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Opequon Creek near Martinsburg

Highest listed crest 18.76 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft155 crests since 1948

The Opequon Creek near Martinsburg crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 155 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1948 to 2025. The highest, 18.76 ft on January 20, 1996, was major flooding, 8.76 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Opequon Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
18.76 ft
January 20, 1996; 23,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
8
9th of 116 gauges in West Virginia
Most recent flood crest
May 15, 2025
12.74 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Berkeley County
Near Martinsburg (3.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Opequon Creek near Martinsburg
Action stage9.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.0110Jan 29, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.537May 15, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.08May 17, 2014Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

155 crests from 1948 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Opequon Creek near Martinsburg, 1948 to 2025 101214161820ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Dec 17, 1948: 10.27 ft, minor flooding; 2,660 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1948: 10.41 ft, minor flooding; 2,700 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1950: 10.36 ft, minor flooding; 2,740 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1950: 11.08 ft, minor flooding; 3,950 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1950: 14.12 ft, moderate flooding; 9,100 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1951: 10.98 ft, minor flooding; 3,800 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1952: 13.09 ft, moderate flooding; 7,190 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1952: 11.65 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 1952: 13.12 ft, moderate flooding; 6,980 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1955: 11.13 ft, minor flooding; 3,700 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 11.92 ft, minor flooding; 4,900 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1959: 11.54 ft, minor flooding; 4,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1961: 10.56 ft, minor flooding; 3,110 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1961: 10.67 ft, minor flooding; 3,190 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1962: 10.54 ft, minor flooding; 3,030 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1963: 10.77 ft, minor flooding; 3,270 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1964: 10.35 ft, minor flooding; 2,910 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1965: 10.90 ft, minor flooding; 3,430 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 11.76 ft, minor flooding; 3,740 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1968: 10.27 ft, minor flooding; 2,460 cubic feet per secondNov 13, 1970: 15.81 ft, major flooding; 14,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1971: 12.24 ft, minor flooding; 5,430 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1971: 11.02 ft, minor flooding; 3,630 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1972: 10.92 ft, minor flooding; 3,520 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1972: 17.45 ft, major flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1972: 12.71 ft, moderate flooding; 6,280 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1972: 12.50 ft, moderate flooding; 5,900 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 1972: 11.28 ft, minor flooding; 3,900 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1972: 13.09 ft, moderate flooding; 7,000 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1972: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 3,220 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1973: 10.41 ft, minor flooding; 3,030 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 1973: 10.51 ft, minor flooding; 3,170 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1973: 11.01 ft, minor flooding; 3,610 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1974: 12.81 ft, moderate flooding; 6,680 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1975: 11.64 ft, minor flooding; 4,580 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1975: 12.21 ft, minor flooding; 5,540 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1975: 12.83 ft, moderate flooding; 6,720 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1975: 14.15 ft, moderate flooding; 9,460 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1975: 10.43 ft, minor flooding; 3,050 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1976: 12.08 ft, minor flooding; 5,300 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 1976: 14.73 ft, moderate flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 11.18 ft, minor flooding; 3,910 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 10.44 ft, minor flooding; 3,060 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1978: 12.16 ft, minor flooding; 5,450 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1978: 10.89 ft, minor flooding; 3,550 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1978: 10.27 ft, minor flooding; 2,900 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1978: 13.50 ft, moderate flooding; 8,060 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1979: 11.81 ft, minor flooding; 4,860 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1979: 12.54 ft, moderate flooding; 6,130 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1979: 10.64 ft, minor flooding; 3,260 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1979: 11.58 ft, minor flooding; 4,490 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1980: 10.90 ft, minor flooding; 3,560 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1982: 12.98 ft, moderate flooding; 7,020 