Rivers in Ohio

Portage River at Woodville

Sandusky County, OhioNWS WDVO1USGS 04195500Brooklyn Heights office

Below flood stage
2.38ftStage

Observed Wed, Sep 23, 3:30 AM EDT

Flood stage
11.00 ft
Record crest
17.00 ft1913

Open the live map with the river flood outlook

Flood stages and impacts

CategoryStage
Major flood13.50 ft
Moderate flood12.50 ft
Minor flood11.00 ft
Action8.00 ft
  1. 22.50 ftRiver gage flooded. Historic flooding in Woodville.
  2. 20.00 ftMain Street, or State Route 20 bridge threatened. Significant flood inundation of several feet effecting property along the river.
  3. 18.00 ftFEMA 0.2 percent flood level. Significant flooding across most of Woodville. Cherry Street bridge threatened.
  4. 17.00 ftRecord flood. Severe flooding will occur from the Portage River. Residents living in these areas can be expect major flood losses. Property along Erie Street, South Cherry Street, East Main Street, and Water Street effected. Backwater from Victoria Creek flood Fort Findlay Road and Lueke Avenue.
  5. 16.50 ftFlood waters overrun Pemberville Road east of Woodville. Several properties near the river will be inundated along the southern portion of the town. Riverside Drive, Erie Street, and Pemberville Road properties will be the hardest hit. Grand Avenue bridge threatened. Corner of U.S. Route 20 and State Route 105 flooded.
  6. 15.00 ftFEMA 1 percent flood level. Flood waters affect several low lying roads in Woodville including Erie Street, South Cherry Street, Riverside Drive, East Main Street, and Water Street. Backwater from Victoria Creek flood Fort Findlay Road and Grand Avenue. Half a dozen homes inundated in Pemberville.
  7. 14.50 ftHomes in Pemberville along Bierley and Bridge Street inundated with a few feet of water.
  8. 14.00 ftState Route 23 inundated.
  9. 13.50 ftHomes in Pemberville upstream of Woodville inundated with a few feet of water and cut off. Water reaches the buildings in the business district.
  10. 13.00 ftFlood waters inundate basements of property adjecent to the river near Pemberville. The parking lot of the downtown business district in Pemberville is flooded. Backwater from the ditch east of Wayne Rd inundates South River Road. West of Wayne Road, both North and South River Roads are inundated with feet of water. In Woodville, Trail Marker Park and adjacent low lying roads of Cherry Street and Erie Street are inundated. Backwater from the ditch on State Route 105 west of State Route 582 covers the road.
  11. 12.00 ftWater inundates some of the parking lot of the downtown business district in Pemberville and Water Street is flooded. In Woodville the lower portions of South Cherry Street near Trail Marker Park inundated. Flood waters threaten homes on Bierly Street, Bridge Street, and Water Street in Pemberville. Some roads southwest of Pemberville flood.
  12. 11.00 ftWater over State Route 105 in Sandusky County. Water near homes on Water, Bierley, and Bridge Streets in Pemberville. The river floods Trail Marker Park up to Erie Street in Woodville.
  13. 10.50 ftWater is encroaching on State Route 105 in Sandusky County northeast of U.S. 23. Water is in the backyard of residents on Bierley, Bridge, and Water Streets in Pemberville.
  14. 9.00 ftThe river inundates lower portions of Trail Marker Park and is out of banks in Pemberville.

Flood outlook

Chance of flooding, September to November

CategoryChance
Minor floodingUnder 5%
Moderate floodingUnder 5%
Major floodingUnder 5%

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 22, 2026.

Crest history

130 crests on NOAA’s list since 1913.

#DateStage
1March 27, 191317.00 ft
2February 7, 200814.66 ft
3April 3, 202614.59 ft
4February 15, 195014.51 ft
5January 15, 200514.40 ft
6December 23, 201314.13 ft
7August 27, 199813.98 ft
8March 23, 194813.98 ft
9March 14, 199213.97 ft
10June 29, 201513.71 ft
11December 31, 199013.67 ft
12May 20, 202013.52 ft
13July 15, 201713.41 ft
14June 3, 199713.30 ft
15November 20, 201713.29 ft
16March 10, 200913.27 ft
17March 12, 195213.24 ft
18April 15, 197913.23 ft
19June 3, 201913.15 ft
20April 12, 194413.08 ft
21March 1, 201113.00 ft
22January 15, 193012.96 ft
23May 7, 201712.89 ft
24May 13, 195612.72 ft
25November 20, 201112.62 ft

Most recent crests

  • April 3, 2026: 14.59 ft
  • April 4, 2025: 11.82 ft
  • April 13, 2024: 9.40 ft
  • March 16, 2024: 9.51 ft
  • March 10, 2024: 9.09 ft
  • March 26, 2023: 9.01 ft
  • March 5, 2023: 11.79 ft
  • February 24, 2023: 10.25 ft
  • February 10, 2023: 9.31 ft
  • June 15, 2022: 9.47 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. Stage may be affected by ice.

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.