ROANOKE RIVER

After over a year of closures and detours, the Roanoke River Bridge is back open on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Happy Monday and welcome to another edition of Beyond The Forecast!

The in-river kayak park will feature more rapids for kayakers, while also still offering a leisure area for everyone to enjoy the river.

On Wednesday, Appalachian Power released a statement that advised river-goers to air on the side of caution beginning Thursday.

Taking care of the environment and keeping the Roanoke River clean is the goal of the new Protect the Blueway: Trash for T-Shirt Program.

The Star City has been, once again, put in the national spotlight.

A new art sculpture was unveiled at Mill Mountain Zoo on Wednesday, made from litter and plastic cleaned up from the Roanoke River.

ROANOKE, Va. - UPDATE - MARCH 25, 2022

A previously announced 45-day road closure with a detour needed to replace the Route 760 (Diuguids Lane) bridge over the Roanoke River in Roanoke County will be rescheduled, according to Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials.

The city of Roanoke has received a state grant to improve access to the Roanoke River near the 13th Street Bridge.

It’s hard to imagine the Roanoke Valley without its robust greenway and trail network.

Never kayaked in the Roanoke River? Those who use it regularly say you need to look again.

Grab your movie popcorn and blanket, a tube, yoga mat or a basketball; you’ll need them to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month with the city of Roanoke.

We’re excited to announce that the WSLS 10 News team won three Capital Emmys this year!

The summer season is officially underway at Roanoke County’s largest park.

BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – UPDATEAuthorities identified the body that was found on Wednesday by multiple agencies. National Park Service along with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office recovered a body near Rutrough Point on the Roanoke River. The park service says the body was that of missing 26-year-old Brent Gibson, of Bedford County. ORIGINAL STORYA body was found in a lake in Bedford County on Wednesday, according to the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office. AdOther agencies that initially assisted were Bedford County Fire and Rescue, Hardy Volunteer Fire Department and the Smith Mountain Lake Volunteer Fire Department.

ROANOKE, Va. – UPDATE: March 25, 2021Authorities have released the cause of death for the man recovered from the Roanoke River last week. UPDATE: March 24, 2021Police have identified a body recovered last week from the Roanoke River. On Wednesday, Roanoke Police have identified the body as 40-year-old Travis Lee Hill, of Roanoke. ORIGINAL STORYRoanoke police are investigating after first responders removed a body from the Roanoke River on Wednesday afternoon. At 1:09 p.m., fire and rescue workers were called to help police retrieve the body near Roanoke’s Piedmont Park along the Roanoke River Greenway.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Dive crews will be in the Roanoke River at the Blue Ridge Parkway Thursday morning as the search for a missing Bedford County man continues. While tempers flared it ended with a park ranger sharing embraces with two of Gibson’s family members. His truck and belongings were found at the Roanoke River Overlook parking lot on the Blue Ridge Parkway a few hours later. Bowyer said about a third of them are total strangers, with no connection to the Gibson family. Gibson’s family said they know suicide is a possibility, but their gut says that’s just not right.

Add another claim to fame for Roanoke, Virginia. After being nominated for USA Today’s Best Urban Kayaking Spot contest, the Roanoke River claimed third place in the nationwide voting on Friday. USA Today recognized the 45-mile river for its beauty and said it was relatively easy to paddle aside from the two rapids near the gorge. “Just to be mentioned with some of the cities that are on there is really awesome and I’m incredibly proud of all of the hard work we’ve done to get to this point,” Stephanie Long, with Roanoke Parks and Recreation, told 10 News earlier this month upon being nominated. If you’re interested in traveling to the other nine spots, below is the full top 10:Ad

Roanoke Fire-EMS’s Swift Water Team is assisting Roanoke County PD and Roanoke County Fire & Rescue with a body recovery operation at Niagara Dam. Authorities have identified the body that was found in the Roanoke River in Vinton last month. Police said the body was originally found on Jan. 26 near the Niagara Dam and has been identified as Dolph Dellinger, who was reported missing out of Roanoke. According to the Roanoke County Police Department, officers tried to find and notify his family to no avail. Authorities said the investigation into how Dellinger got into the river is being handled by the Roanoke City Police Department.

