Buckhannon River at Alton, WV
River level and flood forecast · Upshur County
Normal6.9 ftas of Mon 4:40 PM
The river is 7.1 ft below flood stage (14 ft).
Flow: 676 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 7 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 20 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 15 ft |
| Flood stage | 14 ft |
| Action stage | 12 ft |
| Record crest (June 19, 1998) | 15.5 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 20 ftMost of Alton near the river is flooded. Water overflows the Route 32 bridge. Route 32 is impassable in Alton.
- 15 ftHouse next to Route 32 bridge, low areas, and homes near the river are flooded between 15 and 18 feet. Low section of Route 32 in Alton is flooded.
- 14 ftWater is at the bottom of a house on the right bank next to the Alton Route 32 bridge. Low areas are flooded near the Buckhannon River and along Big Run Creek.
Highest crests on record
- 15.5 ft — June 19, 1998
- 14.29 ft — February 6, 2025
- 14.18 ft — February 9, 1994
- 13 ft — August 23, 1989
- 12.59 ft — January 31, 2013
Recent crests: 14.29 ft (February 6, 2025) · 8.5 ft (April 16, 2018) · 11.49 ft (June 24, 2016) · 12.59 ft (January 31, 2013) · 11.35 ft (February 23, 2003)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- DownstreamBuckhannon River at Buckhannon, WV
- Middle Fork Tygart Valley River at Ellamore, WV
- Middle Fork Tygart Valley River at Adolph, WV
- Sand Run near Buckhannon, WV
- West Fork River at Walkersville, WV
- Buckhannon River at Hall, WV
- Middle Fork Tygart Valley River at Audra, WV
- Little Kanawha River near Wildcat, WV
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (ALTW2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.