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James River (VA) at Lick Run

Highest listed crest 33.00 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft95 crests since 1877

The James River (VA) at Lick Run crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 95 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1877 to 2025. The highest, 33.00 ft on November 24, 1877, was major flooding, 17.00 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
33.00 ft
November 24, 1877; 120,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
7
26th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
18.44 ft, minor flooding
Location
Botetourt 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 Lick Run
Action stage12.016Feb 7, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.059Feb 16, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.06Jun 24, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.07Jan 19, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

95 crests from 1877 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the James River (VA) at Lick Run, 1877 to 2025 101520253035ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Nov 24, 1877: 33.00 ft, major flooding; 120,000 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1913: 30.40 ft, major flooding; 98,000 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1926: 20.00 ft, minor flooding; 37,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1929: 15.10 ft, action stage; 21,800 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 1929: 17.75 ft, minor flooding; 31,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1932: 18.14 ft, minor flooding; 32,300 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1935: 22.98 ft, moderate flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1936: 25.65 ft, major flooding; 66,000 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1937: 17.45 ft, minor flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondOct 28, 1937: 15.78 ft, action stage; 24,800 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1939: 16.98 ft, minor flooding; 27,700 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1940: 16.12 ft, minor flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1942: 21.10 ft, minor flooding; 43,500 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1943: 17.60 ft, minor flooding; 30,800 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 16.00 ft, minor flooding; 26,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1948: 16.10 ft, minor flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1949: 20.45 ft, minor flooding; 40,600 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1950: 20.45 ft, minor flooding; 38,300 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1952: 19.07 ft, minor flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1953: 20.55 ft, minor flooding; 38,900 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1954: 18.82 ft, minor flooding; 33,400 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1955: 19.50 ft, minor flooding; 35,500 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1957: 19.56 ft, minor flooding; 35,800 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 19.65 ft, minor flooding; 35,400 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1961: 19.87 ft, minor flooding; 36,200 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 22.60 ft, moderate flooding; 45,200 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1964: 16.07 ft, minor flooding; 25,900 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1965: 15.26 ft, action stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1965: 16.50 ft, minor flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1966: 16.34 ft, minor flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1967: 22.30 ft, moderate flooding; 42,800 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1967: 19.22 ft, minor flooding; 32,700 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1969: 25.53 ft, major flooding; 58,500 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 19.88 ft, minor flooding; 34,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1971: 19.61 ft, minor flooding; 33,900 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1971: 19.71 ft, minor flooding; 32,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1972: 19.84 ft, minor flooding; 34,500 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1972: 27.01 ft, major flooding; 66,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1973: 17.82 ft, minor flooding; 29,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1973: 18.66 ft, minor flooding; 31,200 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1973: 19.44 ft, minor flooding; 33,500 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1973: 24.77 ft, moderate flooding; 54,200 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1974: 17.51 ft, minor flooding; 28,300 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1975: 17.79 ft, minor flooding; 28,900 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1975: 15.61 ft, action stage; 23,700 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1976: 16.40 ft, minor flooding; 25,600 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 1976: 17.13 ft, minor flooding; 27,300 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 22.54 ft, moderate flooding; 43,700 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 21.66 ft, minor flooding; 40,600 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1978: 18.01 ft, minor flooding; 29,400 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1978: 18.54 ft, minor flooding; 30,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1979: 18.04 ft, minor flooding; 29,400 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1979: 16.50 ft, minor flooding; 25,800 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1982: 17.79 ft, minor flooding; 28,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1984: 17.30 ft, minor flooding; 27,800 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1985: 30.22 ft, major flooding; 87,500 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1987: 20.23 ft, minor flooding; 