Clinch River at Cleveland, VA
River level and flood forecast · Russell County
Normal3.6 ftas of Mon 4:45 PM
The river is 10.4 ft below flood stage (14 ft).
Forecast to fall to 1.6 ft by Sat, Oct 17, 8 AM.
Flow: 1,130 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 9:23 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 24 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 19 ft |
| Flood stage | 14 ft |
| Action stage | 12 ft |
| Record crest (April 5, 1977) | 26.4 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 26.4 ftWater floods the lower ramp of Route 82 bridge, and affects 50 to 75 houses and 400 acres.
- 24 ftThe old elementary school location begins to flood, and the river reaches the bottom of the Highway 82 bridge in Cleveland. About 30 to 40 houses are flooded with around 250 acres inundated.
- 21 ftThe water treatment plant and several houses are flooded, along with about 100 acres in the area around Cleveland.
- 19 ftWater affects a few houses both on Main Street and adjacent to the ballpark entrance, and approximately 35 acres about two miles up and downstream from the Highway 82 bridge.
- 18 ftWater begins to affect a few houses immediately along the river downstream from the ballpark, flooding approximately 25 acres. The ballpark is mostly inundated.
- 16 ftApproximately 10 acres are flooded, including at the ballpark.
- 14 ftFlooding affects the pumping station for the water treatment plant.
Highest crests on record
- 26.4 ft — April 5, 1977
- 24.4 ft — January 30, 1957
- 22.7 ft — March 12, 1963
- 21.81 ft — March 18, 2002
- 20.87 ft — January 26, 1978
Recent crests: 20.48 ft (February 16, 2025) · 14.9 ft (February 1, 2025) · 16.08 ft (February 17, 2023) · 14.85 ft (March 1, 2021) · 16.76 ft (April 13, 2020)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- DownstreamClinch River near Speers Ferry, VA
- Russell Fork River at Haysi, VA
- Cranes Nest River near Clintwood, VA
- Pound River below John Flannagan Lake, VA
- Russell Fork River at Bartlick, VA
- North Fork Holston River at Saltville, VA
- Russell Fork near Elkhorn City, KY
- Levisa Fork River at Big Rock, VA
- Middle Fork Holston River at Seven Mile Ford, VA
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (CLVV2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.