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Roanoke River at Niagara

Highest listed crest 25.30 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft81 crests since 1926

The Roanoke River at Niagara crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 81 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1926 to 2025. The highest, 25.30 ft on November 4, 1985, was major flooding, 12.30 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Roanoke River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
25.30 ft
November 4, 1985; 52,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
4
40th of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
16.85 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Roanoke County
Near Roanoke (5.0 mi), Salem (10.3 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 Niagara
Action stage11.015May 28, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.017Sep 17, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.021Feb 16, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.04Sep 28, 2004Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

81 crests from 1926 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Roanoke River at Niagara, 1926 to 2025 51015202530ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Dec 26, 1926: 12.23 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1928: 17.36 ft, moderate flooding; 24,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1929: 10.51 ft, below flood stage; 7,300 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 1929: 14.29 ft, minor flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1932: 7.99 ft, below flood stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1932: 15.36 ft, moderate flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1934: 11.48 ft, action stage; 8,950 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1935: 14.20 ft, minor flooding; 15,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1936: 14.78 ft, minor flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1937: 11.54 ft, action stage; 8,950 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1937: 13.58 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 1940: 17.50 ft, moderate flooding; 24,400 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1941: 9.71 ft, below flood stage; 6,290 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1942: 11.25 ft, action stage; 8,380 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1943: 11.57 ft, action stage; 9,170 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1948: 14.00 ft, minor flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1948: 16.30 ft, moderate flooding; 20,800 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1950: 12.20 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 1950: 13.50 ft, minor flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1952: 13.10 ft, minor flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 9.30 ft, below flood stage; 5,580 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1957: 12.33 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1959: 15.10 ft, moderate flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1961: 9.11 ft, below flood stage; 5,140 cubic feet per secondNov 10, 1962: 12.22 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1965: 10.44 ft, below flood stage; 7,040 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1966: 10.82 ft, below flood stage; 7,860 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 13.64 ft, minor flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1968: 8.53 ft, below flood stage; 4,440 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1968: 13.72 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 9.89 ft, below flood stage; 6,250 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1971: 10.06 ft, below flood stage; 6,500 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1972: 18.98 ft, major flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1973: 15.27 ft, moderate flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1974: 9.63 ft, below flood stage; 5,880 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1975: 15.59 ft, moderate flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1976: 9.37 ft, below flood stage; 5,520 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 14.12 ft, minor flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1978: 19.12 ft, major flooding; 29,300 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1979: 14.51 ft, minor flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1980: 14.55 ft, minor flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondSep 4, 1981: 8.28 ft, below flood stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1985: 14.82 ft, minor flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1985: 25.30 ft, major flooding; 52,300 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 1987: 6.09 ft, below flood stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 1989: 14.20 ft, minor flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1991: 12.31 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1992: 17.95 ft, moderate flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1993: 15.32 ft, moderate flooding; 17,800 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1993: 12.69 ft, action stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1995: 14.70 ft, minor flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 15.73 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 1996: 12.53 ft, action stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1998: 16.06 ft, moderate flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1999: 9.04 ft, below flood stage; 5,090 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2000: 7.74 ft, below flood stage; 3,540 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2000: 12.92 ft, action stage; 11,800 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2000: 8.77 ft, below flood stage; 4,740 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2001: 9.14 ft, below flood stage; 5,220 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2002: 9.61 ft, below flood stage; 5,860 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2003: 16.71 ft, moderate flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2004: 18.62 ft, major flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2005: 11.53 ft, action stage; 9,010 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2006: 15.69 ft, moderate flooding; 18,913 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 2006: 10.62 ft, below flood stage; 7,400 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2008: 8.61 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2009: 7.91 ft, below flood stage; 3,720 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 15.53 ft, moderate flooding; 18,456 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2013: 16.77 ft, moderate flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2015: 15.67 ft, moderate flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 2017: 14.01 ft, minor flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2018: 13.15 ft, minor flooding; 12,353 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2018: 17.30 ft, moderate flooding; 23,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2020: 12.51 ft, action stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2020: 15.68 ft, moderate flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2020: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 6,440 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2020: 16.33 ft, moderate flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2022: 11.01 ft, action stage; 8,060 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 10.03 ft, below flood stage; 6,490 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2024: 15.47 ft, moderate flooding; 18,284 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2025: 16.85 ft, moderate flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per second Highest, 25.30 ft, Nov 4, 1985 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Roanoke River at Niagara 1920s: 2 1930s: 4 1940s: 3 1950s: 3 1960s: 2 1970s: 6 6 1980s: 4 1990s: 5 2000s: 3 2010s: 6 2020s: 4 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 81 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Roanoke River at Niagara
1Nov 4, 198525.30+12.30Major52,300
2Apr 27, 197819.12+6.12Major29,300
3Jun 21, 197218.98+5.98Major28,800
4Sep 28, 200418.62+5.62Major27,600
5Apr 21, 199217.95+4.95Moderate25,500
6Aug 14, 194017.50+4.50Moderate24,400
7Aug 16, 192817.36+4.36Moderate24,000
8Oct 11, 201817.30+4.30Moderate23,500
9Feb 16, 202516.85+3.85Moderate22,200
10Jul 4, 201316.77+3.77Moderate22,000
11Feb 22, 200316.71+3.71Moderate21,800
12Nov 12, 202016.33+3.33Moderate20,700
13Dec 4, 194816.30+3.30Moderate20,800
14Feb 4, 199816.06+3.06Moderate20,000
15Jan 19, 199615.73+2.73Moderate19,000
16Jun 27, 200615.69+2.69Moderate18,913
17Jun 17, 202015.68+2.68Moderate18,900
18Sep 30, 201515.67+2.67Moderate18,800
19Mar 14, 197515.59+2.59Moderate18,700
20Jan 31, 201315.53+2.53Moderate18,456
21Sep 27, 202415.47+2.47Moderate18,284
22Oct 17, 193215.36+2.36Moderate18,000
23Mar 4, 199315.32+2.32Moderate17,800
24May 28, 197315.27+2.27Moderate17,700
25Oct 1, 195915.10+2.10Moderate17,200
26Aug 18, 198514.82+1.82Minor16,500
27Mar 17, 193614.78+1.78Minor16,400
28Jan 15, 199514.70+1.70Minor16,100
29Apr 14, 198014.55+1.55Minor15,900
30Sep 22, 197914.51+1.51Minor15,800
31Oct 2, 192914.29+1.29Minor15,200
32Jan 23, 193514.20+1.20Minor15,000
33Sep 23, 198914.20+1.20Minor14,800
34Apr 5, 197714.12+1.12Minor14,800
35Jan 23, 201714.01+1.01Minor14,400
36Aug 4, 194814.00+1.00Minor14,500
37Oct 19, 196813.72+0.72Minor13,800
38Mar 7, 196713.64+0.64Minor13,600
39Oct 19, 193713.58+0.58Minor13,400
40Dec 7, 195013.50+0.50Minor13,200
41Sep 17, 201813.15+0.15Minor12,353
42Sep 1, 195213.10+0.10Minor13,200
43Apr 18, 200012.92−0.08Action11,800
44Dec 5, 199312.69−0.31Action11,300
45Dec 1, 199612.53−0.47Action11,000
46Feb 7, 202012.51−0.49Action10,900
47Jan 29, 195712.33−0.67Action10,800
48Jan 11, 199112.31−0.69Action10,500
49Dec 26, 192612.23−0.77Action10,800
50Nov 10, 196212.22−0.78Action10,500

