Cheat River at Rowlesburg

Highest listed crest 32.00 ftFlood stage 19.0 ft3 crests since 1985

The Cheat River at Rowlesburg crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 3 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1985 to 2000. The highest, 32.00 ft on November 5, 1985, was major flooding, 13.00 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Cheat River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest: 32.00 ft; November 5, 1985
Flood stage: 19.0 ft; Major flooding from 23.0 ft
Crests at major: 1; 40th of 116 gauges in West Virginia
Most recent flood crest: February 19, 2000; 20.90 ft, minor flooding
Location: Preston County; West Virginia
Identifiers: NWS ROLW2; USGS 03069870; out of service

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cheat River at Rowlesburg

Action stage	15.0	0	—	The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)	19.0	2	Feb 19, 2000	Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage	21.0	0	—	Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage	23.0	1	Nov 5, 1985	Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

3 crests from 1985 to 2000. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

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.
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, Cheat River at Rowlesburg

1	Nov 5, 1985	32.00	+13.00	Major	—
2	Feb 19, 2000	20.90	+1.90	Minor	66,400
3	Jan 19, 1996	19.60	+0.60	Minor	—

The worst floods along the Cheat River

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

November 5, 1985: 32.00 ft here, major flooding

RowlesburgWV · Nov 5, 1985 · 36.90 ft · Major · its highest
ParsonsWV · Nov 5, 1985 · 24.30 ft · Major · its highest

February 19, 2000: 20.90 ft here, minor flooding

RowlesburgWV · Feb 19, 2000 · 20.90 ft · Moderate

January 19, 1996: 19.60 ft here, minor flooding

RowlesburgWV · Jan 19, 1996 · 24.20 ft · Major
ParsonsWV · Jan 19, 1996 · 19.80 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Cheat River

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

Flood gauges on the Cheat River

Parsons	WV	18.5	24.30 ft, Nov 5, 1985	1
Rowlesburg this gauge	WV	19.0	32.00 ft, Nov 5, 1985	1
Rowlesburg	WV	16.0	36.90 ft, Nov 5, 1985	3
Albright	WV	27.0	27.23 ft, Jul 29, 2017	0

Other gauges in Preston County

Flood gauges in Preston County

Rockville	17.5	18.00 ft, Jul 24, 1912	0
Albright	27.0	27.23 ft, Jul 29, 2017	0
Rowlesburg	16.0	36.90 ft, Nov 5, 1985	3

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ROLW2, 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.