Rivers in Kentucky
Ohio River at Owensboro
Below flood stage
23.21ftStage
Observed Sat, Sep 26, 12:30 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 40.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 22.20 ftMon, Sep 28, 1:00 PM CDT
- Record crest
- 54.80 ft1937
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 49.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 44.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 40.00 ft |
| Action | 24.00 ft |
- 54.80 ftThis flood will exceed the highest stage on record. Large amounts of property damage can be expected. Evacuation of many homes and businesses becomes necessary.
- 50.00 ftModerate flooding occurs affecting the lowest land in Owensboro well back from the river due to sewers backing up.
- 44.00 ftParts of Smothers Park may flood.
- 41.00 ftMinor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas.
- 35.00 ftBottomland begins to flood.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 22, 2026.
Crest history
45 crests on NOAA’s list since 1913.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 29, 1937 | 54.80 ft |
| 2 | March 11, 1945 | 49.70 ft |
| 3 | March 15, 1964 | 49.50 ft |
| 4 | April 1, 1913 | 49.30 ft |
| 5 | March 9, 1997 | 49.00 ft |
| 6 | April 11, 2025 | 47.72 ft |
| 7 | February 28, 2018 | 47.30 ft |
| 8 | April 20, 1948 | 47.00 ft |
| 9 | April 28, 2011 | 46.30 ft |
| 10 | March 25, 1943 | 46.10 ft |
| 11 | March 5, 1962 | 46.00 ft |
| 12 | February 9, 1950 | 45.70 ft |
| 13 | March 20, 1963 | 45.40 ft |
| 14 | March 11, 1955 | 45.30 ft |
| 15 | March 14, 1967 | 45.20 ft |
| 16 | May 11, 1961 | 45.10 ft |
| 17 | March 17, 2015 | 44.90 ft |
| 18 | January 7, 1991 | 44.70 ft |
| 19 | February 17, 2019 | 44.50 ft |
| 20 | April 27, 1940 | 44.30 ft |
| 21 | February 21, 2025 | 44.29 ft |
| 22 | February 22, 2025 | 44.10 ft |
| 23 | February 5, 1952 | 44.10 ft |
| 24 | February 21, 1989 | 44.00 ft |
| 25 | June 2, 1968 | 43.70 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 11, 2025: 47.72 ft
- February 22, 2025: 44.10 ft
- February 21, 2025: 44.29 ft
- March 2, 2022: 40.70 ft
- March 7, 2021: 43.70 ft
- February 17, 2019: 44.50 ft
- February 28, 2018: 47.30 ft
- March 17, 2015: 44.90 ft
- April 28, 2011: 46.30 ft
- May 8, 2010: 40.30 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Ohio River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. 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.