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Big Coal River at Ashford

Highest listed crest 35.66 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft44 crests since 1916

The Big Coal River at Ashford crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 44 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1916 to 2025. The highest, 35.66 ft on August 9, 1916, was major flooding, 18.66 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
35.66 ft
August 9, 1916
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
8
9th of 116 gauges in West Virginia
Most recent flood crest
February 16, 2025
22.47 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Boone County
Near South Charleston (11.1 mi), Charleston (12.4 mi), St. Albans (14.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Big Coal River at Ashford
Action stage16.01Jan 7, 2009The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.015Feb 19, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.016Feb 16, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.08Apr 15, 2007Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

44 crests from 1916 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Coal River at Ashford, 1916 to 2025 10203040ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Aug 9, 1916: 35.66 ft, major floodingApr 6, 1936: 18.70 ft, minor flooding; 17,800 cubic feet per secondOct 28, 1937: 17.80 ft, minor flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1939: 25.70 ft, major flooding; 24,800 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1942: 21.70 ft, moderate flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1945: 17.34 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 17.20 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1950: 17.14 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1955: 17.94 ft, minor flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1956: 17.05 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1957: 20.88 ft, moderate flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1962: 22.24 ft, moderate flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1963: 25.80 ft, major flooding; 24,800 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 27.00 ft, major flooding; 26,600 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1969: 26.14 ft, major flooding; 25,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1972: 23.31 ft, moderate flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1973: 17.50 ft, minor flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1974: 22.45 ft, moderate flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 24.67 ft, moderate flooding; 22,900 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 26.05 ft, major flooding; 25,100 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1978: 22.64 ft, moderate flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1980: 20.24 ft, moderate flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1987: 20.88 ft, moderate flooding; 17,100 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1991: 23.27 ft, moderate flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1993: 17.90 ft, minor flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1994: 18.45 ft, minor flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1996: 21.37 ft, moderate flooding; 17,800 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1997: 18.35 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2001: 20.26 ft, moderate flooding; 16,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2003: 19.24 ft, minor flooding; 14,900 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2003: 25.95 ft, major flooding; 24,900 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2007: 25.68 ft, major flooding; 24,388 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2009: 16.84 ft, action stage; 11,908 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2010: 19.14 ft, minor flooding; 14,781 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2013: 13.41 ft, below flood stage; 8,365 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2015: 23.59 ft, moderate flooding; 21,144 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2015: 20.58 ft, moderate flooding; 16,712 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2017: 18.35 ft, minor flooding; 13,755 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 2018: 15.45 ft, below flood stage; 10,295 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 2018: 14.78 ft, below flood stage; 9,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2020: 13.98 ft, below flood stage; 8,872 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2021: 23.25 ft, moderate flooding; 20,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2023: 17.43 ft, minor flooding; 11,674 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2025: 22.47 ft, moderate flooding; 18,109 cubic feet per second Highest, 35.66 ft, Aug 9, 1916 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Coal River at Ashford 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 3 1940s: 3 1950s: 4 1960s: 4 1970s: 6 6 1980s: 2 1990s: 5 2000s: 4 2010s: 4 2020s: 3 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Big Coal River at Ashford
1Aug 9, 191635.66+18.66Major—
2Mar 7, 196727.00+10.00Major26,600
3Dec 31, 196926.14+9.14Major25,200
4Jan 26, 197826.05+9.05Major25,100
5Nov 19, 200325.95+8.95Major24,900
6Mar 12, 196325.80+8.80Major24,800
7Feb 3, 193925.70+8.70Major24,800
8Apr 15, 200725.68+8.68Major24,388
9Apr 5, 197724.67+7.67Moderate22,900
10Mar 5, 201523.59+6.59Moderate21,144
11Feb 26, 197223.31+6.31Moderate20,700
12Dec 3, 199123.27+6.27Moderate20,700
13Mar 1, 202123.25+6.25Moderate20,600
14Dec 9, 197822.64+5.64Moderate19,700
15Feb 16, 202522.47+5.47Moderate18,109
16Jan 11, 197422.45+5.45Moderate19,400
17Feb 27, 196222.24+5.24Moderate19,700
18Dec 30, 194221.70+4.70Moderate19,800
19May 16, 199621.37+4.37Moderate17,800
20Jan 30, 195720.88+3.88Moderate18,300
21Apr 25, 198720.88+3.88Moderate17,100
22Apr 4, 201520.58+3.58Moderate16,712
23Jul 9, 200120.26+3.26Moderate16,300
24Apr 30, 198020.24+3.24Moderate16,100
25Feb 16, 200319.24+2.24Minor14,900
26Mar 13, 201019.14+2.14Minor14,781
27Apr 6, 193618.70+1.70Minor17,800
28Mar 28, 199418.45+1.45Minor13,900
29Mar 3, 199718.35+1.35Minor13,800
30Jun 6, 201718.35+1.35Minor13,755
31Mar 5, 195517.94+0.94Minor13,200
32Mar 5, 199317.90+0.90Minor13,200
33Oct 28, 193717.80+0.80Minor16,700
34Apr 28, 197317.50+0.50Minor12,400
35Feb 19, 202317.43+0.43Minor11,674
36Jan 8, 194517.34+0.34Minor14,200
37Feb 14, 194817.20+0.20Minor13,400
38Jan 31, 195017.14+0.14Minor13,300
39Mar 14, 195617.05+0.05Minor12,300
40Jan 7, 200916.84−0.16Action11,908
41Feb 12, 201815.45−1.55Below flood stage10,295
42Dec 22, 201814.78−2.22Below flood stage9,600
43Feb 11, 202013.98−3.02Below flood stage8,872
44Jan 31, 201313.41−3.59Below flood stage8,365

Other gauges in Boone County

Flood gauges in Boone County
Danville25.025.86 ft, Mar 26, 19630

Boone County: every hazard · River floods across the country · West Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ASHW2, 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.