River Report

Bluestone River river

2 streamgauges 80% of normal Last updated 2026-05-29
Aggregate flow
844cfs
% of normal
80%
Daily volume
1,673AF
Seasonal avg
1,052cfs

Total streamflow across the Bluestone River was last observed at 844 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,673 acre-ft of water today; about 80% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 1,052 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-02-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 18,280 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Bluestone River Near Pipestem reporting a streamflow rate of 756 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Bluestone River, with a gauge stage of 4.85 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Bluestone River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,360 ft, the Bluestone River At Falls Mills.

Max discharge

Bluestone River Near Pipestem

756cfs
Highest stage

Bluestone River Near Pipestem

4.85ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Bluestone River At Falls Mills

2,360ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Bluestone 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 Bluestone River

All 2 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)
Bluestone River At Falls Mills VA
USGS 03177710
88 2.29 -50.3 165% 4 1,260 2,360
Bluestone River Near Pipestem WV
USGS 03179000
756 4.85 9.6 221% 16 17,100 1,529
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

Bluestone River

The Bluestone River is a river in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia. The river stretches for about 77 miles, beginning in Virginia and flowing into West Virginia. It was once an important transportation route for timber, coal, and other resources. The Bluestone Dam, located in West Virginia, was constructed in the late 1940s for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The dam created the Bluestone Lake, a popular destination for boating and fishing. The river and surrounding area also provide opportunities for hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing. Agricultural uses along the river include grazing and hay production. Overall, the Bluestone River has played an important role in the history and development of the region, and continues to provide valuable recreational and economic opportunities.

Track the Bluestone 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 Bluestone River

Where does the data for the Bluestone 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.