River stage
Altavista, Roanoke River
- River level
- 1.74 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- +0.13 ft
- Recent high
- 2.05 ft
- Recent low
- 1.57 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS ALTV2
- 30-day change
- +0.14 ft
- Average
- 1.70 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 40.08 ft
In brief
The Roanoke River at Altavista, VA read 1.74 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 14.26 ft below action stage. That is 0.14 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge ALTV2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40.08 ft | 1940-08-15 |
| 2 | 34.45 ft | 1987-09-08 |
| 3 | 31.27 ft | 1937-10-20 |
| 4 | 31.23 ft | 1954-10-16 |
| 5 | 31.10 ft | 1944-09-19 |
| 6 | 30.84 ft | 1948-12-04 |
| 7 | 29.60 ft | 1939-08-19 |
| 8 | 29.30 ft | 1932-10-18 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 18.00 ft
Water begins to flood lowland pastures/farmlands.
- 23.00 ft
Minor lowland flooding.
- 27.90 ft
Filtration plant at hurt begins to flood.
- 29.00 ft
Low spots in and around altavista begin to flood.
- 32.00 ft
Old lane furniture warehouse flooded.
- 32.90 ft
Town's filtration plant flooded.
- 42.20 ft
Old Lane Furntiure main plant flooded.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Roanoke River flooding at Altavista?
No. The Roanoke River at Altavista is at 1.74 ft, 14.26 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Altavista?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 16 ft, minor flooding 18 ft, moderate flooding 24 ft and major flooding 29 ft.
What is the highest the Roanoke River has been at Altavista?
The highest crest on record is 40.08 ft, on 1940-08-15.
Is the Roanoke River high or low right now at Altavista?
At 1.74 ft it is higher than 73% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge ALTV2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 02060500). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.