New River at Radford
Virginia · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 03171000 — NEW RIVER AT RADFORD, VA · NWS forecast point RDFV2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
Up and moving — a faster float than usual
At 2,820 CFS, this gauge is running 126% of normal for late July — above the 2,240 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 86 years of record (1940–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Radford
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge RDFV2, issued by WFO RNK. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 20.0 ft · 81,438 CFS
- 20.0 ft Flooding along sections of Hazel Hollow road (State Route 626) on Pulaski County side of the river.
- 22.0 ft Water approaches the main road in Bissett Park.
- 25.0 ft Dedmon Center at Radford University affected.
- 28.0 ft Green Hill Apartments parking lot floods and Radford University student apartment parking lots are affected.
-
Moderate flood 16.0 ft · 58,017 CFS
- 16.0 ft Significant flooding occures in Bissett Park.
- 17.0 ft All of Dedmon Center lower parking lots are flooded.
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Minor flood 14.0 ft · 49,046 CFS
- 14.0 ft Riverside parking lots are affected
-
Action 12.0 ft · 38,480 CFS
- 12.5 ft Water begins to affect parts of Parrott River Road several miles downstream from Radford on left bank of the river.
- Right now 2.55 ft
NWS forecast: 2.10 ft by Jul 29, 12:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Radford
Daily values from USGS gauge 03171000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Radford
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 35.96 ft | 218,000 CFS | Aug 14, 1940 |
| 31.03 ft | 167,000 CFS | Sep 28, 2024 |
| 24.10 ft | 108,000 CFS | Nov 7, 1977 |
| 24.04 ft | 108,000 CFS | Jan 15, 1995 |
| 23.83 ft | 109,000 CFS | Oct 12, 2018 |
| 21.73 ft | 92,600 CFS | Sep 23, 1989 |
| 21.71 ft | 93,500 CFS | May 22, 2020 |
| 21.13 ft | 89,300 CFS | Jan 31, 2013 |
| 20.21 ft | 80,600 CFS | Jun 21, 1972 |
| 20.02 ft | 79,300 CFS | May 28, 1973 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About New River at Radford
This gauge sits on New River at Radford, Virginia, immediately below Claytor Lake. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Virginia Tech and Radford student float market.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 2,240 CFS for late July, from 86 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.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Claytor Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
New River at Radford — common questions
What is the current flow on New River at Radford?
As of the last reading on this page, New River at Radford was running 2,820 CFS at a gage height of 2.55 ft, or 126% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 03171000, 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 2,240 CFS, calculated from 86 years of record (1940–2026). 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 flow is good for tubing New River?
riverlvl does not publish a recommended tubing range — that call belongs to the outfitters and the local authorities who know this stretch. What this page gives you is the objective input: today's flow, the seasonal median for the same date, and where the reading sits in the 12-month record. Local outfitters generally publish their own cutoffs, and they close when the river is up.
Does rain upstream change this reading quickly?
Less than you would expect. This gauge is below Claytor Lake, so the dominant control is the dam release schedule, not rainfall. A storm in the basin raises the reservoir first; the operator decides when it reaches you.
What does gage height mean versus CFS?
Gage height is how high the water surface is above the gauge's own zero point, in feet — a local measure, not depth and not elevation. CFS is cubic feet per second, the volume of water moving past the gauge. Flood stages are set in gage height; float and paddling conditions are usually discussed in CFS.