Summary
Total streamflow across the
Kanawha River
was last observed at
22,540
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
44,708
acre-ft of water today; about 53%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
42,853 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2019-02-25 when daily discharge volume was observed at
237,000 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Kanawha River At Charleston
reporting a streamflow rate of 13,800 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Kanawha River, with a gauge stage of
18.55 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Kanawha River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 622 ft, the
Kanawha River At Kanawha Falls.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-24 |
| Discharge Volume | 44,708 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
22,540.0 cfs
-7060.0 cfs (-23.85%) |
| Percent of Normal | 52.6% |
| Maximum |
237,000.0 cfs
2019-02-25 |
| Seasonal Avg | 42,853 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kanawha River At Kanawha Falls
USGS 03193000 |
8740 cfs | 4.9 ft | -26.55 | |||||
|
Kanawha River At Charleston
USGS 03198000 |
13800 cfs | 18.55 ft | -22.03 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Kanawha River ( kə-NAW-ə) is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi (156 km) long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, its valley has been a significant industrial region of the state since early in the 19th century.
It is formed at the town of Gauley Bridge in northwestern Fayette County, approximately 35 mi (56 km) SE of Charleston, by the confluence of the New and Gauley rivers. It flows generally northwest, in a winding course on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, through Fayette, Kanawha, Putnam, and Mason counties, past the cities of Charleston and St. Albans, and numerous smaller communities. It joins the Ohio at Point Pleasant.
Paleo-Indians, the earliest indigenous peoples, lived in the valley and the heights by 10,000 BC as evidenced by archaeological artifacts such as Clovis points. A succession of prehistoric cultures developed, with the Adena culture beginning the construction of numerous skilled earthwork mounds and enclosures more than 2000 years ago. Some of the villages of the Fort Ancient culture survived into the times of European contact.
The area was a place of competition among historical American Indian nations. Invading from their base in present-day New York, the Iroquois drove out or conquered Fort Ancient culture peoples, as well as such tribes as the Huron and Conoy. By right of conquest, the Iroquois, Lenape (Delaware), and Shawnee reserved the area as a hunting ground. They resisted European-American settlement during the colonial years.
The river valley contains significant deposits of coal and natural gas. In colonial times, the wildly fluctuating level of the river prevented its use for transportation. The removal of boulders and snags on the lower river in the 1840s allowed navigation, which was extended upriver after the construction of locks and dams starting in 1875. The river is now navigable to Deepwater, an unincorporated community about 20 miles (32 km) upriver from Charleston. A thriving chemical industry along its banks provides a significant part of the local economy.