Rivers in Georgia
Oconee River near Penfield
Below flood stage
2.98ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 10:00 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 13.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 3.10 ftTue, Sep 22, 8:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 26.90 ft1929
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 27.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 18.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 13.00 ft |
| Action | 11.00 ft |
- 40.00 ftWidespread major flooding occurs. Several buildings are flooded out and Highway 15 bridge floods.
- 27.00 ftMajor flooding begins. L.C. Curtis and Son Company offices flood.
- 22.00 ftModerate flooding expands. Several farm access roads begin to flood.
- 18.00 ftModerate flooding begins. Ward Road floods and cuts off access to L.C. Curtis and Son Sand and Gravel Company. Irrigation systems also begin to flood and need to be moved to higher ground.
- 17.00 ftMinor flooding continues to expand into fields...woodlands and pastures near the river. The water level is very close to Ward Road on the right bank. Flood waters will be approaching irrigation systems and they may need to be moved to higher ground.
- 15.00 ftMinor flooding continues to expand into fields...woodlands and pastures...mainly on the right bank of the river...upstream and downstream from the gage on the Georgia Highway 15 bridge.
- 13.00 ftFlood Stage is reached. Minor flooding occurs along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on the Georgia Highway 15 bridge. The right bank begins to overflow into agricultural land and pastures with a foot or two of water.
- 11.00 ftBankfull conditions occur upstream and downstream from the gage on the Georgia Highway 15 bridge. Some low lying areas on the right bank just begin to overflow.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 19% |
| 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
135 crests on NOAA’s list since 1919.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 6, 1929 | 26.90 ft |
| 2 | December 19, 1919 | 26.90 ft |
| 3 | April 9, 1936 | 26.70 ft |
| 4 | October 1, 1989 | 25.92 ft |
| 5 | February 5, 1998 | 22.59 ft |
| 6 | March 17, 1990 | 22.30 ft |
| 7 | March 16, 1976 | 22.11 ft |
| 8 | November 8, 1977 | 22.00 ft |
| 9 | March 3, 1971 | 21.78 ft |
| 10 | December 31, 2015 | 21.53 ft |
| 11 | March 14, 1975 | 21.44 ft |
| 12 | April 15, 1979 | 20.90 ft |
| 13 | March 22, 2003 | 20.70 ft |
| 14 | January 13, 1972 | 20.63 ft |
| 15 | December 16, 1972 | 20.24 ft |
| 16 | March 9, 1998 | 20.13 ft |
| 17 | June 28, 1994 | 20.09 ft |
| 18 | July 4, 2003 | 19.80 ft |
| 19 | October 15, 2009 | 19.76 ft |
| 20 | April 21, 2019 | 19.58 ft |
| 21 | January 11, 2024 | 19.52 ft |
| 22 | March 1, 1997 | 19.50 ft |
| 23 | October 7, 1995 | 19.40 ft |
| 24 | January 27, 2010 | 19.33 ft |
| 25 | February 20, 1990 | 19.30 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 6, 2025: 18.51 ft
- February 15, 2025: 17.64 ft
- September 29, 2024: 13.54 ft
- March 11, 2024: 13.67 ft
- March 8, 2024: 14.84 ft
- February 13, 2024: 16.63 ft
- January 29, 2024: 13.58 ft
- January 26, 2024: 13.72 ft
- January 11, 2024: 19.52 ft
- August 28, 2023: 13.59 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- DownstreamOconee River at Lake Oconee
- Apalachee River at Bostwick
- Apalachee River at Snows Mill Road near Bishop
- Middle Oconee River at US 78 at Athens
- North Oconee River at College Street at Athens
- Little River at Newborn Road near Newborn
- Cloud Creek at Watson Mill Park
- Kettle Creek at Washington
- Middle Oconee River at Arcade
What this means
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.
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.