TornadoLiveMap

Swift Creek at Colonial Heights — water level right now

Chesterfield County, Virginia · NWS gauge SCCV2
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
22
minor flood stage
 
21.19
record crest
set 2025-02-16
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 20
minor · 22
moderate · 24
major · 26
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage26extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage24some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage22low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage20water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
121.192025-02-160.81 below
220.912025-07-151.09 below
320.422025-07-101.58 below
420.332026-08-171.67 below

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Appomattox River at Pocahontas 3 mi away · loading… Lieutenant Run Creek at Bollingbrook at Petersburg 3 mi away · loading… Harrison Creek near Fort Gregg-Adams 4 mi away · loading… Lieutenant Run Creek at St Andrews St at Petersburg 4 mi away · loading… Appomattox River at Matoaca 5 mi away · loading… James River near Jordan Point below Hopewell (IN MLLW) 11 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDSCCV2
CountyChesterfield
StateVirginia
NWS forecast officeWakefield
River forecast centerMiddle Atlantic River Forecast Center
Coordinates37.276, -77.415
Time zoneEST5EDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Swift Creek at Colonial Heights

Is Swift Creek at Colonial Heights flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 22 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Swift Creek at Colonial Heights?

major flood stage 26 ft, moderate flood stage 24 ft, minor flood stage 22 ft, action stage 20 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Swift Creek at Colonial Heights?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 21.19 ft, reached on 2025-02-16 — that is -0.81 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Wakefield and local emergency management.