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James River (VA) at Holcomb Rock

Highest listed crest 42.15 ftFlood stage 22.0 ft80 crests since 1932

The James River (VA) at Holcomb Rock crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 80 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1932 to 2025. The highest, 42.15 ft on November 5, 1985, was major flooding, 20.15 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
42.15 ft
November 5, 1985; 207,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
22.0 ft
Major flooding from 28.0 ft
Crests at major
7
26th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 17, 2025
23.63 ft, minor flooding
Location
Bedford County
Near Lynchburg (8.0 mi)

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 Holcomb Rock
Action stage18.022Apr 14, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)22.020Feb 17, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage24.014Sep 29, 2004Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage28.07Jan 20, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

80 crests from 1932 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the James River (VA) at Holcomb Rock, 1932 to 2025 1020304050ft Flood stage 22.0 ftMajor 28.0 ft Feb 5, 1932: 17.90 ft, below flood stage; 38,700 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1932: 19.42 ft, action stage; 45,300 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1934: 17.66 ft, below flood stage; 37,800 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1935: 26.61 ft, moderate flooding; 86,300 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1936: 30.78 ft, major flooding; 115,000 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1937: 21.15 ft, action stage; 53,100 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1937: 22.52 ft, minor flooding; 59,000 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1940: 24.25 ft, moderate flooding; 66,800 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1942: 24.62 ft, moderate flooding; 68,700 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1942: 18.48 ft, action stage; 41,200 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 1944: 16.60 ft, below flood stage; 33,300 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 1945: 15.70 ft, below flood stage; 29,800 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 17.94 ft, below flood stage; 38,700 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1947: 15.90 ft, below flood stage; 30,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1948: 19.90 ft, action stage; 47,600 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1949: 22.90 ft, minor flooding; 63,300 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1950: 24.00 ft, moderate flooding; 69,900 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1950: 22.83 ft, minor flooding; 62,700 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1952: 20.33 ft, action stage; 49,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1953: 21.63 ft, action stage; 56,100 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1954: 22.80 ft, minor flooding; 62,700 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1955: 23.33 ft, minor flooding; 65,900 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1956: 12.60 ft, below flood stage; 18,800 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1957: 22.36 ft, minor flooding; 60,500 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1958: 18.08 ft, action stage; 39,500 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1959: 15.49 ft, below flood stage; 29,000 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 22.00 ft, minor flooding; 58,300 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1961: 21.87 ft, action stage; 57,800 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1963: 24.75 ft, moderate flooding; 74,700 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1967: 22.46 ft, minor flooding; 61,000 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1969: 35.50 ft, major flooding; 150,000 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1970: 22.20 ft, minor flooding; 59,400 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1971: 22.62 ft, minor flooding; 61,600 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1972: 32.38 ft, major flooding; 126,000 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1973: 21.89 ft, action stage; 57,700 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1973: 24.69 ft, moderate flooding; 74,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1975: 22.53 ft, minor flooding; 61,200 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1977: 23.47 ft, minor flooding; 66,700 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 25.59 ft, moderate flooding; 79,700 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1978: 21.27 ft, action stage; 54,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1979: 24.56 ft, moderate flooding; 73,300 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1982: 23.67 ft, minor flooding; 67,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1984: 22.63 ft, minor flooding; 61,800 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1985: 42.15 ft, major flooding; 207,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 28.36 ft, major flooding; 97,900 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1987: 22.59 ft, minor flooding; 61,500 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 1987: 24.20 ft, moderate flooding; 71,700 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1992: 29.48 ft, major flooding; 105,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1993: 23.15 ft, minor flooding; 64,900 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1993: 20.15 ft, action stage; 48,900 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1995: 24.76 ft, moderate flooding; 74,430 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1995: 26.87 ft, moderate flooding; 87,800 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 30.99 ft, major flooding; 115,689 