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Remembering the November 1985 "Election Day" Flood
November 2015 marks 30 years since the historic "Election Day" flood of 1985.
NWS Baltimore/Washington is remembering this event through a story journal available here.
Many stream gauging stations in our area of responsibility reached record or near-record flood levels during the 1985 flood. A list of all locations that exceeded flood stage, and their historical ranking, follows:
| Location | Flood Stage | 1985 Crest | Historical Rank | Record Flood Now |
| Georges Creek at Franklin (Allegany County, MD) |
8 feet | 10.78 feet (11/4) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 6th highest |
12.77 feet (9/6/1996) |
| NB Potomac River near Cumberland (Allegany County, MD) |
17 feet | 18.85 feet (11/5) |
Then: 11th highest Now: 13th highest |
29.20 feet (June 1889) |
| Potomac River near Paw Paw (Allegany County, MD) |
25 feet | 53.58 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood* Now: Record flood* |
53.58 feet (11/5/1985) |
| Potomac River at Point of Rocks (Frederick County, MD) |
16 feet | 36.28 feet (11/7) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 5th highest |
41.03 feet (3/19/1936) |
| NB Potomac River at Steyer (Garrett County, MD) |
9 feet | 13.14 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
13.14 feet (11/5/1985) |
| NB Potomac River at Kitzmiller (Garrett County, MD) |
9 feet | 14.85 feet (11/5) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 2nd highest |
16.50 feet (10/15/1954) |
| Savage River near Bloomington (Garrett County, MD) |
N/A | 7.81 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record level Now: Record level |
7.81 feet (11/4/1985) |
| Potomac River at Little Falls (Montgomery County, MD) |
10 feet | 17.99 feet (11/7) |
Then: 5th highest Now: 6th highest |
28.10 feet (3/19/1936) |
| Potomac River at Hancock (Washington County, MD) |
30 feet | 41.20 feet (11/6) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 2nd highest |
47.60 feet (3/18/1936) |
| North River near Stokesville (Augusta County, VA) |
N/A | 19.80 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record level Now: Record level |
19.80 feet (11/5/1985) |
| North River near Burketown (Rockingham County, VA) |
11 feet | 35.85 feet (11/5) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 2nd highest |
36.70 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Middle River near Grottoes (Augusta County, VA) |
12 feet | 33.09 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
35.62 feet (9/7/1996) |
| South River at Waynesboro (City of Waynesboro, VA) |
9.5 feet | 15.30 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
15.30 feet (11/4/1985) |
| South River near Dooms (City of Waynesboro, VA) |
11 feet | 14.03 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
14.25 feet (9/6/1996) |
| SF Shenandoah River near Lynnwood (Rockingham County, VA) |
16 feet | 29.46 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
30.84 feet (9/7/1996) |
| SF Shenandoah River near Luray (Page County, VA) |
14 feet | 26.72 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: 2nd highest |
26.95 feet (9/7/1996) |
| SF Shenandoah River at Front Royal (Warren County, VA) |
12 feet | 32.43 feet (11/6) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
34.80 feet (10/16/1942) |
| NF Shenandoah River at Cootes Store (Rockingham County, VA) |
15 feet | 25.13 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
27.86 feet (9/6/1996) |
| NF Shenandoah River at Mt. Jackson (Shenandoah County, VA) |
13 feet | 17.79 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 4th highest |
22.17 feet (9/6/1996) |
| NF Shenandoah River near Strasburg (Warren County, VA) |
17 feet | 27.37 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 5th highest |
32.27 feet (9/7/1996) |
| Passage Creek near Buckton (Warren County, VA) |
9 feet | 10.45 feet (11/5) |
Then: 6th highest Now: Not in top 10 |
15.89 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Rappahannock River at Remington (Fauquier County, VA) |
15 feet | 19.73 feet (11/4) |
Then: 6th highest Now: Not in top 10 |
~30.00 feet (10/16/1942) |
| Rapidan River near Ruckersville (Madison County, VA) |
14 feet | 14.72 feet (11/5) |
Then: 7th highest Now: 8th highest |
31.30 feet (6/27/1995) |
| Robinson River near Locust Dale (Madison County, VA) |
12 feet | 20.17 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 5th highest |
23.92 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Rapidan River near Culpeper (Culpeper County, VA) |
13 feet | 22.52 feet (11/5) |
Then: 6th highest Now: 8th highest |
30.40 feet (6/28/1995) |
| Smith Creek near New Market (Shenandoah County, VA) |
8 feet | 13.01 feet (11/5) |
Then: 3rd highest Now: 6th highest |
17.62 feet (9/6/1996) |
| Battle Run near Laurel Mills (Rappahannock County, VA) |
11 feet | 12.46 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
14.40 feet (6/27/1995) |
| Hazel River near Rixeyville (Culpeper County, VA) |
16 feet | 24.79 feet (11/4) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 4th highest |
31.80 feet (10/15/1942) |
| Tye River near Lovingston (Nelson County, VA) |
13 feet | 14.46 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 4th highest |
~29.00 feet (8/20/1969) |
| Piney River at Piney River (Nelson County, VA) |
11 feet | 12.63 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
13.80 feet (8/20/1969) |
| Rockfish River near Greenfield (Nelson County, VA) |
12 feet | 13.24 feet (11/4) |
Then: Not in top 10 Now: Not in top 10 |
31.20 feet (8/20/1969) |
| Mechums River near White Hall (Albemarle County, VA) |
11 feet | 21.11 feet (11/5) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 5th highest |
30.30 feet (10/15/1942) |
| Moormans River near Free Union (Albemarle County, VA) |
14 feet | 20.41 feet (11/4) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 5th highest |
22.28 feet (6/28/1995) |
| Patterson Creek near Headsville (Mineral County, WV) |
9 feet | 11.17 feet (11/5) |
Then: 9th highest Now: Not in top 10 |
~13.00 feet (10/15/1942) |
| SB Potomac River at Franklin (Pendleton County, WV) |
7 feet | 22.58 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
22.58 feet (11/4/1985) |
| SB Potomac River near Petersburg (Grant County, WV) |
14 feet | 21.80 feet (11/5) |
Then: 2nd highest Now: 3rd highest |
22.83 feet (6/17/1949) |
| SFSB Potomac River at Brandywine (Pendleton County, WV) |
10 feet | 18.42 feet (11/4) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
18.42 feet (11/4/1985) |
| SFSB Potomac River near Moorefield (Hardy County, WV) |
10 feet | 19.99 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
19.99 feet (11/5/1985) |
| SB Potomac River near Springfield (Hampshire County, WV) |
15 feet | 44.22 feet (11/5) |
Then: Record flood Now: Record flood |
44.22 feet (11/5/1985) |
| Cacapon River near Great Cacapon (Morgan County, WV) |
9 feet | 21.95 feet (11/5) |
Then: 7th highest Now: 7th highest |
30.10 feet (3/18/1936) |
| Shenandoah River at Millville (Jefferson County, WV) |
10 feet | 25.60 feet (11/6) |
Then: 4th highest Now: 5th highest |
32.40 feet (10/16/1942) |
Note: According to water marks and area residents, levels at Paw Paw were comparable in the flood of 1936; however, at that time, readings were taken 5 miles upstream in Okonoko, WV.
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