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James River (VA) at Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW)

Highest listed crest 6.27 ftFlood stage 4.0 ft64 crests since 2015

The James River (VA) at Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW) crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 64 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2015 to 2026. The highest, 6.27 ft on October 4, 2015, was major flooding, 2.27 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the James River (VA) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
6.27 ft
October 4, 2015
Flood stage
4.0 ft
Major flooding from 5.0 ft
Crests at major
8
21st of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
September 24, 2026
5.38 ft, major flooding
Location
James City County
Near Williamsburg (5.7 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 Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW)
Action stage3.52Oct 15, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)4.031Sep 10, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage4.523Oct 1, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage5.08Sep 24, 2026Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

Listed crests at the James River (VA) at Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW), 2015 to 2026 34567ft Flood stage 4.0 ftMajor 5.0 ft Oct 4, 2015: 6.27 ft, major floodingFeb 9, 2016: 4.28 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 2016: 4.66 ft, moderate floodingSep 3, 2016: 5.40 ft, major floodingSep 29, 2016: 4.52 ft, moderate floodingOct 9, 2016: 4.96 ft, moderate floodingDec 6, 2016: 3.83 ft, action stageJan 24, 2017: 4.07 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 2017: 4.05 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 2017: 4.11 ft, minor floodingJul 30, 2017: 4.08 ft, minor floodingAug 29, 2017: 4.33 ft, minor floodingSep 19, 2017: 4.27 ft, minor floodingNov 9, 2017: 4.07 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 2018: 4.35 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 2018: 4.15 ft, minor floodingSep 10, 2018: 4.56 ft, moderate floodingMay 13, 2019: 4.17 ft, minor floodingAug 26, 2019: 4.60 ft, moderate floodingSep 6, 2019: 4.63 ft, moderate floodingSep 19, 2019: 4.09 ft, minor floodingOct 11, 2019: 4.89 ft, moderate floodingNov 17, 2019: 4.58 ft, moderate floodingApr 1, 2020: 4.93 ft, moderate floodingMay 19, 2020: 4.78 ft, moderate floodingJun 16, 2020: 4.39 ft, minor floodingAug 15, 2020: 4.50 ft, moderate floodingSep 21, 2020: 4.43 ft, minor floodingOct 31, 2020: 4.21 ft, minor floodingNov 14, 2020: 4.24 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 2021: 4.20 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 2021: 4.08 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 2021: 4.73 ft, moderate floodingOct 10, 2021: 4.52 ft, moderate floodingNov 7, 2021: 4.27 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 2022: 4.96 ft, moderate floodingMay 10, 2022: 5.09 ft, major floodingSep 9, 2022: 4.23 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 2022: 5.50 ft, major floodingJun 4, 2023: 4.12 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 2023: 4.65 ft, moderate floodingAug 31, 2023: 4.13 ft, minor floodingSep 23, 2023: 5.23 ft, major floodingSep 27, 2023: 4.53 ft, moderate floodingOct 15, 2023: 3.87 ft, action stageDec 18, 2023: 4.18 ft, minor floodingJan 9, 2024: 4.27 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 2024: 4.51 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 2024: 4.18 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 2024: 4.46 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 2024: 4.05 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 2024: 4.49 ft, minor floodingSep 16, 2024: 4.37 ft, minor floodingSep 22, 2024: 4.56 ft, moderate floodingSep 27, 2024: 4.23 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 2024: 4.72 ft, moderate floodingNov 15, 2024: 4.71 ft, moderate floodingAug 21, 2025: 4.87 ft, moderate floodingSep 10, 2025: 4.19 ft, minor floodingSep 16, 2025: 4.55 ft, moderate floodingOct 1, 2025: 4.75 ft, moderate floodingOct 12, 2025: 5.63 ft, major floodingOct 28, 2025: 5.03 ft, major floodingSep 24, 2026: 5.38 ft, major flooding Highest, 6.27 ft, Oct 4, 2015 201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, James River (VA) at Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW) 2010s: 22 2020s: 40 40 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

The 50 highest of 64 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, James River (VA) at Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW)
1Oct 4, 20156.27+2.27Major—
2Oct 12, 20255.63+1.63Major—
3Oct 1, 20225.50+1.50Major—
4Sep 3, 20165.40+1.40Major—
5Sep 24, 20265.38+1.38Major—
6Sep 23, 20235.23+1.23Major—
7May 10, 20225.09+1.09Major—
8Oct 28, 20255.03+1.03Major—
9Oct 9, 20164.96+0.96Moderate—
10Jan 3, 20224.96+0.96Moderate—
11Apr 1, 20204.93+0.93Moderate—
12Oct 11, 20194.89+0.89Moderate—
13Aug 21, 20254.87+0.87Moderate—
14May 19, 20204.78+0.78Moderate—
15Oct 1, 20254.75+0.75Moderate—
16May 30, 20214.73+0.73Moderate—
17Oct 1, 20244.72+0.72Moderate—
18Nov 15, 20244.71+0.71Moderate—
19May 6, 20164.66+0.66Moderate—
20Jun 21, 20234.65+0.65Moderate—
21Sep 6, 20194.63+0.63Moderate—
22Aug 26, 20194.60+0.60Moderate—
23Nov 17, 20194.58+0.58Moderate—
24Sep 10, 20184.56+0.56Moderate—
25Sep 22, 20244.56+0.56Moderate—
26Sep 16, 20254.55+0.55Moderate—
27Sep 27, 20234.53+0.53Moderate—
28Sep 29, 20164.52+0.52Moderate—
29Oct 10, 20214.52+0.52Moderate—
30Feb 6, 20244.51+0.51Moderate—
31Aug 15, 20204.50+0.50Moderate—
32May 11, 20244.49+0.49Minor—
33Mar 27, 20244.46+0.46Minor—
34Sep 21, 20204.43+0.43Minor—
35Jun 16, 20204.39+0.39Minor—
36Sep 16, 20244.37+0.37Minor—
37Mar 7, 20184.35+0.35Minor—
38Aug 29, 20174.33+0.33Minor—
39Feb 9, 20164.28+0.28Minor—
40Sep 19, 20174.27+0.27Minor—
41Nov 7, 20214.27+0.27Minor—
42Jan 9, 20244.27+0.27Minor—
43Nov 14, 20204.24+0.24Minor—
44Sep 9, 20224.23+0.23Minor—
45Sep 27, 20244.23+0.23Minor—
46Oct 31, 20204.21+0.21Minor—
47Mar 19, 20214.20+0.20Minor—
48Sep 10, 20254.19+0.19Minor—
49Dec 18, 20234.18+0.18Minor—
50Mar 9, 20244.18+0.18Minor—

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.

October 4, 2015: 6.27 ft here, major flooding

October 12, 2025: 5.63 ft here, major flooding

October 1, 2022: 5.50 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 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 RockVA22.042.15 ft, Nov 5, 19857
Jamestown/Scotland Ferry (IN MLLW) this gaugeVA4.06.27 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

James City County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge JSFV2, 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.