Rivers in Georgia
Oconee River at Highway 280 near Mount Vernon
Below flood stage
0.56ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 12:00 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 16.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 0.60 ftWed, Sep 23, 2:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 25.30 ft1936
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 23.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 20.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 16.00 ft |
| Action | 14.00 ft |
- 24.00 ftRecord flooding occurs with widespread inundation of the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. Most of the access road to the boat ramp on the Wheeler County side of the river is flooded. Around a dozen homes on Dead River Road in the south end of Montgomery County are flooded with up to 4 feet of water. Dead River Road will be flooded up to 6 feet deep.
- 23.00 ftMajor flooding begins with widespread inundation of the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. Most of the access road to the boat ramp on the Wheeler County side of the river is flooded. Around a dozen homes on Dead River Road in the south end of Montgomery County are flooded with up to 3 feet of water. Dead River Road will be flooded up to 5 feet deep.
- 22.00 ftSignificant flooding expands in the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. More of the access road to the boat ramp on the Wheeler County side of the river is flooded. Around a dozen homes on Dead River Road in the south end of Montgomery County are flooded with up to 2 feet of water. Dead River Road will be flooded up to 4 feet deep.
- 21.00 ftSignificant flooding continues in the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. The lower portion of the access road to the boat ramp on the Wheeler County side of the river is flooded. Around a dozen homes on Dead River Road in the south end of Montgomery County become flooded. Portions of Dead River Road will be covered by at least 3 feet of water.
- 20.00 ftModerate flooding begins. Significant flooding occurs in the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. The access road to the boat ramp on the Wheeler County side of the river begins to flood. Around a dozen homes on Dead River Road in the south end of Montgomery County become surrounded with water. A few homes will have some flooding. Portions of Dead River Road will be covered by at least two feet of water.
- 19.00 ftMinor flooding expands further into the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. The boat ramp parking lot is flooded out on the Wheeler County side of the river. More homes on Dead River Road in the south part of Montgomery County become surrounded with water. Some flooding inside the structures is possible. Some portions of Dead River Road are covered by at least a foot of water.
- 18.00 ftMinor flooding expands in the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. A campground and a few out buildings begin to flood several miles south of Mount Vernon. Eleven homes in the Cherokee Sand Ridge subdivision are surrounded by water. Dead River Road becomes flooded and is closed.
- 17.00 ftMinor flooding continues in the woodlands and pastures upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. Some homes on Dead River Road in the south end of Montgomery County become surrounded by water. Water begins to cover lower portions of Dead River Road.
- 16.00 ftFlood Stage is reached. Minor flooding begins in the woodlands...pastures and natural flood plain along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280. Flood waters reach the top of a boat ramp by the bridge on the Wheeler County side of the River.
- 14.00 ftBankfull conditions occur along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on U.S. Highway 280 bridge.
- 12.00 ftWater backflows into McCoy Lake upstream from the gage. No known damages occur from the overflow. McCoy Lake is a slough which extends 1 mile upstream from the river gage.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 8% |
| 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
67 crests on NOAA’s list since 1936.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 14, 1936 | 25.30 ft |
| 2 | March 14, 1998 | 23.03 ft |
| 3 | March 9, 1971 | 23.00 ft |
| 4 | December 5, 1948 | 22.60 ft |
| 5 | February 9, 1998 | 22.60 ft |
| 6 | March 3, 1961 | 21.80 ft |
| 7 | March 28, 1944 | 21.80 ft |
| 8 | December 30, 2015 | 21.12 ft |
| 9 | February 20, 1995 | 20.80 ft |
| 10 | March 3, 1979 | 20.80 ft |
| 11 | April 14, 1964 | 20.80 ft |
| 12 | March 18, 1980 | 20.70 ft |
| 13 | May 28, 1942 | 20.70 ft |
| 14 | March 19, 1980 | 20.60 ft |
| 15 | March 6, 1939 | 20.40 ft |
| 16 | March 22, 1975 | 20.40 ft |
| 17 | March 22, 1975 | 20.35 ft |
| 18 | February 1, 1978 | 20.30 ft |
| 19 | March 7, 1966 | 20.30 ft |
| 20 | January 19, 1972 | 20.20 ft |
| 21 | February 13, 2020 | 20.07 ft |
| 22 | December 31, 1997 | 20.00 ft |
| 23 | March 11, 1952 | 20.00 ft |
| 24 | February 25, 2020 | 19.87 ft |
| 25 | April 7, 1960 | 19.80 ft |
Most recent crests
- March 14, 2024: 17.20 ft
- February 19, 2024: 18.83 ft
- January 17, 2024: 17.33 ft
- April 2, 2023: 19.04 ft
- April 13, 2022: 18.80 ft
- October 14, 2021: 17.14 ft
- February 23, 2021: 16.01 ft
- April 27, 2020: 17.20 ft
- February 25, 2020: 19.87 ft
- February 13, 2020: 20.07 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
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.