Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

New River at Allisonia

Highest listed crest 23.42 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft98 crests since 1929

The New River at Allisonia crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 98 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1929 to 2024. The highest, 23.42 ft on August 14, 1940, was major flooding, 15.42 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the New River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.42 ft
August 14, 1940; 185,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 17.0 ft
Crests at major
2
75th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
September 28, 2024
22.29 ft, major flooding
Location
Pulaski County
Virginia

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, New River at Allisonia
Action stage7.015Jun 10, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.048Jan 10, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.06May 22, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage17.02Sep 28, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

98 crests from 1929 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the New River at Allisonia, 1929 to 2024 0510152025ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 17.0 ft Oct 2, 1929: 11.14 ft, minor flooding; 59,800 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1931: 4.78 ft, below flood stage; 13,500 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1932: 4.72 ft, below flood stage; 13,000 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1932: 6.63 ft, below flood stage; 25,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1934: 6.48 ft, below flood stage; 24,700 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 1934: 8.28 ft, minor flooding; 38,000 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1936: 5.85 ft, below flood stage; 20,600 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1937: 8.33 ft, minor flooding; 38,000 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1939: 6.79 ft, below flood stage; 27,200 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 1940: 23.42 ft, major flooding; 185,000 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1940: 5.05 ft, below flood stage; 15,600 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1942: 6.69 ft, below flood stage; 26,300 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1942: 6.82 ft, below flood stage; 27,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1944: 6.84 ft, below flood stage; 27,000 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1945: 10.72 ft, minor flooding; 54,700 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1946: 8.39 ft, minor flooding; 37,500 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1947: 7.09 ft, action stage; 28,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 7.31 ft, action stage; 30,200 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 1949: 8.63 ft, minor flooding; 37,600 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1949: 5.20 ft, below flood stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1950: 10.32 ft, minor flooding; 49,500 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1952: 7.67 ft, action stage; 31,500 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1953: 7.58 ft, action stage; 30,800 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1954: 8.03 ft, minor flooding; 33,400 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1955: 8.37 ft, minor flooding; 36,200 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 7.16 ft, action stage; 28,200 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1957: 10.54 ft, minor flooding; 51,300 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1958: 7.05 ft, action stage; 27,300 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1959: 12.05 ft, minor flooding; 64,200 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1961: 9.98 ft, minor flooding; 47,400 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 1961: 7.12 ft, action stage; 27,600 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1963: 10.24 ft, minor flooding; 48,800 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1964: 6.22 ft, below flood stage; 21,900 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1965: 7.94 ft, action stage; 32,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1966: 9.93 ft, minor flooding; 46,700 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 6.52 ft, below flood stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1968: 5.89 ft, below flood stage; 20,000 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1968: 6.46 ft, below flood stage; 23,500 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1970: 8.23 ft, minor flooding; 35,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1971: 5.31 ft, below flood stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1972: 11.85 ft, minor flooding; 62,800 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1973: 12.43 ft, minor flooding; 68,100 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1974: 8.79 ft, minor flooding; 38,900 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1975: 10.52 ft, minor flooding; 51,200 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 10.70 ft, minor flooding; 52,600 cubic feet per secondNov 7, 1977: 16.59 ft, moderate flooding; 109,000 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1979: 11.08 ft, minor flooding; 55,900 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1980: 8.75 ft, minor flooding; 38,600 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1981: 7.35 ft, action stage; 29,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1982: 7.90 ft, action stage; 32,800 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1983: 9.55 ft, minor flooding; 44,300 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1984: 9.74 ft, minor flooding; 45,800 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1985: 6.25 ft, below flood stage; 21,800 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1985: 7.82 ft, action stage; 32,100 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1987: 10.32 ft, minor flooding; 50,300 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1988: 4.22 ft, below flood stage; 10,700 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1989: 15.68 ft, moderate flooding; 98,900 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 1989: 9.75 ft, minor flooding; 45,800 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1990: 7.98 ft, action stage; 33,200 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1992: 13.72 ft, moderate flooding; 80,300 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1993: 11.69 ft, minor flooding; 61,600 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1994: 12.69 ft, minor flooding; 70,500 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1995: 16.56 ft, moderate flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 12.44 ft, minor flooding; 68,200 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1996: 8.12 ft, minor flooding; 34,100 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1998: 8.82 ft, minor flooding; 38,900 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1999: 4.71 ft, below flood stage; 13,000 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2000: 5.01 ft, below flood stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 2001: 6.45 ft, below flood stage; 23,100 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2002: 7.36 ft, action stage; 29,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2003: 9.85 ft, minor flooding; 46,500 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2003: 12.73 ft, minor flooding; 70,900 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2005: 6.90 ft, below flood stage; 26,200 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2006: 6.89 ft, below flood stage; 26,100 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 2006: 5.88 ft, below flood stage; 19,500 cubic feet per secondOct 26, 2007: 6.13 ft, below flood stage; 21,000 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 8.87 ft, minor flooding; 39,300 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2010: 7.75 ft, action stage; 31,550 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2011: 9.19 ft, minor flooding; 41,606 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 2013: 8.67 ft, minor flooding; 37,890 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 12.19 ft, minor flooding; 65,300 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2013: 8.79 ft, minor flooding; 38,730 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2015: 10.99 ft, minor flooding; 54,600 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 10.83 ft, minor flooding; 54,500 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2017: 8.79 ft, minor flooding; 37,600 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2018: 11.52 ft, minor flooding; 59,215 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 2018: 15.12 ft, moderate flooding; 99,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2019: 10.64 ft, minor flooding; 52,800 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2019: 8.53 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 2019: 7.44 ft, action stage; 28,048 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 10.47 ft, minor flooding; 50,235 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2020: 11.26 ft, minor flooding; 58,700 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2020: 14.16 ft, moderate flooding; 76,257 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2020: 6.73 ft, below flood stage; 23,400 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2020: 12.10 ft, minor flooding; 59,600 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2023: 5.88 ft, below flood stage; 18,400 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 8.15 ft, minor flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2024: 22.29 ft, major flooding; 155,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.42 ft, Aug 14, 1940 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, New River at Allisonia 1920s: 1 1930s: 2 1940s: 4 1950s: 5 1960s: 3 1970s: 8 1980s: 6 1990s: 7 2000s: 2 2010s: 12 12 2020s: 6 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 98 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, New River at Allisonia
1Aug 14, 194023.42+15.42Major185,000
2Sep 28, 202422.29+14.29Major155,000
3Nov 7, 197716.59+8.59Moderate109,000
4Jan 15, 199516.56+8.56Moderate108,000
5Sep 22, 198915.68+7.68Moderate98,900
6Oct 12, 201815.12+7.12Moderate99,000
7May 22, 202014.16+6.16Moderate76,257
8Jun 5, 199213.72+5.72Moderate80,300
9Nov 19, 200312.73+4.73Minor70,900
10Aug 17, 199412.69+4.69Minor70,500
11Jan 19, 199612.44+4.44Minor68,200
12May 28, 197312.43+4.43Minor68,100
13Jan 31, 201312.19+4.19Minor65,300
14Nov 12, 202012.10+4.10Minor59,600
15Sep 30, 195912.05+4.05Minor64,200
16Jun 21, 197211.85+3.85Minor62,800
17Mar 24, 199311.69+3.69Minor61,600
18Sep 17, 201811.52+3.52Minor59,215
19Apr 13, 202011.26+3.26Minor58,700
20Oct 2, 192911.14+3.14Minor59,800
21Sep 22, 197911.08+3.08Minor55,900
22Apr 20, 201510.99+2.99Minor54,600
23Apr 24, 201710.83+2.83Minor54,500
24Sep 18, 194510.72+2.72Minor54,700
25Apr 5, 197710.70+2.70Minor52,600
26Feb 23, 201910.64+2.64Minor52,800
27Apr 5, 195710.54+2.54Minor51,300
28Mar 14, 197510.52+2.52Minor51,200
29Feb 7, 202010.47+2.47Minor50,235
30Dec 8, 195010.32+2.32Minor49,500
31Mar 2, 198710.32+2.32Minor50,300
32Mar 13, 196310.24+2.24Minor48,800
33May 12, 19619.98+1.98Minor47,400
34Feb 13, 19669.93+1.93Minor46,700
35Feb 23, 20039.85+1.85Minor46,500
36Nov 16, 19899.75+1.75Minor45,800
37May 8, 19849.74+1.74Minor45,800
38Apr 10, 19839.55+1.55Minor44,300
39Mar 7, 20119.19+1.19Minor41,606
40Jan 25, 20108.87+0.87Minor39,300
41Apr 20, 19988.82+0.82Minor38,900
42Apr 5, 19748.79+0.79Minor38,900
43May 7, 20138.79+0.79Minor38,730
44May 25, 20178.79+0.79Minor37,600
45Apr 15, 19808.75+0.75Minor38,600
46Jan 16, 20138.67+0.67Minor37,890
47Aug 29, 19498.63+0.63Minor37,600
48Apr 20, 20198.53+0.53Minor—
49Jan 8, 19468.39+0.39Minor37,500
50Apr 14, 19558.37+0.37Minor36,200