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.

November 4, 1985: 25.30 ft here, major flooding

  • Smith Mountain LakeVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 799.50 ft · Major
  • BrooknealVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 33.77 ft · Major
  • RoanokeVA · Nov 4, 1985 · 23.35 ft · Major · its highest
  • LafayetteVA · Nov 4, 1985 · 13.34 ft · Major
  • AltavistaVA · Nov 5, 1985 · 27.38 ft · Moderate
  • RandolphVA · Nov 6, 1985 · 29.58 ft · Minor

April 27, 1978: 19.12 ft here, major flooding

  • Smith Mountain LakeVA · Apr 27, 1978 · 799.79 ft · Major · its highest
  • BrooknealVA · Apr 27, 1978 · 32.02 ft · Major
  • RoanokeVA · Apr 27, 1978 · 18.95 ft · Major
  • AltavistaVA · Apr 27, 1978 · 27.68 ft · Moderate
  • LafayetteVA · Apr 26, 1978 · 12.12 ft · Moderate
  • RandolphVA · Apr 28, 1978 · 29.73 ft · Minor

June 21, 1972: 18.98 ft here, major flooding

  • BrooknealVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 34.27 ft · Major
  • RoanokeVA · Jun 21, 1972 · 19.61 ft · Major
  • LafayetteVA · Jun 21, 1972 · 15.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • 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

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
LafayetteVA8.015.60 ft, Jun 21, 19723
Niagara this gaugeVA13.025.30 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 Roanoke County

Flood gauges in Roanoke County
Hanging Rock8.010.91 ft, Sep 27, 20240
Glenvar9.017.73 ft, Apr 21, 19925

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NIAV2, 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.