Rivers in Oregon
John Day River near John Day
Below flood stage
3.47ftStage
Observed Sat, Sep 26, 6:00 PM PDT
- Flood stage
- 8.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 3.51 ftSun, Oct 4, 11:00 PM PDT
- Record crest
- 10.80 ft1969
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 10.50 ft |
| Moderate flood | 9.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 8.00 ft |
| Action | 7.50 ft |
- 10.50 ftExtensive flooding of the lower west side of John Day.
- 10.00 ftMajor field flooding wtih some homes flooded in the lower sections of John Day.
- 9.00 ftAt this level, there will be extensive pasture and field flooding near the fairgrounds in John Day. Some homes near Bridge Street will be threatened. There will likely be backwater flooding upstream of Picture Gorge. There will be high water velocities with substantial bank erosion.
- 8.00 ftMinor flooding of lowland fields and pastures throughout the valley.
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 26, 2026.
Crest history
7 crests on NOAA’s list since 1969.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 9, 1969 | 10.80 ft |
| 2 | January 31, 1997 | 10.06 ft |
| 3 | May 19, 1991 | 9.16 ft |
| 4 | January 17, 1971 | 8.92 ft |
| 5 | February 16, 1982 | 8.60 ft |
| 6 | May 16, 2011 | 8.50 ft |
| 7 | January 17, 2011 | 8.42 ft |
Most recent crests
- May 16, 2011: 8.50 ft
- January 17, 2011: 8.42 ft
- January 31, 1997: 10.06 ft
- May 19, 1991: 9.16 ft
- February 16, 1982: 8.60 ft
- January 17, 1971: 8.92 ft
- June 9, 1969: 10.80 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- DownstreamJohn Day River at Service Creek
- Canyon Creek at Canyon City
- Strawberry Creek at Prairie City
- John Day River at Blue Mtn Hot Springs nr Prairie City
- Silvies River at Soda Spring
- S. Fork John Day River at Dayville
- Murderers Creek at Dayville
- Silvies River at Trout Creek
- Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter
What this means
Forecasts by the Northwest River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round.
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.