James River Flow Today
As of November 6, 2026 at 2:15 AM, the James River is flowing at 1,490 cfs at Scottsville, VA — 112% of normal for the date and up 48% in 24 hours. 25 of 25 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 5.6 to 1,490 cfs. ❤ Favorite
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Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
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James River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At Scottsville, the James River is running 1,490 cfs — 112% of normal, up 48% since yesterday. Along the river, 10 of 25 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 98% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is rising at Scottsville (+48%) and Boaz (+34%); dropping at Bent Creek (-58%) and Springfield (-27%).
Highest against normal: Grace City at 435%. Lowest: Bent Creek at 42%.
Paddlers: 0 of 4 runs on the James River with a live range are in range, 4 too low.
How the James River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Grace City1,464 ft 7.2 cfs435%
- Kensal1,442 ft 5.6 cfs80%
- Jamestown1,382 ft 84 cfs299%
- Lamoure1,303 ft 160 cfs151%
- Nd-sd State Line1,290 ft 95 cfs71%
- Columbia Sd1,287 ft 155 cfs63%
- Stratford Sd1,276 ft 252 cfs92%
- Ashton Sd1,271 ft 258 cfs107%
- Redfield Sd1,264 ft 324 cfs101%
- Huron Sd1,233 ft 896 cfs311%
- Forestburg Sd1,214 ft 751 cfs227%
- Mitchell Sd1,206 ft 764 cfs124%
- Scotland Sd1,187 ft 706 cfs249%
- Yankton Sd1,164 ft 733 cfs180%
- Springfield1,147 ft 50 cfs98%
- Boaz1,070 ft 120 cfs66%
- Lick Run1,012 ft 366 cfs91%
- Galena927 ft 162 cfs58%
- Buchanan824 ft 474 cfs78%
- Holcomb Rock582 ft 626 cfs65%
- Bent Creek374 ft 525 cfs42%
- Scottsville278 ft 1,490 cfs112%
- Cartersville161 ft 1,260 cfs61%
- Richmond121 ft 162 cfs198%
- Richmond102 ft 1,070 cfs55%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per James River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (98%).
James River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
James River Near Grace City ND
Nov 6, 1:15 AM · USGS 06468170 |
7.2 cfs | 435% | 0% | 4.30 ft | 7.7 ft below | 1,464 ft |
|
James River Above Arrowwood Lake Near Kensal ND
Nov 6, 1:15 AM · USGS 06468250 |
5.6 cfs | 80% | -7% | 1.00 ft | 8.0 ft below | 1,442 ft |
|
James River At Jamestown ND
Nov 6, 1:15 AM · USGS 06470000 |
84 cfs | 299% | +3% | 3.57 ft | 8.4 ft below | 1,382 ft |
|
James River At Lamoure ND
Nov 6, 1:15 AM · USGS 06470500 |
160 cfs | 151% | -17% | 7.77 ft | 6.2 ft below | 1,303 ft |
|
James River At Nd-sd State Line SD
Nov 6, 1:45 AM · USGS 06470878 |
95 cfs | 71% | -20% | 87.65 ft | · | 1,290 ft |
|
James River At Columbia Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:00 AM · USGS 06471000 |
155 cfs | 63% | -3% | 6.38 ft | 6.6 ft below | 1,287 ft |
|
James River Near Stratford Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:45 AM · USGS 06472000 |
252 cfs | 92% | +2% | 8.02 ft | 6.0 ft below | 1,276 ft |
|
James River At Ashton Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:45 AM · USGS 06473000 |
258 cfs | 107% | +4% | 5.03 ft | 8.0 ft below | 1,271 ft |
|
James River Near Redfield Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:45 AM · USGS 06475000 |
324 cfs | 101% | -1% | 4.85 ft | 15.2 ft below | 1,264 ft |
|
James River At Huron Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:00 AM · USGS 06476000 |
896 cfs | 311% | +10% | 9.97 ft | 1.0 ft below | 1,233 ft |
|
James River Near Forestburg Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:15 AM · USGS 06477000 |
751 cfs | 227% | +5% | 7.06 ft | 4.9 ft below | 1,214 ft |
|
James River Near Mitchell Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:45 AM · USGS 06478000 |
764 cfs | 124% | +29% | 12.53 ft | 4.5 ft below | 1,206 ft |
|
James River Near Scotland Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:30 AM · USGS 06478500 |
706 cfs | 249% | -1% | 5.38 ft | 7.6 ft below | 1,187 ft |
|
James River Near Yankton Sd SD
Nov 6, 1:00 AM · USGS 06478513 |
733 cfs | 180% | +4% | 4.32 ft | 7.7 ft below | 1,164 ft |
|
James River Near Springfield MO
