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JAMES RIVER UPDATE: Level falls below Flood Stage Thursday morning

Posted at 6:40 AM, May 16, 2012
and last updated 2012-05-17 04:58:57-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Because of this week’s heavy rainfall, especially upstream, the James River in Richmond rose Wednesday in response to the surge of groundwater inflow to the James. A Flood Warning was in effect for the James River in Richmond from Wednesday morning as the water level rapidly rose, until just before 5 a.m. Thursday as the level dipped back below the 12 foot Flood Stage. The Westham gauge showed a crest at 12.58 feet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, 2012. The Warning included the City of Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico Counties. Since then, the river has been falling back below Flood Stage overnight, as depicted on the graph here:

That forecast from the hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Wakefield shows the James will fall back below the 9 foot Action Stage around 8 a.m. Friday, May 18, 2012. CLICK HERE for the latest James River level in Richmond.

Here’s the snapshot of the mid-day Wednesday river level and forecast:

An hour before that plot shown above, Meteorologist Carrie Rose shot some of the following videos along the James River as it rose above the nine foot Action Stage.

BONUS: Click here for Tracy Sears' report on the rising river.

Less than 20 acres of lowland flooding is possible near the Huguenot Bridge, which may be a little worse because of all the construction ongoing at the bridge.

Meteorologist Carrie Rose
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