River Report

Blackwater River river

9 streamgauges 100% of normal Last updated 2026-05-24
Aggregate flow
3,269cfs
% of normal
100%
Daily volume
6,484AF
Seasonal avg
3,268cfs

Total streamflow across the Blackwater River was last observed at 3,269 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 6,484 acre-ft of water today; about 100% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,268 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2013-06-04 when daily discharge volume was observed at 22,386 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Blackwater River At Blue Lick reporting a streamflow rate of 2,670 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Blackwater River Near Dendron with a gauge stage of 31.34 ft. This river is monitored from 9 different streamgauging stations along the Blackwater River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 3,138 ft, the Blackwater R Nr Davis.

Max discharge

Blackwater River At Blue Lick

2,670cfs
Highest stage

Blackwater River Near Dendron

31.34ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Blackwater R Nr Davis

3,138ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Blackwater River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Blackwater River

All 9 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Blackwater R Nr Davis WV
USGS 03065400
132 1.81 · · · · 3,138
Blackwater R At Davis WV
USGS 03066000
599 4.03 -25.4 453% 6 3,890 3,071
Blackwater River Near Rocky Mount VA
USGS 02056900
81 2.12 24.7 62% 12 4,100 903
Blackwater River At Blue Lick MO
USGS 06908000
2,670 18.37 -40.3 1259% 1 21,100 603
Blackwater River Near Webster NH
USGS 01087000
19 1.91 · · · · 453
Blackwater River Near Bradley Al AL
USGS 02369800
48 0.89 35.4 74% 14 2,700 141
Blackwater River Nr Baker FL
USGS 02370000
127 1.27 17.6 68% 43 19,200 64
Blackwater River Near Dendron VA
USGS 02047500
1 31.34 5.6 2% 0 4,690 33
Blackwater River Near Franklin VA
USGS 02049500
14 0.75 2.2 7% 0 9,320 3
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Blackwater River

The Blackwater River is a 65-mile-long river located in West Virginia. It is known for its clear waters, scenic beauty, and recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and camping. The river was named for its dark color, which is caused by tannins from the surrounding forests. The river has a significant history, as it was used by Native Americans for transportation and fishing. It was also used during the logging era to transport logs downstream. The Blackwater River has several tributaries and is fed by several reservoirs, including the Jennings Randolph Lake and the Mount Storm Lake. These reservoirs provide hydroelectric power and water for agricultural and recreational use. The river is also home to a variety of fish species, including trout and bass, making it a popular spot for fishing enthusiasts.

Around the river

Recreation along the Blackwater River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Blackwater River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Blackwater River

Where does the data for the Blackwater River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.