38,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1992: 18.99 ft, minor flooding; 34,500 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1993: 18.04 ft, minor flooding; 31,982 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1995: 19.23 ft, minor flooding; 35,251 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 25.03 ft, major flooding; 57,250 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1996: 17.88 ft, minor flooding; 31,568 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1996: 16.24 ft, minor flooding; 27,419 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1998: 18.42 ft, minor flooding; 32,971 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1998: 15.89 ft, action stageFeb 19, 2000: 10.79 ft, below flood stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2001: 11.88 ft, below flood stage; 17,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2003: 19.86 ft, minor flooding; 37,100 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2003: 11.19 ft, below flood stage; 15,600 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2004: 21.69 ft, minor flooding; 43,745 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2005: 11.53 ft, below flood stage; 15,100 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2006: 19.79 ft, minor flooding; 37,100 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2007: 17.18 ft, minor flooding; 29,200 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2008: 10.03 ft, below flood stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2009: 10.34 ft, below flood stage; 12,600 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 18.58 ft, minor flooding; 33,240 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 14.76 ft, action stage; 22,700 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 2011: 15.10 ft, action stage; 23,600 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 16.83 ft, minor flooding; 28,290 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2013: 17.29 ft, minor flooding; 29,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 2016: 12.51 ft, action stage; 17,300 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2016: 13.93 ft, action stage; 20,700 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2016: 22.84 ft, moderate flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2017: 12.24 ft, action stage; 16,500 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2018: 17.24 ft, minor flooding; 28,300 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2018: 17.20 ft, minor flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 13.04 ft, action stage; 18,200 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2020: 16.32 ft, minor flooding; 26,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2023: 14.62 ft, action stage; 21,900 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 13.59 ft, action stage; 19,500 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2024: 11.72 ft, below flood stage; 15,300 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2024: 12.15 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2025: 12.77 ft, action stage; 17,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2025: 12.20 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2025: 18.44 ft, minor flooding; 31,600 cubic feet per second Highest, 33.00 ft, Nov 24, 1877 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, James River (VA) at Lick Run 1870s: 1 1880s: 0 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 1 1920s: 2 1930s: 5 1940s: 6 1950s: 6 1960s: 10 1970s: 18 18 1980s: 4 1990s: 7 2000s: 4 2010s: 6 2020s: 2 1870s1890s1910s1930s1950s1970s1990s2010s
  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 95 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, James River (VA) at Lick Run
1Nov 24, 187733.00+17.00Major120,000
2Mar 12, 191330.40+14.40Major98,000
3Nov 5, 198530.22+14.22Major87,500
4Jun 21, 197227.01+11.01Major66,300
5Mar 18, 193625.65+9.65Major66,000
6Aug 20, 196925.53+9.53Major58,500
7Jan 19, 199625.03+9.03Major57,250
8Dec 27, 197324.77+8.77Moderate54,200
9Jan 23, 193522.98+6.98Moderate53,000
10Jun 24, 201622.84+6.84Moderate48,000
11Mar 12, 196322.60+6.60Moderate45,200
12Apr 5, 197722.54+6.54Moderate43,700
13Mar 8, 196722.30+6.30Moderate42,800
14Sep 29, 200421.69+5.69Minor43,745
15Jan 26, 197821.66+5.66Minor40,600
16May 17, 194221.10+5.10Minor43,500
17Feb 22, 195320.55+4.55Minor38,900
18Apr 14, 194920.45+4.45Minor40,600
19Dec 8, 195020.45+4.45Minor38,300
20Apr 16, 198720.23+4.23Minor38,000
21Dec 26, 192620.00+4.00Minor37,000
22Dec 31, 196919.88+3.88Minor34,800
23Oct 21, 196119.87+3.87Minor36,200
24Feb 23, 200319.86+3.86Minor37,100
25Feb 26, 197219.84+3.84Minor34,500
26Jun 27, 200619.79+3.79Minor37,100
27May 31, 197119.71+3.71Minor32,700
28Mar 31, 196019.65+3.65Minor35,400
29Feb 14, 197119.61+3.61Minor33,900
30Apr 6, 195719.56+3.56Minor35,800
31Mar 6, 195519.50+3.50Minor35,500
32May 28, 197319.44+3.44Minor33,500
33Jan 15, 199519.23+3.23Minor35,251
34Mar 15, 196719.22+3.22Minor32,700
35Mar 12, 195219.07+3.07Minor34,300
36Apr 22, 199218.99+2.99Minor34,500
37Mar 2, 195418.82+2.82Minor33,400
38Mar 17, 197318.66+2.66Minor31,200
39Jan 25, 201018.58+2.58Minor33,240
40Mar 27, 197818.54+2.54Minor30,800
41Feb 16, 202518.44+2.44Minor31,600
42Jan 8, 199818.42+2.42Minor32,971
43Feb 5, 193218.14+2.14Minor32,300
44Feb 25, 197918.04+2.04Minor29,400
45Mar 4, 199318.04+2.04Minor31,982
46Mar 15, 197818.01+2.01Minor29,400
47Sep 7, 199617.88+1.88Minor31,568
48Feb 3, 197317.82+1.82Minor29,000
49Mar 20, 197517.79+1.79Minor28,900
50Jun 13, 198217.79+1.79Minor28,900

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

June 21, 1972: 27.01 ft here, major flooding

March 18, 1936: 25.65 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)VA4.06.27 ft, Oct 4, 20158
Lick Run this gaugeVA16.033.00 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 Botetourt County

Flood gauges in Botetourt County
Catawba7.019.19 ft, Nov 4, 19851
Howell Mills8.010.11 ft, Jun 16, 20250
Parr12.024.76 ft, Nov 4, 19853
Buchanan17.038.84 ft, Nov 5, 19855
Daleville11.013.36 ft, Nov 4, 19850

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LIRV2, 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.