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South Branch Potomac River at Franklin

Highest listed crest 22.58 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft59 crests since 1942

The South Branch Potomac River at Franklin crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 59 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1942 to 2021. The highest, 22.58 ft on November 4, 1985, was major flooding, 15.58 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the South Branch Potomac River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.58 ft
November 4, 1985; 44,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
6
15th of 116 gauges in West Virginia
Most recent flood crest
September 23, 2021
7.92 ft, minor flooding
Location
Pendleton County
West Virginia

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Branch Potomac River at Franklin
Action stage6.022Apr 8, 2021The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.024Sep 23, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage9.07Apr 16, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.06Nov 19, 2003Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

59 crests from 1942 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Branch Potomac River at Franklin, 1942 to 2021 510152025ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft May 16, 1942: 8.69 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1942: 7.37 ft, minor flooding; 7,080 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1943: 6.05 ft, action stage; 4,330 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1949: 7.24 ft, minor flooding; 6,280 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1949: 11.40 ft, major flooding; 15,000 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 1950: 6.64 ft, action stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1952: 6.60 ft, action stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1953: 6.13 ft, action stage; 4,360 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1954: 7.31 ft, minor flooding; 6,470 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 1954: 7.06 ft, minor flooding; 6,090 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1955: 7.10 ft, minor flooding; 6,090 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1955: 7.10 ft, minor flooding; 6,090 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1960: 6.77 ft, action stage; 5,540 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1961: 6.22 ft, action stage; 4,520 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1963: 6.24 ft, action stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1964: 8.32 ft, minor flooding; 8,440 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1965: 7.32 ft, minor flooding; 6,510 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1967: 8.45 ft, minor flooding; 8,700 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 1976: 8.72 ft, minor flooding; 9,240 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 7.16 ft, minor flooding; 6,200 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 9.15 ft, moderate flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1978: 7.28 ft, minor flooding; 6,430 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1979: 7.18 ft, minor flooding; 6,240 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1979: 7.17 ft, minor flooding; 6,220 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1980: 9.15 ft, moderate flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1980: 6.49 ft, action stage; 4,980 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1982: 7.72 ft, minor flooding; 7,270 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 1984: 8.58 ft, minor flooding; 8,960 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1985: 22.58 ft, major flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1986: 7.08 ft, minor flooding; 6,050 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1987: 6.49 ft, action stage; 4,980 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1991: 6.88 ft, action stage; 5,680 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1992: 6.76 ft, action stage; 5,460 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1993: 9.71 ft, moderate flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1994: 6.97 ft, action stage; 5,850 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1995: 6.37 ft, action stage; 4,770 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 16.06 ft, major flooding; 25,800 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1996: 9.98 ft, moderate flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1996: 19.16 ft, major flooding; 34,000 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1996: 