New River at Fayetteville
West Virginia · Paddling & whitewater
Measured at USGS 03185400 — NEW RIVER AT THURMOND, WV · NWS forecast point THMW2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:45 PM UTC
On the low side — bony, but runnable in a plastic boat
At 3,280 CFS, this gauge is running 86% of normal for late July — close to the 3,830 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 45 years of record (1981–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Fayetteville
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge THMW2, issued by WFO RLX. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 22.0 ft
- 30.0 ft Dunglen parking area floods.
- 32.0 ft Low sections of WV Route 25 above the Dunglen camping area flood.
- 34.0 ft Row of homes on WV Route 25 approximately half a mile below the Stone Cliff bridge begin to flood.
- 37.0 ft Parking lot in town between the railroad tracks and the river floods.
- 38.0 ft Railroad tracks in town begin to flood.
- 39.0 ft Historic vacant business district in town floods.
- 42.0 ft Historic train station, museum, and post office flood. Access to the town is cutoff.
-
Moderate flood 20.0 ft · 95,622 CFS
- 20.0 ft Stone Cliff camping area floods.
-
Minor flood 19.0 ft · 83,672 CFS
- 19.0 ft A few homes on WV Route 25 above the Dunglen camping area begin to flood.
- 19.5 ft Flooding of low areas begins along the river with backwater flooding occurring on Dunloup Creek and Arbuckle Creek.
-
Action 16.0 ft
- 16.0 ft Dunglen group camping area and boat ramp floods.
- Right now 4.08 ft
12 months of flow at Fayetteville
Daily values from USGS gauge 03185400. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Fayetteville
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 20.35 ft | 100,000 CFS | Jan 20, 1996 |
| 20.27 ft | 99,240 CFS | Feb 1, 2013 |
| 20.10 ft | 97,200 CFS | Jan 26, 2010 |
| 20.05 ft | 96,600 CFS | Feb 23, 2003 |
| 19.68 ft | 92,064 CFS | Feb 25, 2019 |
| 19.58 ft | 90,851 CFS | Jun 24, 2016 |
| 19.06 ft | 84,363 CFS | Feb 16, 2025 |
| 19.05 ft | 84,600 CFS | Nov 20, 2003 |
| 18.95 ft | 83,400 CFS | Nov 6, 1985 |
| 18.64 ft | 80,000 CFS | Feb 15, 1984 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About New River at Fayetteville
This gauge measures New River at Fayetteville, West Virginia — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
New River Gorge; NPS closes put-ins at 12 ft.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 3,830 CFS for late July, from 45 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.
New River at Fayetteville — common questions
What is the current flow on New River at Fayetteville?
As of the last reading on this page, New River at Fayetteville was running 3,280 CFS at a gage height of 4.08 ft, or 86% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 03185400, 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 3,830 CFS, calculated from 45 years of record (1981–2026). 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 03185400, 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 THMW2.