Rivers in Georgia
Chattahoochee River at GA 280 near Atlanta
Below flood stage
6.63ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 6:15 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 24.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 5.20 ftThu, Sep 24, 2:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 35.98 ft2009
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 31.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 28.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 24.00 ft |
| Action | 22.00 ft |
- 36.00 ftRecord flooding inundates the area around South Cobb Drive. Flood waters 1 to 12 feet deep cover the railroad tracks. Several commercial buildings off South Cobb Drive and River View Road and a portion of Plant McDonough and Paul Avenue will be under 7 feet of water. A few homes will be flooded. Most of a cement plant including their sales office will be flooded with 1 to 6 feet of water. A supply line railroad bridge will be topped several feet deep. This will be similar to the September 2009 flood event.
- 34.00 ftWidespread inundation flooding surrounds South Cobb Drive. Flood waters 1 to 10 feet deep cover the railroad tracks in this area. Several commercial buildings off South Cobb Drive and River View Road will be flooded. Portions of a river access road on Plant McDonough and Paul Avenue will be under 6 feet of water. A few homes will be flooded. Half of a cement plant including their sales office will be flooded with 1 to 4 feet of water. A supply line railroad bridge will be topped with potential damage.
- 32.00 ftWidespread inundation flooding surrounds South Cobb Drive. Flood waters 1 to 8 feet deep cover the railroad tracks in this area. Flood waters enter commercial buildings off South Cobb Drive and River View Road. Portions of a river access road on Plant McDonough and Paul Avenue will be under 4 feet of water. A few homes will be flooded. Portions of a cement plant will be flooded with 1 to 2 feet of water. Flooding begins in their sales office. Half of a supply line railroad bridge will be topped.
- 31.00 ftMajor flooding begins. Widespread inundation flooding occurs from the gage on South Cobb Drive. Flood waters 1 to 7 feet deep cover the railroad tracks in this industrial area. Flood waters enter commercial buildings off South Cobb Drive and River View Road. Portions of a river access road on Plant McDonough and Paul Avenue will be under 3 feet of water. A few homes will begin to flood. Low lying areas of a cement plant near their detention pond and a supply line railroad track will begin to flood.
- 30.00 ftSignificant flooding expands upstream and downstream from the gage on South Cobb Drive. Flood waters 1 to 6 feet deep cover the railroad tracks in this industrial area. Flood waters begin to enter commercial buildings off South Cobb Drive and River View Road. A portion of a river access road on the Georgia Power Plant McDonough will be under two feet of water. The water level reaches the parking lot of the sales office at a cement plant and a portion of Paul Avenue will be under two feet of water.
- 28.00 ftModerate flooding begins. Significant flooding occurs along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on South Cobb Drive. Flood waters 1 to 4 feet deep cover the railroad tracks in the industrial area on both sides of the river. The water level approaches the parking lot of the sales office at a cement plant and begins to flood a portion of Paul Avenue. Also a portion of a the river access road on the Georgia Power Plant McDonough begins to flood.
- 26.00 ftMinor flooding continues in the woodlands and fields along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on South Cobb Drive. Flood waters one to two feet deep cover portions of the railroad tracks in the industrial area on both sides of the river. The water level approaches the foundations of a few commercial buildings in the area.
- 24.00 ftFlood stage is reached. Minor flooding occurs of the woodlands and fields in the natural flood plain upstream and downstream from the gage on South Cobb Drive. The water level reaches the railroad tracks in the industrial area on both sides of the river near the bridge.
- 22.00 ftBankfull conditions are reached along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on South Cobb Drive.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 7% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 15, 2026.
Crest history
14 crests on NOAA’s list since 1979.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 22, 2009 | 35.98 ft |
| 2 | September 27, 2024 | 32.22 ft |
| 3 | March 17, 1990 | 31.51 ft |
| 4 | April 13, 1979 | 30.71 ft |
| 5 | September 17, 2004 | 30.29 ft |
| 6 | February 3, 1982 | 28.91 ft |
| 7 | October 5, 1995 | 28.73 ft |
| 8 | November 11, 2009 | 27.86 ft |
| 9 | December 29, 2018 | 27.52 ft |
| 10 | October 11, 2020 | 27.46 ft |
| 11 | April 19, 2019 | 26.33 ft |
| 12 | September 17, 2020 | 24.82 ft |
| 13 | February 13, 2025 | 24.08 ft |
| 14 | May 3, 2010 | 24.04 ft |
Most recent crests
- February 13, 2025: 24.08 ft
- September 27, 2024: 32.22 ft
- October 11, 2020: 27.46 ft
- September 17, 2020: 24.82 ft
- April 19, 2019: 26.33 ft
- December 29, 2018: 27.52 ft
- May 3, 2010: 24.04 ft
- November 11, 2009: 27.86 ft
- September 22, 2009: 35.98 ft
- September 17, 2004: 30.29 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamChattahoochee River at Atlanta
- DownstreamChattahoochee River at Fairburn
- Proctor Creek at Jackson Parkway at Atlanta
- Proctor Creek Tributary at Atlanta
- Woodall Creek at Defoors Ferry Road at Atlanta
- Nickajack Creek at US Highway 78 and 278 near Mableton
- Nancy Creek at West Wesley Road at Atlanta
- Proctor Creek at Atlanta
- Chattahoochee River at US 41 at Atlanta
What this means
Forecasts by the Southeast River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. Automated gauge readings are now available, courtesy of the USGS. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.