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Roanoke River at Lafayette

Highest listed crest 15.60 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft90 crests since 1944

The Roanoke River at Lafayette crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 90 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1944 to 2025. The highest, 15.60 ft on June 21, 1972, was major flooding, 7.60 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Roanoke River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.60 ft
June 21, 1972; 24,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
3
55th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
11.36 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Montgomery County
Near Salem (9.1 mi), Blacksburg (12.0 mi), Christiansburg (12.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Roanoke River at Lafayette
Action stage6.030Jan 10, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.038Sep 27, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.010Feb 16, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.03Apr 21, 1992Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

90 crests from 1944 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Roanoke River at Lafayette, 1944 to 2025 05101520ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Feb 18, 1944: 7.50 ft, action stage; 6,500 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1945: 10.00 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1946: 8.00 ft, minor flooding; 7,200 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1947: 8.00 ft, minor flooding; 7,200 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1948: 11.00 ft, moderate flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1948: 10.50 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1950: 8.23 ft, minor flooding; 6,600 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 1950: 9.38 ft, minor flooding; 8,800 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1952: 8.10 ft, minor flooding; 6,430 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1953: 8.00 ft, minor flooding; 6,260 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1954: 6.05 ft, action stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 1954: 7.91 ft, action stage; 6,090 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 6.66 ft, action stage; 4,200 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1957: 9.02 ft, minor flooding; 8,000 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1958: 6.77 ft, action stage; 4,200 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1959: 11.56 ft, moderate flooding; 15,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1960: 6.11 ft, action stage; 4,110 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1961: 4.66 ft, below flood stage; 2,560 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 1961: 6.76 ft, action stage; 4,940 cubic feet per secondNov 10, 1962: 7.70 ft, action stage; 6,040 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1964: 5.13 ft, below flood stage; 3,010 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1965: 6.54 ft, action stage; 4,580 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1966: 6.57 ft, action stage; 4,120 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 8.52 ft, minor flooding; 6,830 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1968: 5.04 ft, below flood stage; 2,320 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1968: 7.53 ft, action stage; 5,380 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 5.62 ft, below flood stage; 2,900 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1971: 5.97 ft, below flood stage; 3,350 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1972: 15.60 ft, major flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1973: 9.78 ft, minor flooding; 9,020 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1974: 6.37 ft, action stage; 3,860 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1975: 9.46 ft, minor flooding; 9,360 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1976: 6.06 ft, action stage; 4,120 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 9.18 ft, minor flooding; 8,850 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1978: 12.12 ft, moderate flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1979: 10.75 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1980: 7.20 ft, action stage; 5,690 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1981: 3.74 ft, below flood stage; 1,520 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1982: 7.27 ft, action stage; 4,510 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1983: 10.21 ft, minor flooding; 9,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1984: 6.99 ft, action stage; 4,160 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1985: 8.65 ft, minor flooding; 6,510 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1985: 13.34 ft, major flooding; 17,100 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1987: 9.78 ft, minor flooding; 8,540 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1988: 3.07 ft, below flood stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1989: 10.73 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 1989: 7.84 ft, action stage; 5,290 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1991: 7.00 ft, action stage; 4,170 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1992: 13.09 ft, major flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1993: 9.61 ft, minor flooding; 8,200 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1993: 8.83 ft, minor flooding; 6,810 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1995: 8.90 ft, minor flooding; 6,930 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1996: 11.61 ft, moderate flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1996: 8.29 ft, minor flooding; 6,220 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1998: 9.14 ft, minor flooding; 7,730 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1999: 7.01 ft, action stage; 4,250 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2000: 7.46 ft, action stage; 4,900 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2001: 5.54 ft, below flood stageMay 3, 2002: 6.98 ft, action stage; 4,230 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2003: 12.69 ft, moderate flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2004: 12.45 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2006: 9.63 ft, minor flooding; 8,673 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2008: 5.21 ft, below flood stage; 2,510 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2009: 9.72 ft, minor flooding; 9,690 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2009: 8.08 ft, minor flooding; 6,370 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 8.21 ft, minor flooding; 6,580 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2011: 7.17 ft, action stage; 4,672 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2011: 7.59 ft, action stage; 5,424 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 11.69 ft, moderate flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2013: 9.62 ft, minor flooding; 8,310 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2015: 8.38 ft, minor flooding; 6,300 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2015: 12.16 ft, moderate flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2015: 7.97 ft, action stage; 6,130 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 2016: 7.01 ft, action stage; 4,380 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 2017: 8.08 ft, minor flooding; 6,340 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2017: 8.85 ft, minor flooding; 6,590 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2018: 10.26 ft, minor flooding; 10,875 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2018: 12.44 ft, moderate flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2019: 7.98 ft, action stage; 6,339 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 8.85 ft, minor flooding; 7,860 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2020: 9.97 ft, minor flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2020: 10.18 ft, minor flooding; 10,696 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2020: 9.39 ft, minor flooding; 8,981 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2020: 6.61 ft, action stage; 23,751 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2020: 10.92 ft, minor flooding; 12,380 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2021: 6.45 ft, action stage; 3,430 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2023: 7.13 ft, action stage; 4,300 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 7.16 ft, action stage; 4,340 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2024: 9.79 ft, minor flooding; 8,610 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2025: 11.36 ft, moderate flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per second Highest, 15.60 ft, Jun 21, 1972 1960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Roanoke River at Lafayette 1940s: 5 1950s: 6 1960s: 1 1970s: 6 1980s: 5 1990s: 7 2000s: 5 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 7 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 90 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Roanoke River at Lafayette
1Jun 21, 197215.60+7.60Major24,500
2Nov 4, 198513.34+5.34Major17,100
3Apr 21, 199213.09+5.09Major16,400
4Feb 22, 200312.69+4.69Moderate15,800
5Sep 28, 200412.45+4.45Moderate15,200
6Oct 11, 201812.44+4.44Moderate16,100
7Sep 29, 201512.16+4.16Moderate15,400
8Apr 26, 197812.12+4.12Moderate14,500
9Jan 31, 201311.69+3.69Moderate14,200
10Sep 6, 199611.61+3.61Moderate12,600
11Sep 30, 195911.56+3.56Moderate15,600
12Feb 16, 202511.36+3.36Moderate11,800
13Aug 4, 194811.00+3.00Moderate13,200
14Nov 12, 202010.92+2.92Minor12,380
15Sep 22, 197910.75+2.75Minor11,800
16Sep 22, 198910.73+2.73Minor10,500
17Dec 4, 194810.50+2.50Minor11,500
18Sep 17, 201810.26+2.26Minor10,875
19Apr 10, 198310.21+2.21Minor9,400
20May 21, 202010.18+2.18Minor10,696
21Sep 18, 194510.00+2.00Minor10,400
22Apr 13, 20209.97+1.97Minor10,200
23Sep 27, 20249.79+1.79Minor8,610
24May 28, 19739.78+1.78Minor9,020
25Apr 25, 19879.78+1.78Minor8,540
26Nov 12, 20099.72+1.72Minor9,690
27Jun 26, 20069.63+1.63Minor8,673
28Jul 4, 20139.62+1.62Minor8,310
29Mar 24, 19939.61+1.61Minor8,200
30Mar 14, 19759.46+1.46Minor9,360
31Jun 18, 20209.39+1.39Minor8,981
32Dec 7, 19509.38+1.38Minor8,800
33Apr 5, 19779.18+1.18Minor8,850
34Mar 20, 19989.14+1.14Minor7,730
35Jan 29, 19579.02+1.02Minor8,000
36Jan 15, 19958.90+0.90Minor6,930
37Apr 24, 20178.85+0.85Minor6,590
38Feb 7, 20208.85+0.85Minor7,860
39Dec 5, 19938.83+0.83Minor6,810
40Aug 18, 19858.65+0.65Minor6,510
41Mar 7, 19678.52+0.52Minor6,830
42Mar 5, 20158.38+0.38Minor6,300
43Dec 1, 19968.29+0.29Minor6,220
44Jul 12, 19508.23+0.23Minor6,600
45Jan 25, 20108.21+0.21Minor6,580
46Sep 1, 19528.10+0.10Minor6,430
47Dec 9, 20098.08+0.08Minor6,370
48Jan 23, 20178.08+0.08Minor6,340
49Feb 10, 19468.000.00Minor7,200
50Jan 20, 19478.000.00Minor7,200