UPDATEAuthorities have identified the woman who police say was shot and killed by the man she lived with before she was found dead in the Roanoke River. Police said DeAngelo Bonds, 22, shot and killed Adreonna Keffer, 18, of Roanoke, and then disposed of her body in the Roanoke River. ORIGINAL STORYRoanoke police arrested a man Monday they say shot and killed a woman and then disposed of her body in the Roanoke River. Inside the car was DeAngelo Bonds, who police believe shot and killed the woman he lived with. The 22-year-old Roanoke man was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

ROANOKE, Va – Norfolk Southern could be facing environmental violations after a train derailment spilled coal into the Roanoke River late last year. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a notice to Norfolk Southern after tons of coal sat in the river potentially causing environmental impacts to the area. Norfolk Southern is collecting daily samples from the river and the first sample results are expected Tuesday. (Roanoke County Fire & EMS)According to the document, coal was visible in the river at least six miles away from the derailment. DEQ issuing the notice could mean that Norfolk Southern could be facing fines down the road.

ROANOKE, VA. – The Roanoke River is being recognized for its beauty and accessibility on a national scale and local leaders are hopeful it could help kickstart tourism once again this summer. And they want you to play a part by voting for the Roanoke River as the “Best Urban Kayaking Spot” as ranked by the USA Today. “Several years ago people didn’t really think about our river favorably, so we have worked really hard (to turn that around),” Long said. That hard work turning tides as the Roanoke River is currently ranked third on USA Today’s Top 10 Best Urban Kayaking spots. “They’re all wanting to get out, it’s pent-up demand.”Long is hopeful the Roanoke River holds its spot in the top three, or even better.

Authorities are investigating after a body was found in the water near a dam on the Roanoke River in Vinton, according to the Roanoke County Police Department. Officials said the body was discovered around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday near the Niagara Dam. The body will be taken to the medical examiner’s office for identification, according to police. Stay with 10 News as this breaking news story develops.

ROANOKE Va. – UPDATE - 2:24 p.m. Dec. 09, 2020Crews are again out searching for the person swept away this past weekend. Crews are on the ground and in the water continuing the search for the missing man that was swept into the Roanoke River. Water levels on the Roanoke River created difficult conditions for visibility, according to Roanoke Fire-EMS. ORIGINAL STORYCrews in Roanoke are working to locate a person after they fell into the Roanoke River just after 6:00 Saturday night. Crews are using both a drone and boats to try and locate the person swept away by the water.

During Monday night’s Roanoke City Council meeting, the council unanimously approved the land swap that allows the city to complete the Roanoke River Greenway within city limits. It seems that the ability to stay on the Roanoke River Greenway from Salem all the way to Southeast Roanoke is coming. The red-and-black dashed line shows the portion of the Roanoke River Greenway that's planned for the Walker Foundry property. In August 2017, Roanoke City Council authorized the use of eminent domain to claim the land; however, in April 2019, city council voted to stop pursuing eminent domain. The property listing includes this site plan, which includes an extended Roanoke River Greenway, canoe landing, as well as a restaurant.

ROANOKE, Va. – One driver had to be rescued from floodwaters in Roanoke on Thursday after heavy rain led to severe flooding in the region. The Roanoke River completely flooded, submerging parts of the Roanoke River Greenway and several roads, including Bennington St. Roanoke Fire-EMS officials said that they put signs to block off the street. The driver had to call 911 and Roanoke Fire-EMS crews had to rescue them. Don’t put yourself at risk," said Roanoke Fire-EMS Captain Jeff Peay.

ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke River is forecast to reach 15 feet on Thursday night, just one foot shy of the crest in May which forced evacuations of around 60 buildings. Residents should expect road closures and possibly some basement flooding. To keep an eye on river levels, click here. To see what local roads are closed, click here. Click here to keep updated on power outages.

