Rivers in Illinois
Ohio River at Shawneetown
Below flood stage
21.08ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 4:30 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 33.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 23.50 ftSun, Sep 27, 1:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 65.64 ft1937
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 53.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 43.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 33.00 ft |
| Action | 30.00 ft |
- 65.64 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.
- 60.00 ftThe top of the protection is reached in Shawneetown.
- 52.00 ftSeveral rural roads and houses are isolated.
- 43.00 ftSeveral county roads are closed.
- 33.00 ftMinor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas.
- 26.00 ftThe boat ramp and parking lot at Old Shawneetown are under water.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 17% |
| 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
107 crests on NOAA’s list since 1937.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 30, 1937 | 65.64 ft |
| 2 | May 6, 2011 | 56.36 ft |
| 3 | March 14, 1945 | 55.60 ft |
| 4 | January 19, 1950 | 55.30 ft |
| 5 | March 20, 1964 | 54.60 ft |
| 6 | March 12, 1997 | 54.40 ft |
| 7 | April 14, 2025 | 53.33 ft |
| 8 | May 16, 1961 | 52.40 ft |
| 9 | January 9, 1991 | 52.30 ft |
| 10 | March 4, 2018 | 52.06 ft |
| 11 | March 8, 1979 | 51.10 ft |
| 12 | March 24, 1963 | 50.80 ft |
| 13 | January 16, 2005 | 50.57 ft |
| 14 | April 24, 1948 | 50.40 ft |
| 15 | March 9, 1962 | 49.70 ft |
| 16 | March 29, 1943 | 49.60 ft |
| 17 | May 11, 1983 | 49.30 ft |
| 18 | February 4, 1949 | 49.20 ft |
| 19 | May 15, 1996 | 48.70 ft |
| 20 | April 5, 1975 | 48.60 ft |
| 21 | March 20, 2015 | 48.36 ft |
| 22 | March 27, 2008 | 48.04 ft |
| 23 | April 27, 1939 | 48.00 ft |
| 24 | April 26, 1972 | 47.70 ft |
| 25 | March 15, 1955 | 47.30 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 14, 2025: 53.33 ft
- February 24, 2025: 44.72 ft
- April 21, 2024: 40.11 ft
- February 4, 2024: 36.79 ft
- March 31, 2023: 37.29 ft
- February 23, 2023: 34.32 ft
- March 4, 2022: 44.49 ft
- February 11, 2022: 35.81 ft
- January 10, 2022: 39.62 ft
- March 10, 2021: 45.25 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Ohio River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. USGS data is no longer 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. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.