Rivers in Georgia
Chattahoochee River at West Point
Below flood stage
2.26ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 4:00 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 17.00 ft
- Record crest
- 29.25 ft1919
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 21.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 19.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 17.00 ft |
| Action | 14.00 ft |
- 31.50 ftWaste Water Treatment Plant in West Point floods.
- 26.00 ftMajor flooding occurs. Hundreds of homes and businesses flooded. Highway 29 on left bank...22 city blocks of West Point businesses flood...and 5 blocks of residences on left bank flood. One of the highest crests of modern times prior to West Point Dam was 24.9 feet on February 26...1961. Evacuations are required.
- 24.75 ftMajor and extensive flooding occurs. Water reaches entrance to West Point Waste Water Treatment Plant.
- 24.00 ftMajor to serious flooding occurs. Hundreds of businesses and homes in West Point as well as many streets in Lanett are flooded. Evacuations needed. Flood of Record...since the West Point Dam was built in the early 1970s...occurs. This post dam flood of record occurred on May 9th...2003...at 23.2 feet.
- 23.00 ftMajor and extensive flooding occur. Expect 200 to 300 businesses and homes in West Point to be flooded out. Water enters into West Point Fire Headquarters. I-85 southbound will close as entrance and exit ramps flood. In Lanett...Highway 24 closes...with East 10th Street and Avenue C flooded. In addition...flooding spreads further into Lanett...with South Gilmer Avenue and 11th Street flooded. Evacuations required.
- 22.00 ftMajor flooding in West Point and to a lesser extent in Lanett...as basements of 100 to 200 hundred businesses in West Point are flooded. Evacuations needed. In Lanett Alabama...South Gilmer Avenue and 1st Street flooded.
- 21.00 ftMajor flooding begins. Parking lots of West Point City Hall...911 Center...Police Department...and Fire Department flooded out. Equipment needs to be moved. Evacuations need to begin.
- 20.00 ftMainly low places on West Point City Streets are flooded.
- 19.50 ftWater enters West Point City Works Department. Equipment needs to be moved.
- 19.00 ftModerate flooding begins. Mainly farm lands undergo some flooding. Flood waters enter parking lots near Fire House and 911 Center.
- 17.00 ftMinor flooding begins. City Hall...Police...and Fire Departments get some minor water into edge of parking lot.
- 14.00 ftBankfull is reached in many locations especially on the Alabama side or right bank of the river downstream from the river gauge.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| 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
35 crests on NOAA’s list since 1886.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 10, 1919 | 29.25 ft |
| 2 | April 1, 1886 | 25.60 ft |
| 3 | March 15, 1929 | 25.40 ft |
| 4 | December 30, 1901 | 25.00 ft |
| 5 | February 26, 1961 | 24.90 ft |
| 6 | January 19, 1925 | 24.60 ft |
| 7 | May 8, 2003 | 23.23 ft |
| 8 | April 8, 1936 | 22.90 ft |
| 9 | March 16, 1912 | 22.90 ft |
| 10 | November 29, 1948 | 22.40 ft |
| 11 | July 10, 1916 | 22.10 ft |
| 12 | December 30, 1932 | 21.70 ft |
| 13 | March 3, 1971 | 21.30 ft |
| 14 | December 23, 1918 | 21.00 ft |
| 15 | January 12, 1972 | 20.90 ft |
| 16 | April 25, 1945 | 20.40 ft |
| 17 | March 22, 1942 | 20.20 ft |
| 18 | March 22, 1943 | 20.20 ft |
| 19 | April 9, 1938 | 20.20 ft |
| 20 | February 9, 1903 | 20.10 ft |
| 21 | April 7, 1964 | 19.98 ft |
| 22 | December 13, 1961 | 19.79 ft |
| 23 | March 28, 1917 | 19.60 ft |
| 24 | January 12, 1946 | 19.60 ft |
| 25 | January 21, 1947 | 19.60 ft |
Most recent crests
- March 27, 2023: 17.24 ft
- September 25, 2009: 18.92 ft
- May 8, 2003: 23.23 ft
- March 19, 1990: 17.80 ft
- January 12, 1972: 20.90 ft
- March 3, 1971: 21.30 ft
- April 7, 1964: 19.98 ft
- December 13, 1961: 19.79 ft
- February 26, 1961: 24.90 ft
- April 6, 1957: 19.50 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamChattahoochee River at West Point Lake near West Point
- DownstreamChattahoochee River at 14th Street at Columbus
- Yellow Jacket Creek at Hammett Road below Hogansville
- New River at GA 100 near Franklin
- Tallapoosa River at Wadley
- Chattahoochee River at GA 100 at Franklin
- Chewacla Creek at Chewalcla State Park Near Auburn
- Hillabahatchee Creek at Thaxton Road near Franklin
What this means
Forecasts by the Southeast River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. Gauge reading affected by reservoir operations. 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.