Potomac River at Hancock, MD
River level and flood forecast · Washington County
The river is 14.2 ft below flood stage (25 ft).
Forecast to rise to 11.0 ft Tue 2 AM, below the 25 ft flood stage.
Flow: 17,300 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 8:57 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
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An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Potomac River at Hancock to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 35 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 33 ft |
| Flood stage | 25 ft |
| Action stage | 21 ft |
| Record crest (March 18, 1936) | 47.6 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 56 ftWater approaches the highest point on Main Street.
- 46 ftWater floods the railroad depot.
- 45 ftFloodwater isolates the town of Hancock.
- 40 ftWater floods 25 to 30 homes along the West Virginia side of the river just downstream from Hancock, and at least another 20 to 30 in Hancock itself.
- 35 ftWater inundates 20 to 30 homes and 5 or more businesses in the west end of Hancock.
- 33 ftWater floods low spots on East Main Street in Hancock.
- 31 ftWater begins to flood low spots of West Main Street in Hancock.
- 30 ftWater begins to inundate homes and business in Hancock. Water covers the road to the maintenance shop for the National Park Service near Hancock. The west end of the Potomac Airpark runway begins to flood.
- 28 ftWater begins to inundate some yards on the west end of Hancock. Water also begins to collect on the west end of the CSX Railyard on the West Virginia side.
- 25 ftWater may begin to inundate low points of the CSX Railroad tracks on the West Virginia side of the river due to backwater. Additionally, access to Potomac Airpark may be restricted due to backwater. Water reaches the top of the Hancock boat ramp and begins to spill over into the adjacent parking lot.
- 24 ftWater begins to overflow into low lying areas.
- 21 ftThe boat ramp at Four Locks is covered by water. Half the parking lot there is also covered.
- 18.5 ftWater enters the canal prism and blocks the towpath at MP 106.
- 7.5 ftThe river is at danger level for boaters as defined by the State of Maryland. At these levels, conditions are extremely hazardous.
- 3.5 ftThe river reaches caution level for boaters as defined by the State of Maryland. Fast moving water and changing currents can be expected.
Highest crests on record
- 47.6 ft — March 18, 1936
- 41.2 ft — November 6, 1985
- 40 ft — June 1, 1889
- 36.63 ft — October 16, 1942
- 36.26 ft — January 20, 1996
Recent crests: 26.3 ft (May 15, 2025) · 23.57 ft (December 16, 2018) · 26.38 ft (June 4, 2018) · 21.33 ft (May 17, 2014) · 25.41 ft (May 19, 2011)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamPotomac River at Paw Paw, MD
- Tonoloway Creek near Hancock, MD
- Warm Springs Run near Berkeley Springs, WV
- Tributary to Warm Springs Run near Berkeley Springs, WV
- Licking Creek at Pecktonville, MD
- Sideling Hill Creek near Bellegrove, MD
- Cacapon River near Great Cacapon, WV
- Tonoloway Creek near Needmore, PA
- Back Creek near Jones Springs, WV
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (HNKM2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.