How high is the James River at Bent Creek, VA right now?

The James River at Bent Creek, VA is currently flowing at 5,260 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 4.72 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the James River at Bent Creek, VA normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as high for October 28. Today's discharge is at the 91th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the James River at Bent Creek, VA at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 11.28 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 16.0 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the James River at Bent Creek, VA on October 28?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 1,220 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 795 to 6,000 cfs.

Where is the James River at Bent Creek, VA stream gauge located?

The James River at Bent Creek, VA stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Nelson County, VA on the James River. USGS site number 02026000 (coordinates 37.5363, -78.8295).

James River at Bent Creek, VA

USGS Site No: 02026000 • James River • Nelson County, VA

James River at Bent Creek, VA on the James River is currently at 5,260 cfs (High — 91th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 4.72 ft.

Reading from 4 months ago

↑ Upstream on James River

James River at Holcomb Rock, VA

Downstream on James River ↓

James River at Lamoure, ND

5,260

CFS Discharge

4.72

Gage Height (ft)

High

Flow Condition

Normal

Flood Status

Historical Percentile Comparison

Today's discharge compared to the long-term record for October 28 at this station. Percentile rank shows what fraction of historical years had lower flow on this date.

Percentile	Label	CFS Threshold	Today's Flow
10th	Very Low threshold	795
25th	Low threshold	1,010
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	1,220
75th	High threshold	2,450
95th	Very High threshold	6,000	Today: 5,260 cfs

30-Day Hydrograph

Recent discharge plotted against the historical 10th–95th percentile envelope for the same calendar days. Source: USGS daily values + long-term statistics.

10th–95th historical Day-of-year median Recent discharge

30-Day Flow History

Date	Discharge (CFS)	Gage Ht (ft)
May 28, 2026	5,430	—
May 27, 2026	4,070	—
May 26, 2026	3,190	—
May 25, 2026	3,420	—
May 24, 2026	1,420	—
May 23, 2026	1,370	—
May 22, 2026	1,360	—
May 21, 2026	944	—
May 20, 2026	1,070	—
May 19, 2026	1,000	—
May 18, 2026	1,050	—
May 17, 2026	1,190	—
May 16, 2026	1,060	—
May 15, 2026	1,370	—
Apr 21, 2026	1,180	—
Apr 20, 2026	1,190	—
Apr 19, 2026	1,200	—
Apr 18, 2026	1,170	—
Apr 17, 2026	1,560	—
Apr 16, 2026	1,350	—
Apr 15, 2026	1,580	—
Apr 14, 2026	1,510	—
Apr 13, 2026	1,550	—
Apr 12, 2026	1,720	—
Apr 11, 2026	1,790	—
Apr 10, 2026	1,870	—
Apr 9, 2026	2,000	—
Apr 8, 2026	2,030	—
Apr 7, 2026	2,150	—
Apr 6, 2026	2,050	—

Station Information

USGS Site No: 02026000
State: VA
County: Nelson County
Coordinates: 37.5363, -78.8295
Drainage Area: 3,649 mi²
Datum (ft): 380.4
HUC Code: 02080203

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 15.0 ft
Flood Stage: 16.0 ft
Moderate Flood: 18.0 ft
Major Flood: 22.0 ft

Currently 11.28 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 40,000 cfs

May 14, 2025
Min discharge: 564 cfs

Sep 25, 2025
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Holiday Creek Near Andersonville, VA
13.5 mi · 4 cfs

Normal
Tye River Near Lovingston, VA
14.9 mi · 74 cfs

Normal
Piney River at Piney River, VA
15.8 mi · 73 cfs

Normal
Harris Creek Below Route 130 Near Monroe, VA
18.8 mi · 11 cfs

Normal
Rockfish River Near Greenfield, VA
23.0 mi · 91 cfs

Normal