Kanawha River Flow
As of 2026-08-23, the Kanawha River is flowing at a combined 16,320 cfs across 2 USGS streamgauges — 155% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 10,551 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Kanawha River was last observed at 16,320 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 32,370 acre-ft of water today; about 155% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 10,551 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 9,120 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Kanawha River, with a gauge stage of 18.19 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 streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Kanawha River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Kanawha 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kanawha River At Kanawha Falls
WV
USGS 03193000
|
7,200 | 4.44 | -12.4 | 144% | 1,230 | 111,000 | 622 |
|
Kanawha River At Charleston
WV
USGS 03198000
|
9,120 | 18.19 | -20.7 | 179% | 517 | 126,000 | 566 |
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
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
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, running 97 miles through West Virginia. It was a significant transportation route during the 19th century, used for the shipment of coal, salt, and other goods. The river is formed by the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers at Kanawha Falls, and it flows through several reservoirs, including the Sutton Lake, Summersville Lake, and Kanawha River Lake. These reservoirs were created by dams that were built for flood control, hydroelectric power, and recreation. The river is also used for agricultural irrigation, and its water quality is monitored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The Kanawha River is renowned for its recreational activities, such as boating, fishing, and camping, and it is home to several species of fish, including bass, catfish, and walleye.
Track the Kanawha 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.
About the Kanawha River
How is the Kanawha River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-23, the Kanawha River is flowing at a combined 16,320 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 155% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Kanawha River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Kanawha 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.