622.10+6.10Major119,127
6Apr 17, 198721.73+5.73Moderate115,000
7Apr 22, 199221.02+5.02Moderate108,000
8Sep 8, 198720.25+4.25Moderate101,000
9Jan 24, 193520.22+4.22Moderate—
10Aug 16, 194019.63+3.63Moderate—
11Sep 7, 199619.31+3.31Moderate91,747
12Aug 17, 192818.80+2.80Moderate—
13Dec 4, 194818.68+2.68Moderate—
14Mar 13, 196318.47+2.47Moderate75,500
15Jan 27, 197818.38+2.38Moderate75,400
16Feb 26, 197918.37+2.37Moderate75,300
17May 23, 194218.34+2.34Moderate—
18Mar 19, 197518.34+2.34Moderate75,100
19Sep 19, 194418.00+2.00Moderate—
20Dec 28, 197418.00+2.00Moderate71,500
21Feb 24, 200317.97+1.97Minor79,995
22Sep 10, 195017.80+1.80Minor—
23Jan 16, 199517.60+1.60Minor76,607
24Jun 28, 199517.53+1.53Minor76,013
25Mar 7, 195517.28+1.28Minor—
26Feb 17, 202517.19+1.19Minor80,206
27Jan 9, 199817.00+1.00Minor71,581
28Sep 30, 200416.99+0.99Minor71,500
29Jan 26, 201016.85+0.85Minor70,350
30Mar 2, 195416.78+0.78Minor—
31Oct 20, 193716.76+0.76Minor—
32Jun 14, 198216.75+0.75Minor69,500
33Apr 26, 198716.67+0.67Minor68,900
34Apr 6, 197716.66+0.66Minor61,600
35Apr 6, 195716.60+0.60Minor—
36Mar 5, 199316.49+0.49Minor67,425
37Oct 22, 196116.42+0.42Minor59,800
38May 31, 197116.31+0.31Minor59,200
39Mar 8, 196716.23+0.23Minor58,600
40Mar 31, 196016.19+0.19Minor—
41Feb 15, 198416.11+0.11Minor64,400
42Jan 1, 197016.08+0.08Minor57,600
43Feb 22, 195316.07+0.07Minor—
44May 29, 197315.75−0.25Action55,400
45Jun 28, 200615.71−0.29Action61,300
46Jan 21, 193715.64−0.36Action—
47Apr 15, 198015.37−0.63Action53,000
48Oct 18, 193215.32−0.68Action—
49May 8, 201315.15−0.85Action63,000
50Feb 3, 197315.01−0.99Action50,600

The worst floods along the James River (VA)

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

November 5, 1985: 30.76 ft here, major flooding

  • Holcomb RockVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 42.15 ft · Major · its highest
  • BuchananVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 38.84 ft · Major · its highest
  • CartersvilleVA · Nov 6, 1985 · 32.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • ScottsvilleVA · Nov 6, 1985 · 31.77 ft · Major
  • Lick RunVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 30.22 ft · Major
  • Richmond-WesthamVA · Nov 7, 1985 · 24.77 ft · Major

June 21, 1972: 27.13 ft here, major flooding

  • ScottsvilleVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 34.02 ft · Major · its highest
  • Holcomb RockVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 32.38 ft · Major
  • BuchananVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 30.49 ft · Major
  • Richmond-WesthamVA · Jun 23, 1972 · 28.62 ft · Major · its highest
  • Lick RunVA · Jun 21, 1972 · 27.01 ft · Major

August 20, 1969: 24.77 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the James River (VA)

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

Flood gauges on the James River (VA)
Bent Creek this gaugeVA16.030.76 ft, Nov 5, 19855
Bremo BluffVA21.024.29 ft, Feb 17, 20250
BuchananVA17.038.84 ft, Nov 5, 19855
CartersvilleVA20.032.60 ft, Nov 6, 19855
Fort Monroe (IN MLLW)VA4.56.42 ft, Oct 4, 20150
Holcomb RockVA22.042.15 ft, Nov 5, 19857
Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW)VA4.06.27 ft, Oct 4, 20158
Lick RunVA16.033.00 ft, Nov 24, 18777
Richmond LocksVA8.023.75 ft, Sep 8, 19960
Richmond-WesthamVA12.028.62 ft, Jun 23, 19725
ScottsvilleVA20.034.02 ft, Jun 22, 197212
Sewell's Point (IN MLLW)VA4.58.02 ft, Aug 23, 193311

Other gauges in Nelson County

Flood gauges in Nelson County
Greenfield12.033.20 ft, Aug 20, 19691
Lovingston13.032.00 ft, Aug 20, 19691

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BECV2, 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.