Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 9.5 ft; minor flooding begins at 15.5 ft; moderate flooding begins at 20.5 ft; major flooding begins at 28.5 ft.
| Action stage | 9.5 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 15.5 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 20.5 ft |
| Major flooding | 28.5 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 42.6 ft on Oct 16, 1942 (historic crest)
- 39.1 ft on Jun 22, 1972 (historic crest)
- 38.1 ft on Apr 26, 1937 (historic crest)
- 32.2 ft on Jun 1, 1889 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 10.5 ft | Water reaches the waterfront at Fredericksburg City Dock. |
|---|---|
| 12.5 ft | City Dock in Fredericksburg is closed. Access to the dock and boat ramp are affected due to flooding. |
| 15.5 ft | Water enters a basement at a home near Fredericksburg City Dock. Old Mill Park begins to flood and will be closed. Water enters a guest house off Caroline Street. |
| 16.5 ft | Water begins to reach River Road on the east side of the river. The Old Mill Park Maintenance Facility is flooded. |
| 17.5 ft | Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg can no longer be accessed by car due to flooding. |
| 19.5 ft | A home on River Road on the Stafford County side of the river is flooded. |
| 20.5 ft | Water reaches some parking lots near the river in the city of Fredericksburg. Two homes on Sophia Street are flooded. |
| 22.5 ft | Water reaches the municipal lot on Sophia Street. Naomi Road is flooded. |
| 24.5 ft | Half the municipal lot on Sophia Street is closed. The Executive Plaza lot off Sophia Street also floods. The intersection of Naomi Road and Dairy Lane begins to flood. |
| 28.5 ft | Water reaches several buildings in the City of Fredericksburg, along with multiple parking lots. The Fredericksburg City Dock is under nearly 15 feet of water. |
| 33.5 ft | Water completely covers Sophia Street between Wolfe Street and Amelia Street. Numerous buildings are flooded in this area. Water also begins to approach homes on the east side of the river, including near Tylerton. |
| 40.5 ft | Caroline Street in Fredericksburg is flooded between Amelia and Wolfe streets. All of Sophia Street is flooded. Dozens of buildings are flooded, including some homes. |
| 44.5 ft | A significant flood is occurring in Fredericksburg. Almost all of Caroline Street is underwater, along with Sophia Street, and numerous cross streets between the two. At least 20 city blocks are flooded. Hundreds of buildings are affected in Fredericksburg, and several homes are flooded on the east side of the river. Further inland from the river, water is approaching Princess Anne Street in spots. Water also approaches the Route 3 bridge over the river. |
| 55.5 ft | Water reaches the higher bluffs in lower Fredericksburg, allowing it to move further inland. At least 70 city blocks are flooded, with significant inundation of buildings occurring. Hundreds of structures and dozens of roads are affected. |
Forecast office: NWS Sterling · River Forecast Center: Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center.
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Nearby stations and gauges
- Rappahannock River above Fredericksburg NWS gauge · 4.0 mi
- Massaponax NOAA tide station · 4.3 mi
- Aquia Creek NOAA tide station · 9.6 mi
- Po River near Spotsylvania NWS gauge · 11.9 mi
- Clifton Beach NOAA tide station · 12.7 mi
- Aquia Creek near Garrisonville NWS gauge · 12.9 mi