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 1 hour ago
Right around its normal summer float level
At 422 CFS, this gauge is inside the middle half of the 96 years USGS has recorded for this date (1930–2026), at 86% of the 492 CFS median.
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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.
-
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.
-
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 1.22 ft
NWS forecast: 1.30 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 late September here is 492 CFS, from 96 years of record (1930–2026). Today sits inside the middle half of those years, at 86% of the median. 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.