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South River at Waynesboro near Lyndhurst Road

Highest listed crest 15.30 ftFlood stage 9.5 ft30 crests since 1942

The South River at Waynesboro near Lyndhurst Road crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 30 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1942 to 2018. The highest, 15.30 ft on November 4, 1985, was major flooding, 5.80 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the South River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.30 ft
November 4, 1985; 17,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.5 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
8
21st of 242 gauges in Virginia
Most recent flood crest
September 17, 2018
11.92 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Waynesboro city
Near Waynesboro (0.8 mi), Staunton (10.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South River at Waynesboro near Lyndhurst Road
Action stage7.511Oct 7, 2006The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.57Jan 25, 2010Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.04Sep 17, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.08Sep 19, 2003Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

30 crests from 1942 to 2018. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South River at Waynesboro near Lyndhurst Road, 1942 to 2018 6810121416ft Flood stage 9.5 ftMajor 13.0 ft Oct 15, 1942: 14.30 ft, major flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1955: 13.95 ft, major flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 1959: 7.92 ft, action stage; 3,090 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1961: 8.76 ft, action stage; 4,110 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1969: 15.27 ft, major flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1971: 9.99 ft, minor flooding; 5,690 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1972: 14.25 ft, major flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1972: 11.41 ft, moderate flooding; 8,040 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1975: 10.30 ft, minor flooding; 6,180 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 1976: 9.33 ft, action stage; 4,780 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1978: 8.52 ft, action stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1979: 11.37 ft, moderate flooding; 7,970 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1983: 8.46 ft, action stage; 3,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1984: 8.07 ft, action stage; 3,270 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1985: 8.24 ft, action stage; 3,450 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1985: 15.30 ft, major flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 9.58 ft, minor flooding; 5,110 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1992: 9.01 ft, action stage; 4,370 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1992: 9.25 ft, action stage; 4,680 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1995: 8.71 ft, action stage; 4,000 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 13.58 ft, major flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1996: 13.46 ft, major flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1998: 10.05 ft, minor flooding; 5,810 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2003: 13.95 ft, major flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2004: 10.45 ft, minor flooding; 6,460 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2005: 10.54 ft, minor flooding; 6,610 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 2006: 8.68 ft, action stage; 3,920 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 10.01 ft, minor flooding; 5,740 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2011: 11.38 ft, moderate flooding; 8,331 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2018: 11.92 ft, moderate flooding; 9,181 cubic feet per second Highest, 15.30 ft, Nov 4, 1985 1950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South River at Waynesboro near Lyndhurst Road 1940s: 1 1950s: 1 1960s: 1 1970s: 5 5 1980s: 2 1990s: 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 3 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, South River at Waynesboro near Lyndhurst Road
1Nov 4, 198515.30+5.80Major17,500
2Aug 20, 196915.27+5.77Major17,400
3Oct 15, 194214.30+4.80Major14,500
4Jun 21, 197214.25+4.75Major14,400
5Aug 18, 195513.95+4.45Major13,500
6Sep 19, 200313.95+4.45Major13,800
7Jan 19, 199613.58+4.08Major12,500
8Sep 6, 199613.46+3.96Major12,300
9Sep 17, 201811.92+2.42Moderate9,181
10Oct 5, 197211.41+1.91Moderate8,040
11Apr 16, 201111.38+1.88Moderate8,331
12Sep 5, 197911.37+1.87Moderate7,970
13Nov 29, 200510.54+1.04Minor6,610
14Sep 28, 200410.45+0.95Minor6,460
15Mar 19, 197510.30+0.80Minor6,180
16Feb 17, 199810.05+0.55Minor5,810
17Jan 25, 201010.01+0.51Minor5,740
18May 30, 19719.99+0.49Minor5,690
19Apr 17, 19879.58+0.08Minor5,110
20Oct 9, 19769.33−0.17Action4,780
21Nov 23, 19929.25−0.25Action4,680
22Apr 21, 19929.01−0.49Action4,370
23Oct 21, 19618.76−0.74Action4,110
24Jun 28, 19958.71−0.79Action4,000
25Oct 7, 20068.68−0.82Action3,920
26May 13, 19788.52−0.98Action3,780
27Mar 19, 19838.46−1.04Action3,700
28Aug 18, 19858.24−1.26Action3,450
29Feb 14, 19848.07−1.43Action3,270
30Oct 24, 19597.92−1.58Action3,090

The worst floods along the South River

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

November 4, 1985: 15.30 ft here, major flooding

  • HarristonVA · Nov 4, 1985 · 15.47 ft · Moderate
  • DoomsVA · Nov 4, 1985 · 14.03 ft · Moderate

August 20, 1969: 15.27 ft here, major flooding

  • HarristonVA · Aug 20, 1969 · 12.72 ft · Moderate

October 15, 1942: 14.30 ft here, major flooding

  • HarristonVA · Oct 15, 1942 · 17.20 ft · Major

Gauges on the South River

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

Flood gauges on the South River
HarristonVA9.518.80 ft, Sep 1, 18704
Waynesboro near Lyndhurst Road this gaugeVA9.515.30 ft, Nov 4, 19858
Waynesboro near Rife RoadVA10.513.14 ft, Sep 17, 20180
DoomsVA11.014.25 ft, Sep 6, 19960

Other gauges in Waynesboro city

Flood gauges in Waynesboro city
Waynesboro near Rife Road10.513.14 ft, Sep 17, 20180
Dooms11.014.25 ft, Sep 6, 19960

Waynesboro city: every hazard · River floods across the country · Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WAYV2, 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.