Little Kanawha River river
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Little 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 Little Kanawha River
All 1 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Little Kanawha River At Palestine
WV
USGS 03155000
|
10,600 | 20.30 | 288.3 | 1862% | 13 | 36,800 | 605 |
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
Little Kanawha River
The Little Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, flowing 169 miles through West Virginia. Historically, the river was used to transport timber and coal, and played a significant role in the state’s economic growth. The river’s hydrology includes seasonal fluctuations in water level due to rainfall and snowmelt. There are several reservoirs and dams along the river, including the Burnsville Dam and the Sutton Dam, which are used for hydroelectric power generation and flood control. The river is also used for agricultural irrigation and recreation, including fishing and boating. The Little Kanawha River offers a diverse range of activities for both locals and tourists, and remains an important part of West Virginia’s cultural and economic heritage.
Recreation along the Little Kanawha River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Little 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 Little Kanawha River
Where does the data for the Little 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.