Rivers in Ohio
Blanchard River at Ottawa
Below flood stage
15.40ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 3:30 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 23.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 15.80 ftTue, Sep 22, 8:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 33.30 ft1913
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 30.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 27.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 23.00 ft |
| Action | 20.00 ft |
- 29.00 ftWidespread major flooding occurs throughout downtown Ottawa.
- 27.00 ftFlooding worsens on the south side of Ottawa, with water on several roads. Flooding also begins in other areas of Ottawa.
- 26.60 ftFlood water begins to hit the bottom of the bridge at the gage site.
- 25.00 ftFlooding begins along south Walnut and west Second Streets on the south side of Ottawa.
- 23.00 ftLowland flooding occurs mainly in south Ottawa. Flood water also gets into low farmlands.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 11% |
| 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
54 crests on NOAA’s list since 1913.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 25, 1913 | 33.30 ft |
| 2 | August 23, 2007 | 31.40 ft |
| 3 | June 15, 1981 | 29.75 ft |
| 4 | February 11, 1959 | 29.72 ft |
| 5 | February 7, 2008 | 29.29 ft |
| 6 | December 23, 2013 | 28.85 ft |
| 7 | March 9, 2009 | 28.72 ft |
| 8 | March 2, 2011 | 28.46 ft |
| 9 | June 2, 1997 | 28.40 ft |
| 10 | July 15, 2017 | 27.55 ft |
| 11 | April 13, 2013 | 27.31 ft |
| 12 | January 13, 2005 | 27.25 ft |
| 13 | January 7, 2007 | 27.09 ft |
| 14 | March 13, 1982 | 26.65 ft |
| 15 | December 31, 1990 | 26.51 ft |
| 16 | February 28, 1997 | 26.50 ft |
| 17 | December 3, 2006 | 26.50 ft |
| 18 | December 1, 2011 | 26.33 ft |
| 19 | January 1, 1991 | 26.08 ft |
| 20 | May 12, 2003 | 26.06 ft |
| 21 | July 16, 1992 | 26.00 ft |
| 22 | June 17, 2015 | 25.88 ft |
| 23 | June 29, 2015 | 25.82 ft |
| 24 | January 16, 2007 | 25.80 ft |
| 25 | April 26, 1961 | 25.60 ft |
Most recent crests
- May 11, 2021: 23.80 ft
- May 20, 2020: 25.17 ft
- April 27, 2019: 25.32 ft
- February 22, 2018: 22.23 ft
- July 15, 2017: 27.55 ft
- June 24, 2016: 21.52 ft
- December 30, 2015: 23.27 ft
- June 29, 2015: 25.82 ft
- June 17, 2015: 25.88 ft
- February 24, 2014: 25.51 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
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. Stage may be affected by ice during winter months.
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.