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Potts Creek near Covington

Highest listed crest 13.46 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft54 crests since 1929

The Potts Creek near Covington crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 54 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1929 to 2025. The highest, 13.46 ft on November 4, 1985, was major flooding, 4.46 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.46 ft
November 4, 1985; 15,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
1
90th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
9.67 ft, minor flooding
Location
Alleghany County
Virginia

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Potts Creek near Covington
Action stage7.024Sep 27, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.017Feb 16, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.04Sep 28, 2004Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.01Nov 4, 1985Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

54 crests from 1929 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Potts Creek near Covington, 1929 to 2025 468101214ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Nov 18, 1929: 7.00 ft, action stage; 4,460 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1934: 6.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,270 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1935: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 7,510 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1936: 9.52 ft, minor flooding; 6,850 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1942: 8.58 ft, action stage; 5,860 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 7.72 ft, action stage; 5,480 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1949: 9.32 ft, minor flooding; 6,630 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1950: 5.32 ft, below flood stage; 2,590 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 1950: 8.70 ft, action stage; 5,970 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1952: 9.10 ft, minor flooding; 6,410 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1953: 7.43 ft, action stage; 5,030 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1954: 9.90 ft, minor flooding; 7,290 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1955: 9.67 ft, minor flooding; 6,460 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1969: 7.88 ft, action stage; 3,920 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1971: 8.97 ft, action stage; 5,420 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1972: 12.33 ft, moderate flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1973: 11.01 ft, moderate flooding; 9,320 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 9.08 ft, minor flooding; 5,570 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 8.98 ft, action stage; 5,420 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1979: 8.23 ft, action stage; 4,300 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1983: 8.01 ft, action stage; 4,040 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1984: 8.05 ft, action stage; 4,100 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1985: 8.30 ft, action stage; 4,440 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1985: 13.46 ft, major flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 9.56 ft, minor flooding; 5,920 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1989: 9.08 ft, minor flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1989: 8.32 ft, action stage; 3,880 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1991: 7.84 ft, action stage; 3,220 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1992: 8.60 ft, action stage; 4,300 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1993: 9.06 ft, minor flooding; 5,080 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1995: 9.83 ft, minor flooding; 6,570 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 11.32 ft, moderate flooding; 9,860 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1996: 8.57 ft, action stage; 4,260 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1998: 8.39 ft, action stage; 4,010 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1999: 4.35 ft, below flood stage; 708 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2000: 6.43 ft, below flood stage; 1,910 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2001: 7.52 ft, action stage; 2,950 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2003: 9.71 ft, minor flooding; 7,070 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2004: 11.65 ft, moderate flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2005: 7.01 ft, action stage; 3,260 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2006: 9.35 ft, minor flooding; 6,480 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2007: 7.63 ft, action stage; 4,010 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2008: 5.57 ft, below flood stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2009: 5.77 ft, below flood stage; 1,890 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 8.69 ft, action stage; 5,344 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 7.97 ft, action stage; 4,330 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2013: 10.01 ft, minor flooding; 7,468 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2016: 9.85 ft, minor flooding; 7,240 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2020: 9.09 ft, minor flooding; 6,090 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2020: 6.70 ft, below flood stage; 2,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2023: 6.68 ft, below flood stage; 2,880 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 7.51 ft, action stage; 3,860 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2024: 7.09 ft, action stage; 3,310 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2025: 9.67 ft, minor flooding; 6,970 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.46 ft, Nov 4, 1985 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Potts Creek near Covington 1920s: 0 1930s: 2 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 3 1980s: 3 1990s: 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 2 2020s: 2 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 54 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Potts Creek near Covington
1Nov 4, 198513.46+4.46Major15,400
2Jun 21, 197212.33+3.33Moderate12,400
3Sep 28, 200411.65+2.65Moderate10,700
4Jan 19, 199611.32+2.32Moderate9,860
5May 28, 197311.01+2.01Moderate9,320
6Jan 23, 193510.10+1.10Minor7,510
7May 7, 201310.01+1.01Minor7,468
8Mar 1, 19549.90+0.90Minor7,290
9Jun 24, 20169.85+0.85Minor7,240
10Jan 15, 19959.83+0.83Minor6,570
11Feb 22, 20039.71+0.71Minor7,070
12Mar 6, 19559.67+0.67Minor6,460
13Feb 16, 20259.67+0.67Minor6,970
14Apr 17, 19879.56+0.56Minor5,920
15Mar 17, 19369.52+0.52Minor6,850
16Jun 27, 20069.35+0.35Minor6,480
17Apr 13, 19499.32+0.32Minor6,630
18Mar 11, 19529.10+0.10Minor6,410
19Jun 18, 20209.09+0.09Minor6,090
20Apr 5, 19779.08+0.08Minor5,570
21Sep 22, 19899.08+0.08Minor5,040
22Mar 24, 19939.06+0.06Minor5,080
23Jan 26, 19788.98−0.02Action5,420
24May 30, 19718.97−0.03Action5,420
25Dec 7, 19508.70−0.30Action5,970
26Jan 25, 20108.69−0.31Action5,344
27Apr 21, 19928.60−0.40Action4,300
28May 16, 19428.58−0.42Action5,860
29Dec 1, 19968.57−0.43Action4,260
30Apr 20, 19988.39−0.61Action4,010
31Oct 17, 19898.32−0.68Action3,880
32Aug 18, 19858.30−0.70Action4,440
33Mar 5, 19798.23−0.77Action4,300
34Feb 14, 19848.05−0.95Action4,100
35Mar 19, 19838.01−0.99Action4,040
36Apr 17, 20117.97−1.03Action4,330
37Aug 20, 19697.88−1.12Action3,920
38Jan 12, 19917.84−1.16Action3,220
39Feb 14, 19487.72−1.28Action5,480
40Apr 15, 20077.63−1.37Action4,010
41May 23, 20017.52−1.48Action2,950
42Jan 10, 20247.51−1.49Action3,860
43Mar 24, 19537.43−1.57Action5,030
44Sep 27, 20247.09−1.91Action3,310
45Mar 28, 20057.01−1.99Action3,260
46Nov 18, 19297.00−2.00Action4,460
47Nov 12, 20206.70−2.30Below flood stage2,900
48Feb 13, 20236.68−2.32Below flood stage2,880
49Apr 18, 20006.43−2.57Below flood stage1,910
50Mar 28, 19346.00−3.00Below flood stage3,270

Other gauges in Alleghany County

Flood gauges in Alleghany County
Clifton Forge10.019.15 ft, Nov 5, 19852
Covington9.016.66 ft, Jun 24, 20163
Covington17.024.36 ft, Jun 21, 19722

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PTCV2, 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.