New River at Thurmond
River flow & level · USGS gauge 03185400 · West Virginia · drains 6,752 sq mi
Latest reading Oct 26, 5:45 PM · streamflow
The New River at Thurmond is running 2,780 cfs, 103% of the median flow for October 26 (2,700 cfs, 45 years). Gage height is 3.66 ft, 15.3 ft below flood stage (19.0 ft). Flow is down 3% from 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: New River
for rafters & kayakersNew River Gorge (Cunard to Fayette Station)
GoodClass III–IV · 6.9 mi · 20 ft/mi gradient · Put-in: Cunard Putin · Take-out: Fayette Station Take-out
Low from 500 · good 1,000–6,600 · too high above 15,250 cfs
Now: 2,780 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 2418.
Upper New (McCreery to Thurmond)
LowClass II–III · 13 mi · 8 ft/mi gradient · Put-in: Put In - McCreery River Access · Take-out: Thurmond Take-out
Low from 1.25 · good 3.75–6.25 · too high above 9.75 ft
Now: 3.66 ft on this gauge (gage height). Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 2417.
59°F water: cold-shock range. Wear a wetsuit or drysuit sized for immersion; most people feel maximum-intensity cold shock in 50–60°F water without one. Reading Oct 26, 5:45 PM at this gauge.
The New River has trips almost year-round; the commercial season runs April through October (National Park Service). Source.
Below dams the river can rise suddenly and turn violent when releases start; stay out of tailrace areas and off the river outside scheduled windows unless you know the flow. Ranges are for experienced paddlers at the gauge shown; rapids change after floods, so scout and check for new wood. Wear a PFD, never boat alone, and follow the American Whitewater Safety Code. New to whitewater? Go with a licensed outfitter: guided trips on this river ↓
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumAction (16.0 ft) is 12.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (19.0 ft) is 15.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (20.0 ft) is 16.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (22.0 ft) is 18.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
Guided New River rafting trips
Affiliate linksOutfitters run these on the scheduled releases and runnable levels shown above. Check the trip’s minimum age and class before booking.
- West Virginia whitewater rafting: New River Gorge tripsViator's West Virginia rafting list · Viator
- West Virginia: Lower New River Full-Day Whitewater RaftingLansing, West Virginia · GetYourGuide
- Hico, WV: Lower New River Rafting Day Trip with LunchHico, West Virginia · GetYourGuide
- Hico, WV: Upper New River Family Rafting Day Trip, Ages 5+Fayette County, West Virginia · GetYourGuide
- Hico, WV: 4-Hour Family Rafting the Upper New River at 3 PMFayette County, West Virginia · GetYourGuide
Places to stay near the New River → via Stay22
Affiliate links: if you book through Stay22, GetYourGuide or Viator we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It doesn’t affect the data on this page. How this works
New River at Thurmond fishing report & conditions
updated Oct 26, 6:49 PM ETWater 59°F, flow 103% of normal, flow steady, calm wind — good fall fishing day (7/10), best window 7:49 AM–8:49 AM (moonset near sunrise).
Water 59°F, flow 103% of normal, flow steady, calm wind, pressure falling — excellent fall fishing day (8/10), best window 6:47 PM–7:47 PM (moonrise near sunset).
- Water temp59°Fmeasured Oct 26, 5:45 PM · this gauge
- Air temphigh 72°F / low 40°FSunny
- WindCalm1–4 mph 6 AM–6 PM, gusts to 7
- Flow103% of normalFlow steady (-3% in 24 h)
Official West Virginia fishing report: West Virginia DNR — Lake & stream fishing conditions
Best fishing times today
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
7/10
Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:44 AM · Sunset 6:31 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead12:04 AM–2:04 AM
- Moon underfoot12:31 PM–2:31 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset7:49 AM–8:49 AMSunrise
- Moonrise6:05 PM–7:05 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 26 | 7/10Good | Major 12:04 AM–2:04 AM · 12:31 PM–2:31 PM Minor 7:49 AM–8:49 AM · 6:05 PM–7:05 PM Calm wind 1–4 mph |
|---|---|---|
| TueOct 27 | 6/10Good | Major 1:00 AM–3:00 AM · 1:29 PM–3:29 PM Minor 9:05 AM–10:05 AM · 6:47 PM–7:47 PM Calm wind 0–2 mph · pressure falling |
| WedOct 28 | 4/10Fair | Major 2:00 AM–4:00 AM · 2:32 PM–4:32 PM Minor 10:21 AM–11:21 AM · 7:40 PM–8:40 PM Light wind 4–7 mph · pressure steady |
| ThuOct 29 | 4/10Fair | Major 3:04 AM–5:04 AM · 3:37 PM–5:37 PM Minor 11:31 AM–12:31 PM · 8:43 PM–9:43 PM Calm wind 0–2 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 3/10Poor | Major 4:09 AM–6:09 AM · 4:40 PM–6:40 PM Minor 12:31 PM–1:31 PM · 9:53 PM–10:53 PM Calm wind 0–2 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 5/10Fair | Major 5:11 AM–7:11 AM · 5:40 PM–7:40 PM Minor 1:20 PM–2:20 PM · 11:07 PM–12:07 AM Light wind 2–7 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 5/10Fair | Major 5:09 AM–7:09 AM · 5:36 PM–7:36 PM Minor 12:59 PM–1:59 PM · 11:20 PM–12:20 AM Light wind 6–7 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 2 |
| Today | 7, rounded | 7/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured at this gauge. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 37.96, -81.08 (moon times from astronomical equations, New River at Thurmond local time).