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1983: 10.42 ft, minor flooding; 3,040 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1983: 11.03 ft, minor flooding; 3,720 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1983: 11.77 ft, minor flooding; 4,790 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1984: 14.99 ft, moderate flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1984: 10.44 ft, minor flooding; 3,060 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1984: 13.72 ft, moderate flooding; 8,500 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1984: 11.27 ft, minor flooding; 4,040 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1984: 10.14 ft, minor flooding; 2,790 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 1984: 11.60 ft, minor flooding; 4,520 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1985: 12.99 ft, moderate flooding; 7,040 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1986: 11.43 ft, minor flooding; 4,260 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1987: 10.67 ft, minor flooding; 3,290 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 12.05 ft, minor flooding; 5,250 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1988: 11.15 ft, minor flooding; 3,870 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1988: 16.29 ft, major flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1990: 14.07 ft, moderate flooding; 9,270 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 1990: 11.64 ft, minor flooding; 4,580 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1990: 10.26 ft, minor flooding; 2,890 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1991: 11.50 ft, minor flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1992: 10.03 ft, minor flooding; 2,700 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1992: 15.27 ft, major flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1992: 11.59 ft, minor flooding; 4,500 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1993: 15.38 ft, major flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1993: 11.07 ft, minor flooding; 3,760 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1993: 10.46 ft, minor flooding; 3,080 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1993: 10.42 ft, minor flooding; 3,040 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1993: 11.79 ft, minor flooding; 4,810 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1993: 10.37 ft, minor flooding; 2,990 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1993: 13.26 ft, moderate flooding; 7,510 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1993: 12.45 ft, minor flooding; 5,970 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1994: 10.94 ft, minor flooding; 3,600 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1994: 11.87 ft, minor flooding; 4,940 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1994: 11.58 ft, minor flooding; 4,480 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1994: 10.91 ft, minor flooding; 3,570 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1995: 10.81 ft, minor floodingOct 22, 1995: 11.25 ft, minor flooding; 4,000 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 18.76 ft, major flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1996: 10.86 ft, minor flooding; 3,510 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1996: 11.96 ft, minor flooding; 5,090 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1996: 11.01 ft, minor flooding; 3,690 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 1996: 11.78 ft, minor flooding; 4,800 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1996: 11.92 ft, minor flooding; 5,030 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1996: 15.06 ft, major flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1996: 12.37 ft, minor flooding; 5,820 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1996: 12.53 ft, moderate flooding; 6,110 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1996: 10.91 ft, minor flooding; 3,570 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1997: 10.36 ft, minor flooding; 2,980 cubic feet per secondNov 8, 1997: 12.16 ft, minor flooding; 5,440 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1998: 10.57 ft, minor flooding; 3,190 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1998: 12.08 ft, minor flooding; 5,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1998: 13.09 ft, moderate flooding; 7,170 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1998: 11.47 ft, minor flooding; 4,320 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1998: 14.41 ft, moderate flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2001: 10.58 ft, minor flooding; 3,200 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 2003: 11.41 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 2003: 10.50 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 2003: 11.51 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 2003: 12.82 ft, moderate floodingSep 20, 2003: 10.36 ft, minor floodingDec 11, 2003: 12.70 ft, moderate floodingSep 29, 2004: 13.21 ft, moderate flooding; 6,980 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2005: 12.02 ft, minor flooding; 5,030 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2006: 12.80 ft, moderate flooding; 6,330 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2007: 10.59 ft, minor flooding; 3,110 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2008: 12.91 ft, moderate flooding; 6,530 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2009: 10.07 ft, minor flooding; 2,660 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2010: 12.91 ft, moderate flooding; 6,528 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2011: 10.23 ft, minor flooding; 2,787 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 5,639 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2011: 10.38 ft, minor flooding; 2,922 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2011: 12.32 ft, minor flooding; 5,503 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 2011: 