South Fork Shenandoah River level at Luray
Virginia · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 01629500 — S F SHENANDOAH RIVER NEAR LURAY, VA · NWS forecast point SFSV2
Reading taken · as of 18 min ago
Low and slow — expect to drag in the shallows
At 243 CFS, this gauge is running 56% of normal for mid-September — below the 437 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 65 years of record (1926–2026).
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Flood stages at Luray
National Weather Service categories for gauge SFSV2, WFO LWX. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 25.0 ft
- 25.0 ft Numerous homes, buildings, and roads are flooded along the river west and southwest of Luray, along with many acres of farmland.
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Moderate flood 20.0 ft
- 20.0 ft Water approaches homes and buildings south of Luray. Backyards of homes at the lower end of Egypt Bend Estates are flooded, and much of Ganders Drive and Kaufmann Mill Road are flooded.
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Minor flood 14.0 ft
- 14.0 ft Water covers yards and fields near the river southwest of Luray.
- 16.0 ft Portions of Kaufmann Mill Road, Ganders Drive, and Egypt Bend Road begin to flood.
- 17.0 ft Water covers the entire parking area at the Bixlers Ferry boat launch.
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Action 13.0 ft
- 13.0 ft Water reaches the top of the boat ramp under the Route 211 bridge.
- Right now 1.83 ft
NWS forecast: 2.00 ft by .
Flow history at Luray
Daily values from USGS 01629500, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for SFSV2 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Luray
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 26.95 ft | 11,200 CFS | Sep 7, 1996 |
| 26.72 ft | 110,000 CFS | Nov 5, 1985 |
| 25.70 ft | 100,000 CFS | Oct 16, 1942 |
| 25.40 ft | — | Oct 1, 1896 |
| 23.60 ft | 81,600 CFS | Mar 18, 1936 |
| 22.50 ft | — | May 1, 1924 |
| 21.23 ft | 64,100 CFS | Jan 20, 1996 |
| 20.46 ft | 58,100 CFS | Jun 18, 1949 |
| 19.11 ft | 50,600 CFS | Sep 20, 2003 |
| 18.50 ft | 47,000 CFS | Apr 17, 1987 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About South Fork Shenandoah River at Luray
In Virginia — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Virginia's highest-volume livery corridor.
South Fork Shenandoah River at Luray — common questions
3 questions
Does rain upstream change South Fork Shenandoah River at Luray 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 Luray high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 437 CFS, from 65 years of record (1926–2026). Today is 56% 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 01629500 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for SFSV2 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.