The worst floods along the Roanoke River

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

June 21, 1972: 15.60 ft here, major flooding

  • BrooknealVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 34.27 ft · Major
  • RoanokeVA · Jun 21, 1972 · 19.61 ft · Major
  • NiagaraVA · Jun 21, 1972 · 18.98 ft · Major
  • RandolphVA · Jun 23, 1972 · 30.96 ft · Moderate
  • AltavistaVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 26.78 ft · Moderate
  • Roanoke RapidsNC · Jun 28, 1972 · 9.55 ft · Minor

November 4, 1985: 13.34 ft here, major flooding

  • Smith Mountain LakeVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 799.50 ft · Major
  • BrooknealVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 33.77 ft · Major
  • NiagaraVA · Nov 4, 1985 · 25.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • RoanokeVA · Nov 4, 1985 · 23.35 ft · Major · its highest
  • AltavistaVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 27.38 ft · Moderate
  • RandolphVA · Nov 6, 1985 · 29.58 ft · Minor

April 21, 1992: 13.09 ft here, major flooding

  • RoanokeVA · Apr 22, 1992 · 18.09 ft · Major
  • GlenvarVA · Apr 21, 1992 · 17.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • BrooknealVA · Apr 22, 1992 · 29.04 ft · Moderate
  • NiagaraVA · Apr 21, 1992 · 17.95 ft · Moderate
  • Smith Mountain LakeVA · Apr 22, 1992 · 797.46 ft · Minor
  • AltavistaVA · Apr 22, 1992 · 23.18 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Roanoke River

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

Flood gauges on the Roanoke River
AltavistaVA18.040.08 ft, Aug 15, 19408
BrooknealVA23.039.80 ft, Sep 9, 198718
GlenvarVA9.017.73 ft, Apr 21, 19925
Lafayette this gaugeVA8.015.60 ft, Jun 21, 19723
NiagaraVA13.025.30 ft, Nov 4, 19854
RandolphVA24.041.60 ft, Aug 16, 19403
RoanokeVA10.023.35 ft, Nov 4, 19857
Roanoke RapidsNC9.039.00 ft, Aug 18, 19408
Smith Mountain LakeVA797.0799.79 ft, Apr 27, 19783
WilliamstonNC12.020.50 ft, Aug 22, 19405
Scotland NeckNC28.037.05 ft, Sep 23, 19453

Other gauges in Montgomery County

Flood gauges in Montgomery County
Graysontown8.013.40 ft, Jun 21, 19724
Ellett14.015.16 ft, Feb 16, 20250
Shawsville5.011.12 ft, Jun 21, 19724

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LAAV2, 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.