10.22 ft, minor flooding; 3,060 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2012: 13.46 ft, moderate flooding; 7,324 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2013: 12.04 ft, minor flooding; 5,060 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 2013: 10.60 ft, minor flooding; 3,340 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2013: 10.50 ft, minor flooding; 3,250 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2014: 15.21 ft, major flooding; 9,996 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 2016: 10.80 ft, minor flooding; 3,530 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2017: 10.70 ft, minor flooding; 2,912 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2017: 11.20 ft, minor flooding; 3,262 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 2017: 13.19 ft, moderate flooding; 5,920 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2018: 10.50 ft, minor flooding; 2,786 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2018: 14.35 ft, moderate flooding; 8,000 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2018: 13.95 ft, moderate flooding; 7,144 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2018: 12.93 ft, moderate flooding; 5,293 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 2018: 11.77 ft, minor flooding; 3,772 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2018: 11.63 ft, minor flooding; 3,643 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2018: 12.89 ft, moderate flooding; 5,228 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 2018: 14.03 ft, moderate flooding; 7,305 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2018: 10.32 ft, minor flooding; 2,677 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2018: 13.52 ft, moderate flooding; 6,316 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2019: 10.88 ft, minor flooding; 3,029 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2019: 10.74 ft, minor flooding; 2,938 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2019: 12.07 ft, minor flooding; 4,116 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2019: 11.73 ft, minor flooding; 3,735 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2019: 14.35 ft, moderate flooding; 7,978 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2021: 10.92 ft, minor flooding; 3,050 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2022: 11.32 ft, minor flooding; 3,366 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2022: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 2,571 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 10.63 ft, minor flooding; 2,867 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 2024: 10.79 ft, minor flooding; 2,969 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2025: 12.74 ft, moderate flooding; 4,973 cubic feet per second Highest, 18.76 ft, Jan 20, 1996 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Opequon Creek near Martinsburg 1940s: 2 1950s: 10 1960s: 8 1970s: 31 1980s: 17 1990s: 38 38 2000s: 13 2010s: 30 2020s: 6 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.
  3. 1 crest measured on an earlier gauge datum is left out: 17.50 ft on Mar 18, 1936.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 155 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Opequon Creek near Martinsburg
1Jan 20, 199618.76+8.76Major23,400
2Jun 22, 197217.45+7.45Major19,000
3May 19, 198816.29+6.29Major15,500
4Nov 13, 197015.81+5.81Major14,000
5Mar 5, 199315.38+5.38Major12,600
6Apr 22, 199215.27+5.27Major12,300
7May 17, 201415.21+5.21Major9,996
8Sep 7, 199615.06+5.06Major11,700
9Feb 15, 198414.99+4.99Moderate11,600
10Oct 10, 197614.73+4.73Moderate10,900
11Mar 21, 199814.41+4.41Moderate10,100
12May 17, 201814.35+4.35Moderate8,000
13May 6, 201914.35+4.35Moderate7,978
14Sep 25, 197514.15+4.15Moderate9,460
15Dec 4, 195014.12+4.12Moderate9,100
16Oct 13, 199014.07+4.07Moderate9,270
17Sep 28, 201814.03+4.03Moderate7,305
18Jun 4, 201813.95+3.95Moderate7,144
19Mar 29, 198413.72+3.72Moderate8,500
20Dec 16, 201813.52+3.52Moderate6,316
21Aug 7, 197813.50+3.50Moderate8,060
22Oct 31, 201213.46+3.46Moderate7,324
23Nov 28, 199313.26+3.26Moderate7,510
24Sep 29, 200413.21+3.21Moderate6,980
25Jul 29, 201713.19+3.19Moderate5,920
26Nov 22, 195213.12+3.12Moderate6,980
27Apr 28, 195213.09+3.09Moderate7,190
28Dec 9, 197213.09+3.09Moderate7,000
29Feb 6, 199813.09+3.09Moderate7,170
30Feb 13, 198512.99+2.99Moderate7,040
31Jun 14, 198212.98+2.98Moderate7,020
32Jun 24, 201812.93+2.93Moderate5,293
33May 12, 200812.91+2.91Moderate6,530
34Mar 14, 201012.91+2.91Moderate6,528
35Sep 10, 201812.89+2.89Moderate5,228
36Jul 21, 197512.83+2.83Moderate6,720
37Jun 22, 200312.82+2.82Moderate—
38Dec 2, 197412.81+2.81Moderate6,680
39Jun 28, 200612.80+2.80Moderate6,330
40May 15, 202512.74+2.74Moderate4,973
41Jun 30, 197212.71+2.71Moderate6,280
42Dec 11, 200312.70+2.70Moderate—
43Feb 26, 197912.54+2.54Moderate6,130
44Nov 9, 199612.53+2.53Moderate6,110
45Nov 14, 197212.50+2.50Moderate5,900
46Dec 5, 199312.45+2.45Minor5,970
47Apr 17, 201112.40+2.40Minor5,639
48Oct 19, 199612.37+2.37Minor5,820
49May 18, 201112.32+2.32Minor5,503
50Feb 14, 197112.24+2.24Minor5,430

The worst floods along the Opequon Creek

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

January 20, 1996: 18.76 ft here, major flooding

  • BerryvilleVA · Jan 19, 1996 · 13.30 ft · Moderate

June 22, 1972: 17.45 ft here, major flooding

  • BerryvilleVA · Jun 22, 1972 · 12.59 ft · Moderate

May 19, 1988: 16.29 ft here, major flooding

  • BerryvilleVA · May 18, 1988 · 13.49 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Opequon Creek

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Opequon Creek
BerryvilleVA10.018.40 ft, Oct 1, 19422
Martinsburg this gaugeWV10.018.76 ft, Jan 20, 19968

Other gauges in Berkeley County

Flood gauges in Berkeley County
Jones Springs11.025.17 ft, Oct 15, 19423
Bunker Hill4.36.25 ft, May 16, 20140
Martinsburg5.57.47 ft, Aug 21, 20180

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MBGW2, 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.