Rivers in New York
Fall Creek at Ithaca
Below flood stage
0.67ftStage
Observed Sun, Sep 27, 11:45 PM EDT
- Flood stage
- 6.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 1.00 ftMon, Sep 28, 2:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 11.16 ft1971
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 7.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 6.50 ft |
| Minor flood | 6.00 ft |
| Action | 5.00 ft |
- 11.20 ftIce jam flood crest from February 1971.
- 9.50 ftCatastrophic flood damage occurred from Etna to downtown Ithaca in July of 1935.
- 8.40 ftDevastating flood of October 1981. Bridges destroyed. Homes evacuated. Swiftwater rescues occurred from Etna to Forest Home. Several streets in Ithaca's Northside neighborhood were flooded.
- 8.00 ftFlooding will damage several bridges upstream of the gage from Varna to Etna.
- 7.50 ftThis is the crest stage from the January 1996 rain on snowmelt with ice jams flooding.
- 7.00 ftWidespread flooding of properties and some homes occurs between Varna and Etna. If Cayuga Lake is high, water from Fall Creek completely inundates Stewart Park.
- 6.50 ftLower Creek Road is inundated between Varna and Etna. Main Street near Etna is flooded. A few properties between Etna and Varna are affected by flooding. If Cayuga Lake is high, water from Fall Creek will flood roads in Stewart Park.
- 6.10 ftThis is the crest stage of the April 2005 flood.
- 6.00 ftWidespread flooding of unoccupied lands occurs nearest the river. Portions of Lower Creek Road will 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 21, 2026.
Crest history
23 crests on NOAA’s list since 1929.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 21, 1971 | 11.16 ft |
| 2 | July 8, 1935 | 9.52 ft |
| 3 | February 25, 1977 | 9.11 ft |
| 4 | February 22, 1955 | 8.84 ft |
| 5 | January 21, 1959 | 8.76 ft |
| 6 | October 28, 1981 | 8.35 ft |
| 7 | February 11, 1966 | 8.25 ft |
| 8 | March 2, 1946 | 8.20 ft |
| 9 | March 17, 1968 | 8.18 ft |
| 10 | March 4, 1934 | 7.80 ft |
| 11 | February 8, 1965 | 7.72 ft |
| 12 | February 27, 1929 | 7.64 ft |
| 13 | January 19, 1996 | 7.47 ft |
| 14 | March 15, 1978 | 6.87 ft |
| 15 | February 12, 2009 | 6.64 ft |
| 16 | January 18, 1990 | 6.62 ft |
| 17 | March 2, 1979 | 6.34 ft |
| 18 | January 25, 1964 | 6.13 ft |
| 19 | April 3, 2005 | 6.10 ft |
| 20 | January 24, 1969 | 6.02 ft |
| 21 | February 11, 1981 | 6.01 ft |
| 22 | February 28, 1995 | 6.00 ft |
| 23 | March 14, 1947 | 6.00 ft |
Most recent crests
- February 12, 2009: 6.64 ft
- April 3, 2005: 6.10 ft
- January 19, 1996: 7.47 ft
- February 28, 1995: 6.00 ft
- January 18, 1990: 6.62 ft
- October 28, 1981: 8.35 ft
- February 11, 1981: 6.01 ft
- March 2, 1979: 6.34 ft
- March 15, 1978: 6.87 ft
- February 25, 1977: 9.11 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Northeast River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. 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.