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Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg

Highest listed crest 42.60 ftFlood stage 15.5 ft27 crests since 1889

The Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 27 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1889 to 2022. The highest, 42.60 ft on October 16, 1942, was major flooding, 27.10 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Rappahannock River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
42.60 ft
October 16, 1942
Flood stage
15.5 ft
Major flooding from 28.5 ft
Crests at major
4
40th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
June 24, 2018
25.20 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Stafford County
Near Fredericksburg (1.7 mi)
Identifiers
NWS FEDV2
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg
Action stage9.54Dec 24, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.59Sep 20, 2003Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.510Jun 24, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage28.54Jun 22, 1972Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

27 crests from 1889 to 2022. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, 1889 to 2022 1020304050ft Flood stage 15.5 ftMajor 28.5 ft Jun 1, 1889: 32.20 ft, major floodingMay 23, 1901: 27.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1918: 19.50 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 1924: 25.10 ft, moderate floodingOct 1, 1924: 22.80 ft, moderate floodingOct 23, 1929: 18.50 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 1936: 18.10 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 1937: 38.10 ft, major floodingOct 16, 1942: 42.60 ft, major floodingDec 5, 1950: 18.20 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 1955: 26.90 ft, moderate floodingJun 22, 1972: 39.10 ft, major floodingNov 6, 1985: 20.00 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 1993: 22.10 ft, moderate floodingJun 29, 1995: 25.10 ft, moderate floodingJan 20, 1996: 20.50 ft, moderate floodingSep 8, 1996: 26.90 ft, moderate floodingFeb 5, 1998: 19.20 ft, minor floodingFeb 18, 1998: 18.00 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 1998: 18.10 ft, minor floodingSep 20, 2003: 16.80 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 2011: 14.40 ft, action stageMay 1, 2014: 22.30 ft, moderate flooding; 61,549 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2018: 25.20 ft, moderate flooding; 71,760 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2018: 15.20 ft, action stage; 37,900 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2019: 14.50 ft, action stage; 35,650 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2022: 14.90 ft, action stage; 36,970 cubic feet per second Highest, 42.60 ft, Oct 16, 1942 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg 1880s: 1 1890s: 0 1900s: 1 1910s: 1 1920s: 3 1930s: 2 1940s: 1 1950s: 2 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 7 7 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2020s: 0 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg
1Oct 16, 194242.60+27.10Major—
2Jun 22, 197239.10+23.60Major—
3Apr 26, 193738.10+22.60Major—
4Jun 1, 188932.20+16.70Major—
5May 23, 190127.20+11.70Moderate—
6Aug 19, 195526.90+11.40Moderate—
7Sep 8, 199626.90+11.40Moderate—
8Jun 24, 201825.20+9.70Moderate71,760
9May 13, 192425.10+9.60Moderate—
10Jun 29, 199525.10+9.60Moderate—
11Oct 1, 192422.80+7.30Moderate—
12May 1, 201422.30+6.80Moderate61,549
13Mar 5, 199322.10+6.60Moderate—
14Jan 20, 199620.50+5.00Moderate—
15Nov 6, 198520.00+4.50Minor—
16Apr 10, 191819.50+4.00Minor—
17Feb 5, 199819.20+3.70Minor—
18Oct 23, 192918.50+3.00Minor—
19Dec 5, 195018.20+2.70Minor—
20Mar 18, 193618.10+2.60Minor—
21Mar 21, 199818.10+2.60Minor—
22Feb 18, 199818.00+2.50Minor—
23Sep 20, 200316.80+1.30Minor—
24Dec 17, 201815.20−0.30Action37,900
25Dec 24, 202214.90−0.60Action36,970
26Mar 22, 201914.50−1.00Action35,650
27Apr 18, 201114.40−1.10Action—

The worst floods along the Rappahannock River

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

October 16, 1942: 42.60 ft here, major flooding

  • RemingtonVA · Oct 16, 1942 · 30.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • FredericksburgVA · Oct 16, 1942 · 25.90 ft · Major · its highest

June 22, 1972: 39.10 ft here, major flooding

April 26, 1937: 38.10 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Rappahannock River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Rappahannock River
FredericksburgVA13.025.90 ft, Oct 16, 19422
Fredericksburg this gaugeVA15.542.60 ft, Oct 16, 19424
RemingtonVA15.030.00 ft, Oct 16, 19423
Tappahannock (IN MLLW)VA3.04.20 ft, Oct 12, 20253

Other gauges in Stafford County

Flood gauges in Stafford County
Garrisonville15.016.32 ft, Jun 22, 19720

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FEDV2, 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.