North Oconee River at College Street at Athens

1. 30.60 ftSolid Waste Department floods just west of College Avenue Bridge.
2. 27.20 ftApartments downstream of College Avenue Bridge flood.
3. 25.60 ftCollege Avenue Bridge floods.
4. 24.10 ftThis was the record crest of the North Oconee at Athens May 27... 1966. Widespread flooding occurs to roads and homes.
5. 23.70 ftIntersection of College Avenue and MLK floods.
6. 23.50 ftGreenway Parking lot starts flooding.
7. 23.20 ftSignificant flooding of MLK begins.
8. 23.00 ftMajor flooding begins. Extensive damage occurs to homes and mobile homes located in the flood plain of the river. Many roads and highways will be flooded as well as the failure of small dams in the area.
9. 22.00 ftSignificant flooding expands upstream and downstream from the gage on College Avenue. The North Oconee River Greenway parking lots will be under two feet of water. Portions of North Oconee River Park off Martin Luther King Parkway will be under 4 feet of water. The flood waters will be hitting the North Avenue and East Broad Street bridges with possible erosion. County officials will likely have them closed.
10. 20.00 ftModerate flooding begins. Significant flooding occurs upstream and downstream from the gage on College Avenue. The North Oconee River Greenway parking lots will begin to flood. Portions of North Oconee River Park off Martin Luther King Parkway will be under 4 feet of water. The flood waters will be hitting the East Broad Street bridges with possible erosion. County officials will likely have them closed.
11. 19.00 ftFlood stage is reached in the woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage at College Avenue. The water will be up to 9 feet deep on portions of the sidewalks along the North Oconee River Greenway...mainly from College Avenue upstream to the Clarke County line. Portions of the North Oconee River Park off Martin Luther King Parkway will be under 3 feet of water. The flood waters will reach the bottom of the East Broad Street vehicular and pedestrian bridges. County officials may close them.
12. 18.00 ftBankfull conditions expand much further into the woodlands along the river upstream and downstream from the gage at College Avenue. The water will be up to 8 feet deep on portions of the sidewalks along the North Oconee River Greenway...mainly from College Avenue upstream to the Clarke County line. The water will be around three feet deep over several manhole covers of the storm sewer system. Portions of the North Oconee River Park off Martin Luther King Parkway will be under two feet of water.
13. 16.00 ftBankfull conditions expand much further into the woodlands along the river upstream and downstream from the gage at College Avenue. The water will be up to 6 feet deep on portions of the sidewalks along the North Oconee River Greenway...mainly from College Avenue upstream to the Clarke County line. The water will be around one foot deep over several manhole covers of the storm sewer system. Low portions of the North Oconee River Park off of Martin Luther King Parkway will begin to flood.
14. 14.00 ftBankfull conditions expand further into the woodlands along the river upstream and downstream from the gage at College Avenue. The water will be up to 4 feet deep on portions of the sidewalks along the North Oconee River Greenway.
15. 12.00 ftBankfull conditions continue along the river upstream and downstream from the gage at College Avenue. The water is up to two feet deep on portions of the sidewalks along the North Oconee River Greenway...mainly from College Avenue upstream to the Clarke County line.
16. 10.00 ftBankfull conditions occur along the river upstream and downstream from the gage at College Avenue. Water begins to flood low lying areas of the sidewalks along the North Oconee River Greenway...mainly from College Avenue upstream to the Clarke County line.

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

• February 7, 2020: 16.78 ft
• April 20, 2019: 18.90 ft
• March 21, 2003: 16.86 ft
• May 27, 1966: 19.40 ft

• Middle Oconee River at US 78 at Athens
• Middle Oconee River at Arcade
• Apalachee River at Snows Mill Road near Bishop
• Apalachee River at Bostwick
• Parks Creek at Lyle Field Road near Jefferson
• North Oconee River at Woodbridge Road near Commerce
• Oconee River at Penfield
• Cloud Creek at Watson Mill Park

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.

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.