River Report

Gauley River river

2 streamgauges 141% of normal Last updated 2026-05-30
Aggregate flow
4,420cfs
% of normal
141%
Daily volume
8,767AF
Seasonal avg
3,146cfs

Total streamflow across the Gauley River was last observed at 4,420 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 8,767 acre-ft of water today; about 141% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,146 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2015-03-05 when daily discharge volume was observed at 52,300 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Gauley River Above Belva reporting a streamflow rate of 3,200 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Gauley River Near Craigsville with a gauge stage of 11.95 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Gauley River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,881 ft, the Gauley River Near Craigsville.

Max discharge

Gauley River Above Belva

3,200cfs
Highest stage

Gauley River Near Craigsville

11.95ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Gauley River Near Craigsville

1,881ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Gauley 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 Gauley 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)
Gauley River Near Craigsville WV
USGS 03189100
1,220 11.95 -30.7 150% 3 36,100 1,881
Gauley River Above Belva WV
USGS 03192000
3,200 4.29 -36.3 152% 88 30,700 675
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

Gauley River

The Gauley River is a 105-mile long river in West Virginia, USA. It has a rich history, having been used for transportation and as a source of power during the Industrial Revolution. Today, it is a popular spot for whitewater rafting and kayaking, attracting adventure enthusiasts from around the world. The river is home to several hydroelectric power plants, including the Summersville Dam and the Sutton Dam, which provide energy to the region. The Summersville Dam also created the Summersville Lake, which is used for recreational purposes such as boating and fishing. Despite its agricultural potential, the Gauley River has been largely untouched by farming due to its steep terrain and the presence of rocky outcroppings.

Track the Gauley 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 Gauley River

Where does the data for the Gauley 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.