Historical Crests for James River

On January 21 of this year, the James River crested at the 21st highest level since the recording of water levels began. That “flood” put over four feet of water in the ferryman’s house. The highest recorded flood was the result of Hurricane Agnes in 1972 which was nearly 12 feet higher. There are three other floods not included in the official list as they occurred before actual recording efforts began in 1925: 30.70 feet in October 1870, 27.90 feet in November 1877, and 25.16 feet in March 1913. A marker recording these heights will be erected at the ferryman’s hut.

High Water Records
(1) 34.02 ft on 06/22/1972 (2) 31.77 ft on 11/06/1985 (3) 30.00 ft on 08/20/1969 (4) 28.24 ft on 09/07/1996 (5) 26.17 ft on 04/17/1987 (6) 26.02 ft on 01/20/1996 (7) 26.00 ft on 09/19/1944 (8) 25.84 ft on 08/16/1940 (9) 25.46 ft on 03/19/1936 (10) 25.31 ft on 04/23/1992 (11) 24.63 ft on 03/19/1975 (12) 24.56 ft on 09/08/1987	(13) 23.24 ft on 10/06/1972 (14) 23.06 ft on 09/06/1935 (15) 23.00 ft on 10/16/1942 (16) 22.90 ft on 12/04/1948 (17) 22.63 ft on 02/26/1979 (18) 22.62 ft on 02/24/2003 (19) 22.33 ft on 10/20/1937 (20) 22.23 ft on 01/27/1978 (21) 22.13 ft on 01/26/2010 (22) 21.69 ft on 06/29/1995 (23) 21.67 ft on 01/16/1995 (24) 21.44 ft on 05/23/1942	(25) 21.28 ft on 06/04/1979 (26) 21.15 ft on 01/09/1998 (27) 21.12 ft on 12/28/1973 (28) 20.82 ft on 03/14/1963 (29) 20.73 ft on 03/05/1993 (30) 20.73 ft on 04/26/1986 (31) 20.68 ft on 09/30/2004 (32) 20.43 ft on 09/11/1950 (33) 20.36 ft on 10/01/1999 (34) 20.35 ft on 05/06/1989 (35) 20.26 ft on 06/27/2006 (36) 20.08 ft on 06/14/1982	(37) 19.65 ft on 02/15/1984 (38) 19.55 ft on 04/06/1977 (39) 19.24 ft on 03/22/1998 (40) 19.23 ft on 10/23/1990 (41) 19.12 ft on 06/01/1971 (42) 19.10 ft on 09/22/1979 (43) 19.07 ft on 03/09/1967 (44) 19.05 ft on 01/01/1970 (45) 19.00 ft on 04/12/2003 (46) 18.66 ft on 02/05/1998 (47) 17.90 ft on 02/18/1998 (48) 15.70 ft on 04/21/1998 (49) 12.65 ft on 04/19/2000
Low Water Records
1) 1.40 ft on 09/13/1966 2) 1.50 ft on 10/01/1930 2) 1.50 ft on 09/21/1932 4) 1.60 ft on 09/30/1925