Oconee River at Milledgeville

1. 50.00 ftRecord flooding continues with the water level hitting the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. The bridge will become an obstacle and act like a dam causing some backwater and erosion eddies to the sides of the bridge. The bridge will be closed by state officials. Widespread inundation flooding of roads and structures on the east side of Milledgeville near the river and along Fishing Creek and Tanyard Branch will continue. Sinclair Dam will likely have around 22 gates open to reach this height.
2. 48.00 ftRecord flooding continues with the water level reaching the bottom of the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. The bridge will be closed by state officials. Widespread inundation flooding of roads and structures on the east side of Milledgeville near the river and along Fishing Creek and Tanyard Branch continues. Sinclair Dam will likely have around 20 gates open to reach this height.
3. 45.00 ftRecord flooding continues with the water level approaching the bottom of the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. The bridge will likely be closed by state officials. Widespread inundation flooding of roads and structures on the east side of Milledgeville near the river and along Fishing Creek and Tanyard Branch continues. Sinclair Dam will likely have around 17 gates open to reach this height.
4. 43.00 ftRecord flooding begins with the water level just five feet below the bottom of the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. Widespread inundation flooding of roads and structures on the east side of Milledgeville near the river and along Fishing Creek and Tanyard Branch continues. Sinclair Dam will likely have around 14 gates open to reach this height.
5. 38.00 ftMajor flooding begins with numerous roads closed in the east and south sides of Milledgeville near the river...and along Fishing Creek and Tanyard Branch Stream. Several structures will be flooded. Widespread flooding of woodlands and pastures near the river occurs. Sinclair Dam will likely have eight gates open to reach this height.
6. 36.00 ftSignificant flood continues with numerous roads closed in the east and south sides of Milledgeville near the river...and along Fishing Creek and Tanyard Branch Stream. Several structures will be flooded. Widespread flooding of woodlands and pastures near the river occurs. Sinclair Dam will likely have seven gates open to reach this height.
7. 34.00 ftModerate flooding continues to expand further into the woodlands and pastures along the river. Fishing Creek continues to back up and spread further into woodland areas and cover some roads. Some structures near the creek will begin to flood. Tanyard Branch Stream continues to flood. Sinclair Dam will likely have six gates open to reach this height.
8. 32.00 ftModerate flooding begins and expands further into the woodlands and pastures along the river. Fishing Creek continues to back up and spread further into woodland areas and covers some roads in low lying areas. Tanyard Branch Stream continues to flood. Sinclair Dam will likely have five gates open to reach this height.
9. 30.00 ftMinor flooding continues to expand further into the woodlands and pasture upstream and downstream from the gage near the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. Fishing Creek backs up and a few buildings along the creek will be flooded. Also Tanyard Branch Stream between East Thomas and East Charleston Streets in Milledgeville will flood. Sinclair Dam will likely have four to five gates open to reach this height.
10. 27.00 ftMinor flooding continues in the woodlands and pasture upstream and downstream from the gage located around one half mile upstream from the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. The parking lot and the Oconee River Greenway Park just downstream from the bridge will be completely flooded with water several feet deep. Sinclair Dam will have three to four gates open to reach this height.
11. 24.00 ftMinor flooding continues upstream and downstream from the gage located around one half mile upstream from the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. The parking lot and portions of the Oconee River Greenway Park just downstream from the bridge will be flooded. Low lying areas of woodlands and pasture near the river will be flooded one to two feet deep. Sinclair Dam will likely have two gates open to reach this height.
12. 22.00 ftFlood stage is reached. Minor flooding occurs upstream and downstream from the gage located around one half mile upstream from the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. Low lying portions of woodlands and pasture in the natural flood plain will begin to flood. This will include portions of the sidewalks in the Oconee River Greenway Park just downstream from the bridge. Sinclair Dam will have one to two gates open to reach this height.
13. 20.00 ftBankfull conditions will occur upstream and downstream from the stream gage located on the right bank of the river around one half mile upstream from the Georgia Highway 22 and 24 bridge. The water level will reach the top of the boat ramp just downstream from the bridge. Cattle located on the flood plain and logging equipment near the river banks should be moved to higher ground. Sinclair Dam will likely have one gate open to reach this height.

Chance of flooding, September to November

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 15, 2026.

Most recent crests

• April 8, 2025: 30.28 ft
• September 28, 2024: 25.07 ft
• February 13, 2024: 29.47 ft
• January 10, 2024: 25.82 ft
• March 28, 2023: 30.70 ft
• April 7, 2022: 31.50 ft
• October 7, 2021: 25.29 ft
• September 18, 2020: 22.87 ft
• April 30, 2020: 23.06 ft
• March 6, 2020: 25.95 ft

• UpstreamOconee River at Lake Sinclair
• DownstreamOconee River at Oconee
• Oconee River at Avant Mine near Oconee
• Comissioner Creek at US 441 at McIntyre
• Oconee River at Lake Oconee
• Murder Creek at Monticello
• Buffalo Creek at GA 272 near Oconee
• Little River at Eatonton
• Big Sandy Creek at US 441 near Irwinton

Forecasts by the Southeast River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. Flood stage level has recently changed. 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.

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.