North Branch Potomac River at Cumberland
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 12.0 ft; minor flooding begins at 17.0 ft; moderate flooding begins at 21.0 ft; major flooding begins at 23.0 ft.
| Action stage | 12.0 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 17.0 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 21.0 ft |
| Major flooding | 23.0 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 29.2 ft on Jun 1, 1889 (historic crest)
- 29.1 ft on Mar 17, 1936 (historic crest)
- 28.4 ft on Mar 29, 1924 (historic crest)
- 25.6 ft on Jan 19, 1996 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 12.0 ft | Low-lying farmland west of Mexico Farms, West Virginia begins to flood. |
|---|---|
| 15.0 ft | Water approaches the airstrip at the Mexico Farms, West Virginia airport. |
| 17.0 ft | A low spot on Airport Road in Wiley Ford, West Virginia is flooded. A livestock field southeast of the Cumberland Regional Airport floods. |
| 19.0 ft | Water reaches the Gene Mason Sports Complex in Cumberland. |
| 20.0 ft | Water floods several areas of farmland east and southeast of Cumberland Regional Airport. Water also begins to flow into low lying areas south of Ridgeley, West Virginia that are not protected by the levee. However, no personal property is affected in this area. |
| 21.0 ft | Much of the Mexico Farms, West Virginia airstrip is flooded, and water approaches nearby structures. |
| 22.0 ft | Water reaches a substation in Wiley Ford, West Virginia. Water also approaches an outbuilding in Wiley Ford, and portions of Kelly Road in Cumberland and Canal Road in North Branch. |
| 23.0 ft | Water approaches homes on Canal Road in North Branch. |
| 25.0 ft | Water begins to flood homes in Wiley Ford, West Virginia. |
| 27.0 ft | Water covers the C&O Canal towpath south of Cumberland. |
| 30.0 ft | Levees protect the Cumberland water treatment plant to approximately this level. |
| 31.0 ft | Levees protect the city of Cumberland to at least this level. Some areas are protected even higher. |
| 35.0 ft | Levees protect the city of Ridgeley, West Virginia to approximately this level. |
Forecast office: NWS Sterling · River Forecast Center: Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center.
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Nearby stations and gauges
- Wills Creek near Cumberland NWS gauge · 3.4 mi
- Painter Run near Fort Ashby NWS gauge · 9.4 mi
- Town Creek (MD) near Oldtown NWS gauge · 12.6 mi
- Patterson Creek near Headsville NWS gauge · 12.6 mi
- Wills Creek below Hyndman NWS gauge · 13.5 mi
- South Branch Potomac River near Springfield NWS gauge · 13.7 mi