Shenandoah River at Millville
West Virginia · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 01636500 — SHENANDOAH RIVER AT MILLVILLE, WV · NWS forecast point MILW2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:30 PM UTC
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 668 CFS, this gauge is running 61% of normal for late July — below the 1,090 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 111 years of record (1895–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
Sponsor Shenandoah River
Put your outfitter, guide service, cabin rental or shuttle in front of everyone checking this stretch before they drive out. One exclusive sponsor per river.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Flood stages at Millville
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge MILW2, issued by WFO LWX. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 17.0 ft
- 17.0 ft Water reaches the railroad tracks along the river in Millville. Many roads and fields are flooded.
- 19.0 ft Water approaches the lower portion of a power substation near Millville Dam.
- 20.0 ft The railroad tracks between Millville and Harpers Ferry are flooded. Water reaches homes in Bloomery, and covers most backyards along the river in the Avon Bend community.
- 25.0 ft Water covers the Route 115 bridge over the Shenandoah River.
- 28.0 ft Some homes along the river in the Avon Bend neighborhood are flooded.
- 42.0 ft A dike protects the Millville Quarry to approximately this level.
-
Moderate flood 14.0 ft
- 14.0 ft Several roads along the river in Jefferson and Clarke Counties are flooded and closed. Most of Watermelon Park is flooded, along with a significant portion of the Cool Spring Battlefield property.
- 15.0 ft Significant flooding of fields and the Cool Spring Battlefield near the river is occurring.
- 16.0 ft Significant portions of Bloomery Road /County Road 27/ are flooded between Millville Dam and Millville, and near Bloomery. Several other roads in Jefferson and Clarke Counties are flooded and closed. Water approaches a garage on Bloomery Road. Flooding begins at docks and backyards on the river side of Avon Bend Road.
-
Minor flood 10.0 ft
- 10.0 ft Parts of Bloomery Road and John Rissler Road are flooded near Bloomery, West Virginia. Once these roads flood, access to homes is impaired but the homes themselves are not in any danger of flooding. Moulton Park and the Millville boat launch are also flooded.
- 11.0 ft A small portion of Wilt Road (County Road 9/8) begins to flood. Water also begins to flow over Millville Dam.
- 12.0 ft Water reaches the river access at Wagon Trail Place near Harpers Ferry, and completely covers the parking lot of the lower boat ramp at Millville Dam. Portions of the Cool Spring Battlefield begin to flood.
-
Action 8.0 ft
- 8.0 ft Water begins to approach Bloomery Road /County Road 27/ near Bloomery, West Virginia, and a couple roads alongside the river in Clarke County, Virginia. Campers should move away from the river.
- 9.0 ft Water covers yards near the stream in Bloomery, West Virginia. Campers should move away from the river.
- Right now 1.61 ft
NWS forecast: 1.60 ft by Jul 29, 12:00 PM UTC.
12 months of flow at Millville
Daily values from USGS gauge 01636500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Millville
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 32.40 ft | 230,000 CFS | Oct 16, 1942 |
| 26.84 ft | 156,000 CFS | Sep 8, 1996 |
| 26.40 ft | 151,000 CFS | Jan 1, 1870 |
| 26.36 ft | 151,000 CFS | Mar 18, 1936 |
| 25.60 ft | 142,000 CFS | Nov 6, 1985 |
| 23.61 ft | 121,000 CFS | Jan 20, 1996 |
| 21.89 ft | 103,000 CFS | Jun 23, 1972 |
| 21.45 ft | 99,000 CFS | Aug 19, 1955 |
| 21.10 ft | 119,000 CFS | May 13, 1924 |
| 20.20 ft | 87,400 CFS | Apr 27, 1937 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Shenandoah River at Millville
This gauge measures Shenandoah River at Millville, West Virginia — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Harpers Ferry rafting and tubing for the DC 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 — 1,090 CFS for late July, from 111 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.
Shenandoah River at Millville — common questions
What is the current flow on Shenandoah River at Millville?
As of the last reading on this page, Shenandoah River at Millville was running 668 CFS at a gage height of 1.61 ft, or 61% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 01636500, 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 1,090 CFS, calculated from 111 years of record (1895–2026). 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 Shenandoah 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?
Yes. This is a free-flowing gauge, so it responds directly to rain in the basin upstream. Flashy rises of several feet in a few hours are normal on rivers like this after a heavy storm, which is why the reading is worth checking the morning you go.
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.