Rivers in Indiana
Wabash River at Covington
Action stage
12.11ftStage
Observed Sun, Sep 20, 2:45 PM EDT
- Flood stage
- 16.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 15.30 ftWed, Sep 23, 2:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 35.10 ft1913
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 29.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 24.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 16.00 ft |
| Action | 11.00 ft |
- 35.10 ftRecord flood is in progress.
- 34.50 ftWater is at bottom of U.S. Highway 136 bridge. Near record flood is in progress.
- 32.00 ftFlood affects possibly as many as 250 families and causes major damage to as many as 40 homes.
- 30.00 ftSix or 7 homes downstream of gage in Covington begin to flood. Access road behind the cottages floods.
- 29.00 ftMajor flood in progress. Extensive rural flooding in Warren, Fountain and Vermillion Counties. Many local roads are flooded. Several river communities are flooded. Water Street and lowest portion of Jefferson Street begin to flood in Covington.
- 28.00 ftAt 28 feet River Road would flood.
- 27.00 ftCovington Lion's Club begins to flood. First floor flooding begins in some cottages across river in Warren County. Over topping of agricultural levees occurs. Crocket Street in Covington begins to flood as well as some rural residential property just north of Covington.
- 26.50 ftState Road 234 near Lodi begins to flood. Homes are affected along Warren CR South on opposite side of river.
- 26.00 ftThe approach to the Independence Bridge floods.
- 25.60 ftThe Wabash River is nearly 3 miles wide along SR 234 by backing up into Coal Creek on the west side of Lodi and the Vermillion River on the north side of Cayuga. Flood waters are at the edge of the north side of SR 234 but not on the road. North Sandhill Road and W CR 260 N on the northeast side of Covington extensively flooded in places. Silver Island Road just south of SR 32 is impassable.
- 25.00 ftMany local roads are impassable. High water backs up into Mud Run, cutting off some county roads just northwest of Covington. North Sandhill Road begins to flood from Mallory Branch. Mud Creek extensively floods W CR 260 N and Sandhill Road by backwater from the Wabash River.
- 24.00 ftBasement flooding begins in 10 to 12 cottages. The approach to new bridge downstream of SR 28 in Attica floods.
- 23.00 ftFlood water is at critical height for most agricultural levees.
- 21.00 ftLanes to river residences west of South River Road south of Covington flooded. Sandhill Road at Mud Run just northeast of Covington begins to flood. Extensive lowland flooding in progress. Higher bottomlands flood.
- 20.50 ftWilliamsport Road may begin to flood in Fountain County.
- 20.00 ftA few county roads begin to flood. Higher bottomlands begin to flood. The first cottage upstream from U.S. 136 bridge may become isolated by high water.
- 18.00 ftFive Crossings, a local county river park at old U.S. Highway 136 bridge site, begins to flood.
- 17.50 ftSome low agricultural fields flood. Backyard flood of cottages a short distance north of U.S. Highway 136. High water blocks land access to at least one residence.
- 16.00 ftLow agricultural lands begin to flood. Backyard flooding of cottages on right bank starts a short distance upstream of gage. Critical stage of Young-Neal Levee is reached.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 66% |
| 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
257 crests on NOAA’s list since 1913.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 27, 1913 | 35.10 ft |
| 2 | May 20, 1943 | 32.44 ft |
| 3 | June 14, 1958 | 30.27 ft |
| 4 | April 21, 2013 | 28.92 ft |
| 5 | July 11, 2003 | 28.90 ft |
| 6 | February 29, 1936 | 28.90 ft |
| 7 | January 15, 2005 | 28.64 ft |
| 8 | January 7, 1950 | 28.50 ft |
| 9 | February 13, 1959 | 28.41 ft |
| 10 | February 25, 1985 | 28.39 ft |
| 11 | January 1, 1991 | 27.97 ft |
| 12 | January 17, 1930 | 27.70 ft |
| 13 | February 8, 2008 | 27.67 ft |
| 14 | May 14, 1933 | 27.60 ft |
| 15 | June 14, 2004 | 27.57 ft |
| 16 | April 14, 1994 | 27.23 ft |
| 17 | February 23, 2018 | 27.22 ft |
| 18 | March 15, 1939 | 27.20 ft |
| 19 | January 31, 1969 | 26.98 ft |
| 20 | February 25, 2014 | 26.77 ft |
| 21 | May 4, 1983 | 26.31 ft |
| 22 | April 14, 1944 | 26.28 ft |
| 23 | January 25, 1999 | 26.26 ft |
| 24 | February 4, 1968 | 26.22 ft |
| 25 | June 20, 2015 | 26.20 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 18, 2026: 25.17 ft
- June 19, 2026: 17.16 ft
- April 30, 2026: 16.73 ft
- April 6, 2026: 20.88 ft
- April 8, 2025: 20.71 ft
- July 12, 2024: 17.46 ft
- April 15, 2024: 21.87 ft
- January 29, 2024: 22.13 ft
- April 3, 2023: 17.95 ft
- March 7, 2023: 23.18 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. Gauge reading may be affected by ice. Forecast flows are unadjusted for 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.