Best fishing times today
Today is an excellent fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
8/10
Waning gibbous · 97% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:45 AM · Sunset 6:30 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead1:00 AM–3:00 AM
- Moon underfoot1:29 PM–3:29 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset9:05 AM–10:05 AM
- Moonrise6:47 PM–7:47 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 27 | 8/10Excellent | Major 1:00 AM–3:00 AM · 1:29 PM–3:29 PM Minor 9:05 AM–10:05 AM · 6:47 PM–7:47 PM Calm wind 0–2 mph · pressure falling |
|---|---|---|
| WedOct 28 | 4/10Fair | Major 2:00 AM–4:00 AM · 2:32 PM–4:32 PM Minor 10:21 AM–11:21 AM · 7:40 PM–8:40 PM Light wind 4–7 mph · pressure steady |
| ThuOct 29 | 4/10Fair | Major 3:04 AM–5:04 AM · 3:37 PM–5:37 PM Minor 11:31 AM–12:31 PM · 8:43 PM–9:43 PM Calm wind 0–2 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 3/10Poor | Major 4:09 AM–6:09 AM · 4:40 PM–6:40 PM Minor 12:31 PM–1:31 PM · 9:53 PM–10:53 PM Calm wind 0–2 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 5/10Fair | Major 5:11 AM–7:11 AM · 5:40 PM–7:40 PM Minor 1:20 PM–2:20 PM · 11:07 PM–12:07 AM Light wind 2–7 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 5/10Fair | Major 5:09 AM–7:09 AM · 5:36 PM–7:36 PM Minor 12:59 PM–1:59 PM · 11:20 PM–12:20 AM Light wind 6–7 mph |
| MonNov 2 | 4/10Fair | Major 6:01 AM–8:01 AM · 6:26 PM–8:26 PM Minor 1:31 PM–2:31 PM Light wind 4–6 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonrise × sunset +1) | 1 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 1.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 4 |
| Today | 8, rounded | 8/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured at this gauge. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 37.96, -81.08 (moon times from astronomical equations, New River at Thurmond local time).
Weather & wind at New River at Thurmond
air temperature, not water3-day forecast
- Tonight40°Partly CloudyWind N 2 mphRain 0%
- Tuesday72° / 48°SunnyWind SE 2 mphRain 0%
- Wednesday68° / 47°Partly SunnyWind SE 3 to 7 mphRain 0%
NOAA National Weather Service forecast for 37.955, -81.076 (grid RLX), issued Oct 26, 6:19 PM local time. High / low are air temperatures; water temperature is in the fishing section above. The “Air temp & weather” tile at the top refreshes live.
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge THMW2- Action stage16 ft+12.3 ft from now
- Minor stage19 ft+15.3 ft from now
- Moderate stage20 ft+16.3 ft from now
- Major stage22 ft+18.3 ft from now
- Record crest20.35 ft1996
October 26 in history
45 years of flow records- Today2,780 cfs
- Same date last year1,580 cfs2025
- Median2,700 cfs
- Normal range1,690 cfs – 4,490 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 198219,500 cfs2018
- Lowest since 19821,200 cfs2002
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 (today) | 2,806 | -2% |
| Sun Oct 25 | 2,870 | -10% |
| Sat Oct 24 | 3,180 | -6% |
| Fri Oct 23 | 3,380 | -5% |
| Thu Oct 22 | 3,550 | -21% |
| Wed Oct 21 | 4,500 | +1% |
| Tue Oct 20 | 4,450 | -21% |
| Mon Oct 19 | 5,660 | -21% |
| Sun Oct 18 | 7,170 | -22% |
| Sat Oct 17 | 9,150 | -7% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Kanawha River at Kanawha Falls15 mi · River4,450 cfs112% of normal
- Gauley River above Belva20 mi · River1,040 cfs104% of normal
- Gauley River below Summersville Dam21 mi · River7.76 ftstage 7.76 ft
- Summersville Lake21 mi · Lake1,634.75 ft−17.25 ft vs normal pool
- New River at Hinton22 mi · River2,460 cfs94% of normal
- Bluestone Lake24 mi · Lake · Hinton1,410.76 ft+0.76 ft vs full pool
Guides
All guides →About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 03185400 — New River At Thurmond, Wv
- Location
- 37.9551, -81.0765 · West Virginia
- Drainage area
- 6,752 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1982–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Oct 26, 5:45 PM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Oct 26, 2026 6:49 PM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge THMW2 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.