USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

02055000 ROANOKE RIVER AT ROANOKE, VA

LOCATION - Lat 37°15'30", long 79°56'20" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Roanoke City, VA, Hydrologic Unit 03010101, on downstream side of Walnut Avenue bridge, 3.2 mi upstream from Tinker Creek, and at mile 360.6.

DRAINAGE AREA - 384 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 972: 1928, 1930, 1933. WSP 1433: 1899-1904, 1914-17(M), 1918-24, 1925-27(M), 1929-34(M), 1935, 1936-39(M). WDR VA-72-1: 1928(M), 1940(M). OFR 2006-1308: Drainage area. See also PERIOD OF RECORD.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - February 1899 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1303. Records for July 1896 to January 1899 published in WSP 11, 15, 27, and 20th Annual Report, Part 4, are unreliable, due to doubtful gage-height record, and should not be used.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 906.362 ft NAVD of 1988. Prior to June 7, 1937, nonrecording gage on downstream side of highway bridge 50 ft upstream, at present datum.

REMARKS - Prior to 1949, diurnal fluctuation at low flow caused by power plants upstream from station. Since March 1994, water diversion upstream by Roanoke, amount unknown. American Electric Power and Virginia Department of Emergency Services gage-height radio transmitters at station. Maximum discharge, 32,300 ft³/s, from rating curve extended above 26,000 ft³/s. Water-quality records for some prior periods have been collected at this location.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Instantaneous low flow, 0.0 ft³/s, Dec. 23, 1909, result of ice effect.