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USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
02019500 JAMES RIVER AT BUCHANAN, VA
LOCATION - Lat 37°31'50", long 79°40'45" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Botetourt County, VA, Hydrologic Unit 02080201, on left bank 300 ft upstream from bridge on U.S. Highway 11 at Buchanan, 1,000 ft upstream from Purgatory Creek, 1.5 mi downstream from Looney Creek, and at mile 306.4.
DRAINAGE AREA - 2,073 mi².
REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 602: 1917-24. WSP 972: 1935-36. WSP 1303: 1898-1916, 1917-20(M), 1922(M), 1924(M). WSP 1383: 1927. WDR VA-72-1: 1913(M). OFR 2006-1308: Drainage area. See also PERIOD OF RECORD.
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - February 1898 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1303. Records for August 1895 to Feb. 11, 1898, published in WSP 11, 15, and 27 are in error and should not be used. Gage-height records collected at this site since 1893 are contained in reports of the National Weather Service.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 802.10 ft NAVD of 1988. Prior to July 1, 1927, nonrecording gage, at present site and gage datum.
REMARKS - Flow regulated since December 1979 by Lake Moomaw (station 02011795) 79.6 mi upstream; since October 1984 by Back Creek Lake 107.6 mi upstream, amount unknown; and since January 1985 by Little Back Creek Lake 110.7 mi upstream, amount unknown. Statistics of monthly mean data and summary statistics for water years 1898 - 1979 (unregulated flow) are available in previous data books, water years 1991 - 1998. National Weather Service gage-height telemeter at station. Maximum discharge, 179,000 ft³/s, from rating curve extended above 105,000 ft³/s. Water-quality records for some prior periods have been collected at this location.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood in November 1877 reached a stage of 34.9 ft, from floodmark, discharge, about 142,000 ft³/s.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Instantaneous low flow for regulated period, 230 ft³/s, Jan. 11, 1981, result of freezeup.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD PRIOR TO REGULATION - 1898-1979: Maximum peak flow, 115,000 ft³/s, Mar. 27, 1913, gage height, 31.00 ft, from floodmarks. Instantaneous low flow, 202 ft³/s, Sept. 8, 1966.