ROANOKE, Va. – Some places, including Hillsville and Lynchburg, have seen more than a month’s worth of rain within the past 24 to 30 hours. A relentless connection to the Atlantic continues to feed us with moisture Thursday morning, resulting in rounds of rain through about midday (see above). While we may not be completely dry Thursday afternoon, any rain or drizzle won’t be nearly as intense as what we’ve seen the past day or so. The Roanoke River will be in minor flood stage through Thursday afternoon, flooding portions of the Greenway and Wasena Park. River flooding impacts - 11/12 to 11/13/2020As our front continues to move off the East Coast, high pressure takes its place.

That was not the case 35 years ago as one of the worst weather disasters in this region’s history unfolded, the Flood of ’85. The flood killed 10 people in the Roanoke Valley and damages were estimated at $225 million. The culprit for the heavy rain and flooding? Rainfall totals from the Flood of '85 (WSLS)All of that rain caused area rivers to rise, especially the Roanoke River. For perspective, our heavy rain back in May caused the river to crest at under 16 feet.

ROANOKE, Va. – Crews removed 22 rail cars from the Roanoke River following a train derailment on Friday. The train derailed after a bridge collapsed in Roanoke County Friday night. The water supply and water quality is not currently affected, according to officials. The Salem Water Treatment Plant is currently withdrawing from groundwater wells and not from the river at this time. Soon after the spill occurred, the water treatment plant switched to back-up water sources, which prevented possible impacts from coal contamination.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – UPDATERoanoke County officials responded to the train derailment incident in a press release Saturday night. Officials said that a Norfolk Southern Corp. bridge collapsed in Roanoke County near Barley Drive Friday night around 11:15 p.m. The bridge collapsed while a train carrying coal was crossing the Roanoke River, and a dozen of 22 rail cars that derailed fell into the river, causing about 2000 tons of coal to fall out. ORIGINAL STORYA Norfolk Southern train derailed in Roanoke County late Friday night, according to emergency dispatch. Norfolk Southern train derailment in Roanoke County.

Roanoke County's Explore Park has some experiences from the tops of trees to the rippling waves of the Roanoke River. The advertiser paid a fee to promote this sponsored article and may have influenced or authored the content. The views expressed in this article are those of the advertiser and do not necessarily reflect those of this site or affiliated companies.

The flood happened on November 4, 1985, but a new exhibit at City Market aims to teach those who weren’t alive than about the severity of the storm. Five signs were installed on Market Square Friday morning, showing pictures of the devastation and facts about the flood. The installation is a joint effort of Roanoke Stormwater and the History Museum of Western Virginia. It’s never happened at this scale in Roanoke since, and I’m so thankful that it hasn’t.”The display on City Market is accompanied by a photography exhibit at the history museum, which opens on Sept. 22. “Hopefully the people who were not alive or in the Roanoke area will see what an impact the flood had,” said Webb.

ROANOKE, Va – Carilion Clinic is warning anyone who plans on being near the Roanoke River to be vigilant over the next several days as heavy rain may cause potential flash flooding. Areas near the Roanoke River Greenway have dealt with flooding in recent months, potentially making it unsafe for kayakers or floaters. Staff at Carilion are asking the community to keep an eye on the water levels to help keep everyone safe. “It comes up pretty quickly every time it rains pretty heavily, we’ve seen a lot of people out kayaking on it and enjoying the river but as flash floods are coming in and a hurricane coming in, it is not time to get out on the river,” Sarah Beth Dinwiddie Trauma Nurse Specialist with Carilion Clinic said. Carilion also advises drivers who may be near the river to avoid driving through flooded waters.

ROANOKE, Va. Its still hot so were hitting the river! Were floating a stretch of the Roanoke River where youll put in at Bridge Street at the Roanoke Greenway parking lot, and pull out at the bridge in front of the River House in Wasena. Once everything is blown up, youll walk down a short path to the river. I promise we checked the forecast before we went- but its a summer in Roanoke, we all know how this story goes! After a little rain this week, it took us about an hour and a half.