The worst floods along the New River

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

August 14, 1940: 23.42 ft here, major flooding

  • IvanhoeVA · Aug 14, 1940 · 38.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • RadfordVA · Aug 14, 1940 · 35.96 ft · Major · its highest
  • Glen LynVA · Aug 14, 1940 · 27.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • GalaxVA · Aug 14, 1940 · 25.70 ft · Major · its highest
  • HintonWV · Aug 15, 1940 · 18.97 ft · Major · its highest

September 28, 2024: 22.29 ft here, major flooding

  • IvanhoeVA · Sep 28, 2024 · 33.08 ft · Major
  • RadfordVA · Sep 28, 2024 · 31.03 ft · Major
  • Glen LynVA · Sep 28, 2024 · 24.33 ft · Major
  • GalaxVA · Sep 28, 2024 · 21.26 ft · Major

November 7, 1977: 16.59 ft here, moderate flooding

  • IvanhoeVA · Nov 7, 1977 · 28.08 ft · Major
  • RadfordVA · Nov 7, 1977 · 24.10 ft · Major
  • GalaxVA · Nov 6, 1977 · 18.59 ft · Major
  • Glen LynVA · Nov 7, 1977 · 18.12 ft · Major

Gauges on the New River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the New River
GalaxVA9.025.70 ft, Aug 14, 19404
IvanhoeVA16.038.10 ft, Aug 14, 19404
Allisonia this gaugeVA8.023.42 ft, Aug 14, 19402
RadfordVA14.035.96 ft, Aug 14, 194010
Glen LynVA15.027.50 ft, Aug 14, 19409
HintonWV15.018.97 ft, Aug 15, 19401
ThurmondWV19.020.35 ft, Jan 20, 19960

Other gauges in Pulaski County

Flood gauges in Pulaski County
Radford14.035.96 ft, Aug 14, 194010
Pulaski8.011.40 ft, Apr 13, 20200

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ALSV2, 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.