Rivers in Kentucky
Ohio River at McAlpine Lower
Below flood stage
29.11ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 8:00 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 55.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 33.60 ftFri, Sep 25, 2:00 PM EDT
- Record crest
- 85.44 ft1937
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 73.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 65.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 55.00 ft |
| Action | 53.00 ft |
- 88.50 ftThe flood will reach the top of the floodwall. A large part of downtown Louisville floods. Parts of I-64 and I-65 flood. Homes along 31W (Dixie Highway) are destroyed. New Albany and Clarksville will suffer major damage.
- 76.00 ftUS 31W (Dixie Highway) closed at floodgate.
- 74.00 ftHouk Lane is closed at floodgate.
- 71.00 ftKY 44 is closed.
- 67.00 ftBlackiston Mill Road floods at Silver Creek in Clarksville.
- 66.00 ftLock is closed. Floodgates at Riverport are closed.
- 65.00 ftParts of US 31W (Dixie Highway) flood from I-265 (Gene Synder Freeway) interchange to West Point KY. Riverfront parks in Clarksville and New Albany flood.
- 59.00 ftOverbrook Rd. floods south of Lake Dreamland Rd.
- 58.00 ftIN 111 floods upstream of Bridgeport.
- 55.00 ftParks and riverfront areas in Clarksville and New Albany flood. Some yards along US 31W (Dixie Highway) from Pleasure Ridge Park to West Point KY flood.
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 22, 2026.
Crest history
92 crests on NOAA’s list since 1832.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 27, 1937 | 85.44 ft |
| 2 | February 16, 1884 | 74.40 ft |
| 3 | March 7, 1945 | 74.40 ft |
| 4 | March 13, 1964 | 73.46 ft |
| 5 | April 2, 1913 | 72.70 ft |
| 6 | February 16, 1883 | 72.20 ft |
| 7 | March 7, 1997 | 70.47 ft |
| 8 | February 21, 1832 | 69.60 ft |
| 9 | January 22, 1907 | 69.10 ft |
| 10 | December 17, 1847 | 68.80 ft |
| 11 | April 18, 1948 | 68.00 ft |
| 12 | April 9, 2025 | 67.98 ft |
| 13 | February 26, 2018 | 67.09 ft |
| 14 | March 23, 1933 | 66.10 ft |
| 15 | March 5, 1962 | 65.20 ft |
| 16 | February 22, 1882 | 65.10 ft |
| 17 | March 23, 1943 | 65.10 ft |
| 18 | March 15, 1867 | 64.30 ft |
| 19 | March 30, 1898 | 64.10 ft |
| 20 | March 10, 1955 | 63.82 ft |
| 21 | March 28, 1936 | 63.70 ft |
| 22 | December 14, 1978 | 63.60 ft |
| 23 | February 6, 1950 | 63.40 ft |
| 24 | March 12, 1967 | 63.30 ft |
| 25 | March 28, 1890 | 63.30 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 9, 2025: 67.98 ft
- February 20, 2025: 59.59 ft
- March 6, 2021: 59.81 ft
- February 16, 2020: 56.69 ft
- February 27, 2019: 57.00 ft
- February 14, 2019: 59.76 ft
- February 26, 2018: 67.09 ft
- March 16, 2015: 61.29 ft
- April 27, 2011: 62.88 ft
- March 12, 2011: 57.83 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamOhio River at McAlpine Upper
- DownstreamOhio River
- Beargrass Creek at Mellwood
- Middle Fork Beargrass Creek at Clifton
- Ohio River at Louisville Water Tower
- South Fork Beargrass Creek at Audubon Park
- Silver Creek (IN) at Sellersburg
- Middle Fork Beargrass Creek at St. Matthews
- Mill Creek (KY) at Pleasure Ridge Park
What this means
Forecasts by the Ohio River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. 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.