6.33 ft, action stage; 4,690 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1998: 6.48 ft, action stage; 4,960 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2002: 6.58 ft, action stage; 5,120 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2003: 12.14 ft, major flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2003: 12.26 ft, major flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2006: 7.74 ft, minor flooding; 7,330 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2007: 9.52 ft, moderate flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2008: 6.86 ft, action stage; 5,300 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2010: 9.12 ft, moderate flooding; 9,920 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2010: 6.78 ft, action stageMar 6, 2011: 6.71 ft, action stage; 4,981 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2011: 6.81 ft, action stage; 5,191 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2011: 8.66 ft, minor flooding; 9,024 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2011: 7.45 ft, minor flooding; 6,539 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2014: 8.24 ft, minor flooding; 7,615 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2018: 9.10 ft, moderate flooding; 9,353 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2020: 8.89 ft, minor flooding; 6,110 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2021: 6.48 ft, action stage; 2,980 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2021: 6.68 ft, action stage; 166 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2021: 7.92 ft, minor flooding; 4,370 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.58 ft, Nov 4, 1985 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Branch Potomac River at Franklin 1940s: 4 1950s: 4 1960s: 3 1970s: 6 6 1980s: 5 1990s: 4 2000s: 4 2010s: 5 2020s: 2 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.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 59 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, South Branch Potomac River at Franklin
1Nov 4, 198522.58+15.58Major44,000
2Sep 6, 199619.16+12.16Major34,000
3Jan 19, 199616.06+9.06Major25,800
4Nov 19, 200312.26+5.26Major16,800
5Sep 19, 200312.14+5.14Major16,500
6Jun 17, 194911.40+4.40Major15,000
7May 17, 19969.98+2.98Moderate12,000
8Apr 16, 19939.71+2.71Moderate11,200
9Mar 2, 20079.52+2.52Moderate10,700
10Jan 26, 19789.15+2.15Moderate10,100
11Jan 26, 19809.15+2.15Moderate10,100
12Jan 25, 20109.12+2.12Moderate9,920
13Apr 16, 20189.10+2.10Moderate9,353
14Jun 18, 20208.89+1.89Minor6,110
15Oct 9, 19768.72+1.72Minor9,240
16May 16, 19428.69+1.69Minor10,100
17Apr 16, 20118.66+1.66Minor9,024
18Aug 12, 19848.58+1.58Minor8,960
19Mar 7, 19678.45+1.45Minor8,700
20Mar 5, 19648.32+1.32Minor8,440
21May 16, 20148.24+1.24Minor7,615
22Sep 23, 20217.92+0.92Minor4,370
23Jun 27, 20067.74+0.74Minor7,330
24Mar 20, 19827.72+0.72Minor7,270
25Apr 28, 20117.45+0.45Minor6,539
26May 22, 19427.37+0.37Minor7,080
27Apr 26, 19657.32+0.32Minor6,510
28Mar 1, 19547.31+0.31Minor6,470
29Mar 14, 19787.28+0.28Minor6,430
30Apr 13, 19497.24+0.24Minor6,280
31Jan 21, 19797.18+0.18Minor6,240
32Jun 10, 19797.17+0.17Minor6,220
33Apr 5, 19777.16+0.16Minor6,200
34Mar 2, 19557.10+0.10Minor6,090
35Mar 22, 19557.10+0.10Minor6,090
36Mar 15, 19867.08+0.08Minor6,050
37Oct 15, 19547.06+0.06Minor6,090
38May 8, 19946.97−0.03Action5,850
39Mar 23, 19916.88−0.12Action5,680
40Mar 5, 20086.86−0.14Action5,300
41Mar 11, 20116.81−0.19Action5,191
42Mar 13, 20106.78−0.22Action—
43Mar 30, 19606.77−0.23Action5,540
44Apr 21, 19926.76−0.24Action5,460
45Mar 6, 20116.71−0.29Action4,981
46Apr 8, 20216.68−0.32Action166
47Dec 7, 19506.64−0.36Action5,200
48Mar 11, 19526.60−0.40Action5,200
49Apr 22, 20026.58−0.42Action5,120
50Apr 14, 19806.49−0.51Action4,980

The worst floods along the South Branch Potomac River

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

November 4, 1985: 22.58 ft here, major flooding

  • SpringfieldWV · Nov 5, 1985 · 44.22 ft · Major · its highest
  • PetersburgWV · Nov 5, 1985 · 21.80 ft · Major

September 6, 1996: 19.16 ft here, major flooding

January 19, 1996: 16.06 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the South Branch Potomac River

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

Flood gauges on the South Branch Potomac River
Franklin this gaugeWV7.022.58 ft, Nov 4, 19856
PetersburgWV14.022.83 ft, Jun 17, 19497
SpringfieldWV15.044.22 ft, Nov 5, 19856

Other gauges in Pendleton County

Flood gauges in Pendleton County
Brandywine10.018.42 ft, Nov 4, 19850

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FKLW2, 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.