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1996: 22.04 ft, minor flooding; 58,658 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1998: 24.11 ft, moderate flooding; 70,508 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2000: 14.06 ft, below flood stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2001: 14.51 ft, below flood stage; 25,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2003: 26.90 ft, moderate flooding; 88,250 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2003: 16.11 ft, below flood stage; 31,300 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2004: 24.50 ft, moderate flooding; 71,900 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2005: 15.64 ft, below flood stage; 29,600 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2006: 22.74 ft, minor flooding; 66,800 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 2006: 19.69 ft, action stage; 50,600 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2008: 14.85 ft, below flood stage; 28,800 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2009: 13.01 ft, below flood stage; 21,800 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2010: 23.78 ft, minor flooding; 72,680 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 20.68 ft, action stage; 48,900 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 2011: 19.09 ft, action stage; 41,800 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2013: 21.71 ft, action stage; 53,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 2014: 15.24 ft, below flood stage; 27,700 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2015: 18.21 ft, action stage; 38,500 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2016: 19.36 ft, action stage; 45,600 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2017: 18.17 ft, action stage; 40,300 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2017: 20.11 ft, action stage; 49,100 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2018: 20.84 ft, action stage; 52,605 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2019: 20.27 ft, action stage; 49,900 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2020: 18.91 ft, action stage; 43,600 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 17.02 ft, below flood stage; 35,500 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2024: 16.56 ft, below flood stage; 33,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2025: 23.63 ft, minor flooding; 67,100 cubic feet per second Highest, 42.15 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 Holcomb Rock 1930s: 3 1940s: 3 1950s: 5 1960s: 4 1970s: 8 8 1980s: 6 1990s: 7 2000s: 3 2010s: 1 2020s: 1 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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. 1 crest measured on an earlier gauge datum is left out: 31.30 ft on Mar 28, 1913.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 80 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, James River (VA) at Holcomb Rock
1Nov 5, 198542.15+20.15Major207,000
2Aug 20, 196935.50+13.50Major150,000
3Jun 22, 197232.38+10.38Major126,000
4Jan 20, 199630.99+8.99Major115,689
5Mar 18, 193630.78+8.78Major115,000
6Apr 22, 199229.48+7.48Major105,000
7Apr 17, 198728.36+6.36Major97,900
8Feb 23, 200326.90+4.90Moderate88,250
9Jun 28, 199526.87+4.87Moderate87,800
10Jan 23, 193526.61+4.61Moderate86,300
11Jan 26, 197825.59+3.59Moderate79,700
12Jan 16, 199524.76+2.76Moderate74,430
13Mar 13, 196324.75+2.75Moderate74,700
14Dec 29, 197324.69+2.69Moderate74,000
15May 22, 194224.62+2.62Moderate68,700
16Feb 26, 197924.56+2.56Moderate73,300
17Sep 29, 200424.50+2.50Moderate71,900
18Aug 16, 194024.25+2.25Moderate66,800
19Sep 8, 198724.20+2.20Moderate71,700
20Jan 9, 199824.11+2.11Moderate70,508
21Sep 10, 195024.00+2.00Moderate69,900
22Jan 26, 201023.78+1.78Minor72,680
23Jun 13, 198223.67+1.67Minor67,900
24Feb 17, 202523.63+1.63Minor67,100
25Apr 6, 197723.47+1.47Minor66,700
26Mar 7, 195523.33+1.33Minor65,900
27Mar 5, 199323.15+1.15Minor64,900
28Apr 14, 194922.90+0.90Minor63,300
29Dec 8, 195022.83+0.83Minor62,700
30Mar 2, 195422.80+0.80Minor62,700
31Jun 28, 200622.74+0.74Minor66,800
32Feb 15, 198422.63+0.63Minor61,800
33May 31, 197122.62+0.62Minor61,600
34Apr 25, 198722.59+0.59Minor61,500
35Mar 20, 197522.53+0.53Minor61,200
36Oct 20, 193722.52+0.52Minor59,000
37Mar 8, 196722.46+0.46Minor61,000
38Apr 6, 195722.36+0.36Minor60,500
39Jan 1, 197022.20+0.20Minor59,400
40Sep 6, 199622.04+0.04Minor58,658
41Mar 31, 196022.000.00Minor58,300
42May 29, 197321.89−0.11Action57,700
43Oct 21, 196121.87−0.13Action57,800
44May 8, 201321.71−0.29Action53,800
45Feb 22, 195321.63−0.37Action56,100
46Mar 27, 197821.27−0.73Action54,400
47Jan 21, 193721.15−0.85Action53,100
48Apr 17, 201820.84−1.16Action52,605
49Apr 17, 201120.68−1.32Action48,900
50Mar 12, 195220.33−1.67Action49,600

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: 42.15 ft here, major flooding

  • 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
  • Bent CreekVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 30.76 ft · Major · its highest
  • Lick RunVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 30.22 ft · Major
  • Richmond-WesthamVA · Nov 7, 1985 · 24.77 ft · Major

August 20, 1969: 35.50 ft here, major flooding

June 22, 1972: 32.38 ft here, major flooding

  • ScottsvilleVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 34.02 ft · Major · its highest
  • BuchananVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 30.49 ft · Major
  • Richmond-WesthamVA · Jun 23, 1972 · 28.62 ft · Major · its highest
  • Bent CreekVA · Jun 21, 1972 · 27.13 ft · Major
  • Lick RunVA · Jun 21, 1972 · 27.01 ft · Major

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 CreekVA16.030.76 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 Rock this gaugeVA22.042.15 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 Bedford County

Flood gauges in Bedford County
Huddleston15.037.49 ft, Sep 8, 19870

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HRKV2, 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.