ROANOKE, Va. – River levels continue to come down across southwest and central Virginia, with Southside continuing to be the place to watch for flooding. The Roanoke River at Altavista, Brookneal and Randolph is at minor flood stage this morning, but the levels are falling at all gauges. Today's rain chances (WSLS)It wouldn’t be out of the question to see some flash flooding concerns develop today, as the Weather Prediction Center has posted a marginal risk along and west of the Blue Ridge. Future Tracker Sunday 5 p.m. (WSLS)Shower chances drop off tonight and they should stay pretty low through the holiday on Monday. Memorial Day planner (WSLS)Our skies stay pretty quiet through Tuesday and Wednesday, but look for storm chances to increase again by Thursday, Friday and next weekend.

ROANOKE, Va. – River levels remain our top concern as we start the long, holiday weekend. Many rivers have come down from their crests, but we’re still tracking the Dan River at Danville, Paces and South Boston, as well as the Roanoke River at Altavista, Brookneal and Randolph. Southside river levels (WSLS)All the moisture from the rain has soaked into the ground, and with winds weakening overnight, we’ve seen dense fog develop this morning. Saturday morning fog alerts (WSLS)We shouldn’t add too much rain this weekend, as daily storm chances stay low at 20 to 30 percent. Future Tracker Sunday 3 p.m. (WSLS)After such a wet and chilly week, I think many of you will notice the warmth this weekend.

In Roanoke, the Roanoke River crested around dinner-time at 15.9 feet. This was the 8th highest crest on record for the river. As of 9:20 a.m. Friday, the river was at 12.9 feet in moderate flood stage. The next highest crest on record is 16.64 feet, which happened on Oct. 11, 2018. Because of the rising river and floodwaters other places, many roads were closed throughout the city.

Published: May 21, 2020, 7:54 am Updated: May 21, 2020, 8:01 amROANOKE, Va. – Thursday Morning UpdateThe Roanoke River is expected to reach its crest between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday. Flood stage is 10 feet, and cresting is 16 feet. The river is expected to fall back below flood stage by Friday evening. Here’s what the Roanoke River looked like then:Roads close to the river will be flooded and structures may be affected. The Roanoke River Greenway and Wasena Park will also flood.

ROANOKE, Va. - A Roanoke neighborhood is celebrating 100 years young with a big party this weekend, and that means shopping discounts for you. Wasena is right across the Roanoke River from downtown. The River House apartments and Wasena Tap Room started the economic re-birth in the area about a decade ago. "I t all started when Ed Walker bought the ice house, and we were just excited to be able to walk to a restaurant," Wasena Neighborhood Forum Treasurer James Settle said. "And now we have four restaurants in the neighborhood and all kinds of cool businesses and more to come."

"We're just promoting the area and getting people outside, making them realize how easy it is to utilize the river," said Kat Andrew, Roanoke Parks and Recreation Outdoor Recreation coordinator. "I've never been on the Roanoke River," Jay Smith said. She's lived in Roanoke for 14 years and has floated all the other area rivers, but never the Roanoke. More people realizing that the Roanoke River Blueway is a viable outdoor option is good news to people such as Rob Issem, a lover of all things outdoors and an advocate for Roanoke's outdoor opportunities. July's non-profit is Roanoke Parks and Recreation, which provided an extra reason for people to come out and enjoy something new.

ROANOKE, Va. - Police say they have found a dead man in the Roanoke River but do not suspect foul play. Officers reportedly received a call for a dead person in the Roanoke River near the Piedmont Park area around 12:30 p.m. Monday. Officers are waiting to hear back from the medical examiner before releasing any further information. Authorities are still at the scene, and 10 News has a crew there working to learn more. Copyright 2019 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.

ROANOKE, Va. - Roanoke residents went down to the riverside Saturday to celebrate the importance of the Roanoke River. The second annual Clean Valley Riverfest set up shop next to the river at Smith Park and paid tribute to the environment. Executive Director Mary Ann Brenchick says the goal is to inspire people to keep the Roanoke River clean by showcasing how beautiful and vital it is. "We're all about the Roanoke River and our region, so we want to be right here touching it for Riverfest," Brenchick said. "People may not make the connection between the river and the Roanoke Valley if they're off somewhere else."