Nov 6, 1:00 AM · USGS 07050700 |
50 cfs | 98% | -27% | 4.37 ft | 7.6 ft below | 1,147 ft |
|
James River Near Boaz MO
Nov 6, 1:45 AM · USGS 07052250 |
120 cfs | 66% | +34% | 2.61 ft | · | 1,070 ft |
|
James River At Lick Run VA
Nov 6, 2:00 AM · USGS 02016500 |
366 cfs | 91% | +1% | 1.74 ft | 14.3 ft below | 1,012 ft |
|
James River At Galena MO
Nov 6, 1:15 AM · USGS 07052500 |
162 cfs | 58% | +9% | 3.94 ft | 11.1 ft below | 927 ft |
|
James River At Buchanan VA
Nov 6, 2:00 AM · USGS 02019500 |
474 cfs | 78% | +3% | 2.12 ft | 14.9 ft below | 824 ft |
|
James River At Holcomb Rock VA
Nov 6, 2:45 AM · USGS 02025500 |
626 cfs | 65% | 0% | 4.09 ft | 17.9 ft below | 582 ft |
|
James River At Bent Creek VA
Nov 6, 2:45 AM · USGS 02026000 |
525 cfs | 42% | -58% | 2.65 ft | 13.4 ft below | 374 ft |
|
James River At Scottsville VA
Nov 6, 2:15 AM · USGS 02029000 |
1,490 cfs | 112% | +48% | 3.23 ft | 16.8 ft below | 278 ft |
|
James River At Cartersville VA
Nov 6, 1:45 AM · USGS 02035000 |
1,260 cfs | 61% | +1% | 0.90 ft | 19.1 ft below | 161 ft |
|
James River And Kanawha Canal Near Richmond VA
Nov 6, 2:30 AM · USGS 02037000 |
162 cfs | 198% | 0% | 6.68 ft | · | 121 ft |
|
James River Near Richmond VA
Nov 6, 2:30 AM · USGS 02037500 |
1,070 cfs | 55% | +5% | 3.45 ft | 8.6 ft below | 102 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Paddle runs on the James River
Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).
| Run | Status | Flow now | Runnable range | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mile Southeast Of Buchanan (At End Of Nfs Land) To Snowden Dam Reservoir Gauge: Holcomb Rock |
Too low | 626 cfs | 724–38,400 cfs | III–IV |
| Headwaters To Farmville Gauge: Bent Creek |
Too low | 525 cfs | 3,457–7,718 cfs typical | II–IV |
| Segment A--Route 42 Bridge To Confluence With Jackson River Gauge: Lick Run |
Too low | 366 cfs | 400–20,000 cfs | II–III |
| Top Of Apple Orchards Falls To Confluence Of North Creek With Jennings Creek Gauge: Buchanan |
Too low | 474 cfs | 1,750–4,082 cfs typical | III |
James River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
James River
The James River is a 348-mile-long river that flows from the Appalachian Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. It played an important role in the history of Virginia, serving as a major transportation route for trade and commerce. The river is home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Boshers Dam, the Powhatan Dam, and the Gathright Dam. These dams provide hydroelectric power and help manage the river's flow. The James River is also a popular destination for recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, kayaking, and boating. Additionally, the river is used for agriculture, providing irrigation for crops and livestock. Despite being affected by urbanization and pollutants, efforts are being made to protect and restore the health of the James River ecosystem.
Fishing near the James River
About the James River
How is the James River flowing right now?
As of November 6, 2026, the James River is flowing at 1,490 cfs at Scottsville, VA, about 112% of normal for the date. Across its 25 USGS gauges, current flows range from 5.6 to 1,490 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the James River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the James River is at 98% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
What is flood stage on the James River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Grace City (12.0 ft), Kensal (9.0 ft), Jamestown (12.0 ft), Lamoure (14.0 ft), Columbia Sd (13.0 ft), Stratford Sd (14.0 ft), Ashton Sd (13.0 ft), Redfield Sd (20.0 ft), Huron Sd (11.0 ft), Forestburg Sd (12.0 ft), Mitchell Sd (17.0 ft), Scotland Sd (13.0 ft), Yankton Sd (12.0 ft), Springfield (12.0 ft), Lick Run (16.0 ft), Galena (15.0 ft), Buchanan (17.0 ft), Holcomb Rock (22.0 ft), Bent Creek (16.0 ft), Scottsville (20.0 ft), Cartersville (20.0 ft), Richmond (12.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Is the James River runnable for paddling today?
Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.