South Fork Shenandoah River level at Front Royal
Virginia · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 01631000 — S F SHENANDOAH RIVER AT FRONT ROYAL, VA · NWS forecast point FROV2
Reading taken · as of 48 min ago
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 440 CFS, this gauge is running 86% of normal for mid-September — close to the 510 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 95 years of record (1930–2026).
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Flood stages at Front Royal
National Weather Service categories for gauge FROV2, WFO LWX. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 18.0 ft · 47,200 CFS
- 18.0 ft Significant portions of the railroad tracks running along the southwest side of Front Royal are flooded.
- 20.0 ft Backwater from the river reaches South River Road. Floodwaters cover the Indian Hollow Road bridge.
- 22.0 ft Water approaches structures on Rivermont Acres Drive.
- 24.0 ft Catlett Mountain Road begins to flood.
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Moderate flood 14.0 ft · 31,490 CFS
- 14.0 ft Railroad tracks along the river south of Front Royal begin to flood. Water approaches structures in Riverton.
- 16.0 ft Floodwaters approach lower portions of Shenandoah Shores Estates.
- 17.0 ft Backwater from the river reaches Rivermont Acres Drive. Water also approaches the Shenandoah Farms subdivision and covers a walking trail near the Front Royal boat ramp.
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Minor flood 12.0 ft · 24,340 CFS
- 12.0 ft Backwater begins to creep up Luray Avenue toward the railroad trestle. A riverside parking area at the end of Luray Avenue is flooded.
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Action 8.0 ft
- 8.0 ft A boat ramp near the end of Luray Avenue south of Front Royal floods. A second boat ramp near Bentonville also floods.
- 10.0 ft Hay fields near the gauge begin to flood.
- Right now 1.24 ft
NWS forecast: 1.20 ft by .
Flow history at Front Royal
Daily values from USGS 01631000, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for FROV2 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Front Royal
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 34.80 ft | 130,000 CFS | Oct 16, 1942 |
| 32.57 ft | 121,000 CFS | Sep 7, 1996 |
| 32.43 ft | 120,000 CFS | Nov 6, 1985 |
| 26.01 ft | 98,000 CFS | Mar 18, 1936 |
| 25.20 ft | 81,000 CFS | Jan 20, 1996 |
| 23.98 ft | 75,100 CFS | Jun 22, 1972 |
| 23.50 ft | 76,800 CFS | Mar 1, 1902 |
| 22.54 ft | 68,200 CFS | Aug 19, 1955 |
| 21.35 ft | 62,500 CFS | Oct 7, 1972 |
| 19.20 ft | 52,900 CFS | Jun 19, 1949 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About South Fork Shenandoah River at Front Royal
In Virginia — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Outfitters publish a public tubing-level table on this gauge.
South Fork Shenandoah River at Front Royal — common questions
3 questions
Does rain upstream change South Fork Shenandoah River at Front Royal quickly?
Yes. It is free-flowing, so rain upstream moves it directly. Several feet in a few hours is normal after a heavy storm.
Is South Fork Shenandoah River at Front Royal high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 510 CFS, from 95 years of record (1930–2026). Today is 86% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 01631000 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for FROV2 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.