Cheat River at Albright
West Virginia · Paddling & whitewater
Measured at USGS 03070260 — CHEAT RIVER AT ALBRIGHT, WV · NWS forecast point ABRW2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:45 PM UTC
In its normal runnable range
At 938 CFS, this gauge is running 120% of normal for late July — above the 779 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 16 years of record (1997–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Albright
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge ABRW2, issued by WFO PBZ. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 32.0 ft
- 33.5 ft Water reaches homes on Wall Street.
- 35.0 ft Water reaches the I-beams under the Route 26 bridge in Albright
- 36.0 ft Flood waters reach Main Street in Albright.
-
Moderate flood 30.0 ft
- 30.0 ft St Joe Road floods south of gage.
-
Minor flood 27.0 ft
- 27.0 ft Water begins to enter the parking lot at the Albright Power station. River is bankfull just north of route 26 bridge in Albright
- 28.3 ft Water reaches low spot on Route 26 north of gage location.
- 29.0 ft Water covers low spots in town along Bishop Ave and in Albright Memorial Park
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Action 24.0 ft
- Right now 11.31 ft
NWS forecast: 11.20 ft by Jul 29, 6:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Albright
Daily values from USGS gauge 03070260. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Albright
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 27.23 ft | 50,000 CFS | Jul 29, 2017 |
| 24.82 ft | 38,044 CFS | Mar 1, 2021 |
| 24.72 ft | 37,573 CFS | Jun 30, 2019 |
| 24.23 ft | 35,503 CFS | Mar 5, 2015 |
| 22.68 ft | 28,878 CFS | Mar 15, 2015 |
| 18.10 ft | 12,971 CFS | Feb 8, 2019 |
| 16.83 ft | 9,677 CFS | Feb 13, 2019 |
| 7.95 ft | 40,380 CFS | Jun 4, 2008 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Cheat River at Albright
This gauge measures Cheat River at Albright, West Virginia — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Cheat Canyon; free-flowing so the reading is the trip decision.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 779 CFS for late July, from 16 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Cheat River at Albright — common questions
What is the current flow on Cheat River at Albright?
As of the last reading on this page, Cheat River at Albright was running 938 CFS at a gage height of 11.31 ft, or 120% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 03070260, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 779 CFS, calculated from 16 years of record (1997–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
What is a runnable level on this stretch?
riverlvl deliberately does not publish a runnable range. American Whitewater and the local paddling community maintain the correlations for this reach, and they are the authority. This page gives you the raw inputs — current CFS, gage height, the seasonal median, and the 12-month hydrograph — so you can apply whatever range you trust.
How fast can this gauge come up?
This is a free-flowing gauge, so it rises with rain in the basin. The 12-month chart on this page shows the shape of the past year's rises, which is the best available guide to how flashy this particular reach is.
Where does this data come from?
The flow and gage height come from USGS gauge 03070260, public-domain data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The flood categories, impact statements and forecast come from the National Weather Service's National Water Prediction Service, gauge ABRW2.