Kanawha River at South Side Bridge
West Virginia — Water Level & Flood Stage
Located in Kanawha County, West Virginia on the Kanawha River. Live water level data from USGS gauge 0319382976, updated every 15 minutes.
Current Water Level
Gage Height
Loading...
Streamflow
Loading...
Last Reading
Loading...
Flood Stages
Major Flood
40 ft
256,000 cfs
Moderate Flood
35 ft
208,000 cfs
Minor Flood
30 ft
165,000 cfs
Action Stage
23.5 ft
117,000 cfs
Flood stages defined by the National Weather Service. Gage height data from USGS Water Resources.
What Floods at Each Level
48 ft
Major flooding of the City of Charleston and surrounding areas.
47 ft
Kanawha Boulevard near the South Side Bridge is flooded.
44 ft
Water reaches the base of homes along Kanawha Boulevard, west of the interstate bridge, near Magic Island. Kanawha Boulevard is also flooded in this area. Sections of MacCorkle Avenue (Route 61) near the interstate bridge are flooded.
43 ft
Water is at the base of Union building on Kanawha Boulevard.
40 ft
The South Side Bridge parking lot along Kanawha Boulevard is flooded.
38.7 ft
Water is to bottom of Haddad Riverfront Park bathrooms and most of park is flooded.
38 ft
The CSX Railroad tracks, Kanawha Boulevard, and Park Avenue on the west side of Charleston begins to flood.
35 ft
Low sections of MacCorkle Avenue between the South Side Bridge, the Thirty Fifth Street bridge, Thirty Fifth, and Thirty Third Streets in Kanawha City begin to flood.
32 ft
U.S. Route 60, Patrick Street and U.S. Route 119 in the City of Charleston begin to flood.
31.6 ft
Patrick Street at 6th Avenue begins to flood.
30 ft
Bigley Avenue at Magazine Branch begins to flood.
29.5 ft
Crescent Road at Magazine Branch begins to flood.
29.3 ft
Grant Street at Elm Street begins to flood.
29 ft
The railroad underpass on US Route 119 (Corridor G), near its intersection with MacCorkle Ave, begins to flood from backwater up Ferry Branch. Water also backs up Lower Donnally Branch and begins to flood the 4400 block dip in Kanawha Ave in Kanawha City.
28 ft
The protective earth dike/levee, around the South Charleston Community Center, has accumulating backwater near its top. Also, the lower west end of Spring Hill in South Charleston has backwater pool in the vicinity of Roxbury, Kentucky, and Ohio Streets.
27 ft
Iowa Street at 5th Avenue begins to flood due to backwater up Kanawha Two Mile. Also, Gap View Drive begins to flood near the WV DOH Materials Building from backwater up Campbells Creek and Dry Branch.
25.5 ft
The lower riverbank sidewalk, along Kanawha Blvd, begins to flood.
25 ft
Oregon Street, 6th Avenue, and Kemp Avenue have water backing up from Kanawha Two Mile - and pools near homes. Also, the lower parking lot #2 of the Kenna Homes off Kenna Drive in South Charleston begins to flood.
24.5 ft
Concrete splash pads on Magic Island begin to flood.
24 ft
Pooling backwater reaches around the base of the South Charleston Community Center protective earth dike/levee. (also the elevation of their gym floor)
23.6 ft
The North Charleston Fire Department basement begins to flood.
23.5 ft
Piedmont Road and Dry Branch Drive flood from backwater up Campbells Creek.
22 ft
Portions of Magic Island are under water. Backwater flooding starts along the Elk River portion of the city. Additionally, a catch basin field between the South Charleston Community Center and Kenna Homes begins to accumulate backwater. This water comes up through the drains that feed into Davis Creek.
20 ft
The concrete floor of the elevated stage at Haddad Riverfront Park is flooded.
17.5 ft
Water is up to the bottom steps of the seating area in Haddad Riverfront Park. Also, the lower loop road to the boat ramp at Daniel Boone Park floods.
Impact statements from the National Weather Service, describing what typically happens at each water level.
7-Day Water Level Chart
Loading chart data...
Historic Crests
| Date | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 1839 | 47.6 ft | — |
| Dec 31, 1839 | 47.6 ft | — |
| Sep 28, 1861 | 46.87 ft | — |
| Sep 28, 1861 | 46.87 ft | — |
| Dec 31, 1821 | 43 ft | — |
About This Gauge
USGS Site
NWS LID
CRSW2
River
Kanawha River
County
Kanawha, WV
Coordinates
38.3472°N, 81.6364°W
Get Flood Alerts for Kanawha River
StormCast monitors this gauge and sends a push notification to your phone when the water level crosses into a new flood category — even at 3 AM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current water level of Kanawha River at South Side Bridge?
The Kanawha River at South Side Bridge gauge is maintained by USGS (site 0319382976) and reports water levels every 15 minutes. Visit this page to see the latest reading updated live, or download StormCast to get push alerts when levels rise.
What is flood stage for Kanawha River at South Side Bridge?
The NWS-defined flood stage for Kanawha River at South Side Bridge is 30 feet. Action stage begins at 23.5 feet. Moderate flooding starts at 35 feet, and major flooding at 40 feet.
How do I get alerts when Kanawha River rises?
Download StormCast free on Google Play, go to River Gauges, and add Kanawha River at South Side Bridge to your watchlist. StormCast will send a push notification to your phone whenever the water level crosses into a new NWS flood category — even when your screen is off.
Where is the Kanawha River at South Side Bridge gauge located?
The gauge is located in Kanawha County, West Virginia at coordinates 38.3472°N, 81.6364°W. USGS site number: 0319382976. Data is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service.
More Gauges on Kanawha River
On This River
More Resources
Source & Notes
Data provided by: Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey
- River Forecasts typically include ONLY 2 days of future rain from <u>forecast issuance time</u> (lower right of graph). Occasionally 3 days of future rain included.