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

The James River at Buchanan, VA is currently flowing at 4,300 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 5.57 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

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

Current flow is classified as high for June 11. Today's discharge is at the 79th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

What is the historical median flow for the James River at Buchanan, VA on June 11?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 1,250 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 812 to 12,000 cfs.

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

The James River at Buchanan, VA stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Botetourt County, VA on the James River. USGS site number 02019500 (coordinates 37.5307, -79.6789).

James River at Buchanan, VA

USGS Site No: 02019500 • James River • Botetourt County, VA

James River at Buchanan, VA on the James River is currently at 4,300 cfs (High — 79th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 5.57 ft.

Reading from 1 week ago

↑ Upstream on James River

James River at Lick Run, VA

Downstream on James River ↓

James River at Jamestown, ND

4,300

CFS Discharge

5.57

Gage Height (ft)

High

Flow Condition

N/A

Flood Status

Historical Percentile Comparison

Today's discharge compared to the long-term record for June 11 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	812
25th	Low threshold	949
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	1,250
75th	High threshold	2,360
95th	Very High threshold	12,000	Today: 4,300 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	3,920	—
May 27, 2026	3,490	—
May 26, 2026	2,490	—
May 25, 2026	1,890	—
May 24, 2026	2,080	—
May 23, 2026	932	—
May 22, 2026	730	—
May 21, 2026	639	—
May 20, 2026	623	—
May 19, 2026	654	—
May 18, 2026	691	—
May 17, 2026	731	—
May 16, 2026	771	—
May 15, 2026	833	—
Apr 21, 2026	745	—
Apr 20, 2026	779	—
Apr 19, 2026	815	—
Apr 18, 2026	968	—
Apr 17, 2026	1,010	—
Apr 16, 2026	991	—
Apr 15, 2026	969	—
Apr 14, 2026	995	—
Apr 13, 2026	1,010	—
Apr 12, 2026	1,040	—
Apr 11, 2026	1,070	—
Apr 10, 2026	1,110	—
Apr 9, 2026	1,170	—
Apr 8, 2026	1,240	—
Apr 7, 2026	1,280	—
Apr 6, 2026	1,260	—

Station Information

USGS Site No: 02019500
State: VA
County: Botetourt County
Coordinates: 37.5307, -79.6789
Drainage Area: 2,073 mi²
Datum (ft): 802.1
HUC Code: 02080201

View on USGS NWIS →

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 26,800 cfs

May 14, 2025
Min discharge: 402 cfs

Jan 26, 2026

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Craig Creek at Parr, VA
15.8 mi · 308 cfs

High
Tinker Creek Near Daleville, VA
16.1 mi · 3 cfs

Very Low
James River at Blue Ridge Pkwy near Big Island, VA
17.2 mi · 5,260 cfs

High
James River at Lick Run, VA
17.8 mi · 3,540 cfs

High
Catawba Creek Near Catawba, VA
18.4 mi · 7 cfs

Low