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Tallapoosa River at Tallapoosa Water Plant

Highest listed crest 42.13 ftFlood stage 25.0 ft48 crests since 1971

The Tallapoosa River at Tallapoosa Water Plant crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 48 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1971 to 2025. The highest, 42.13 ft on March 18, 1990, was major flooding, 17.13 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Tallapoosa River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
42.13 ft
March 18, 1990
Flood stage
25.0 ft
Major flooding from 38.0 ft
Crests at major
1
35th of 89 gauges in Alabama
Most recent flood crest
April 9, 2025
30.07 ft, minor flooding
Location
Montgomery County
Near Montgomery (7.6 mi), Millbrook (11.2 mi), Pike Road (12.3 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Tallapoosa River at Tallapoosa Water Plant
Action stage15.010Apr 21, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)25.025Apr 9, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage32.011Mar 29, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage38.01Mar 18, 1990Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

48 crests from 1971 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Tallapoosa River at Tallapoosa Water Plant, 1971 to 2025 1020304050ft Flood stage 25.0 ftMajor 38.0 ft Mar 5, 1971: 35.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1973: 31.40 ft, minor floodingApr 3, 1976: 30.50 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1977: 32.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 15, 1979: 37.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 31, 1980: 30.40 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1980: 28.40 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1982: 25.20 ft, minor floodingDec 10, 1983: 23.15 ft, action stageAug 4, 1984: 28.90 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 1986: 18.85 ft, action stageMar 2, 1987: 21.81 ft, action stageJan 21, 1988: 15.95 ft, action stageApr 9, 1989: 23.10 ft, action stageJun 21, 1989: 34.75 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 1990: 29.31 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 1990: 42.13 ft, major floodingMar 31, 1991: 20.93 ft, action stageFeb 18, 1992: 19.37 ft, action stageNov 27, 1992: 26.60 ft, minor floodingJul 9, 1994: 29.59 ft, minor floodingOct 7, 1995: 29.70 ft, minor flooding; 57,100 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1996: 28.68 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1997: 22.09 ft, action stage; 35,200 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1998: 34.59 ft, moderate flooding; 90,800 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2001: 28.55 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2001: 29.10 ft, minor flooding; 54,600 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2003: 33.66 ft, moderate flooding; 78,500 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2003: 32.85 ft, moderate floodingSep 17, 2004: 18.03 ft, action stage; 23,300 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2005: 29.88 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 2005: 33.37 ft, moderate flooding; 75,600 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2009: 27.93 ft, minor floodingMar 13, 2010: 27.15 ft, minor floodingFeb 14, 2013: 25.88 ft, minor flooding; 43,600 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2014: 31.76 ft, minor flooding; 64,700 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2015: 19.32 ft, action stage; 26,100 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2015: 33.65 ft, moderate flooding; 77,100 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 2017: 12.36 ft, below flood stage; 11,100 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2018: 26.58 ft, minor flooding; 44,700 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2019: 28.51 ft, minor flooding; 50,300 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2020: 34.12 ft, moderate floodingFeb 6, 2022: 28.60 ft, minor flooding; 40,674 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2022: 27.79 ft, minor flooding; 36,970 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2023: 33.59 ft, moderate flooding; 80,803 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2024: 30.91 ft, minor flooding; 54,805 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2024: 25.15 ft, minor flooding; 39,228 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2025: 30.07 ft, minor flooding; 54,777 cubic feet per second Highest, 42.13 ft, Mar 18, 1990 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Tallapoosa River at Tallapoosa Water Plant 1970s: 5 1980s: 5 1990s: 7 7 2000s: 7 2010s: 6 2020s: 7 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Tallapoosa River at Tallapoosa Water Plant
1Mar 18, 199042.13+17.13Major—
2Apr 15, 197937.90+12.90Moderate—
3Mar 5, 197135.00+10.00Moderate—
4Jun 21, 198934.75+9.75Moderate—
5Mar 11, 199834.59+9.59Moderate90,800
6Mar 7, 202034.12+9.12Moderate—
7May 11, 200333.66+8.66Moderate78,500
8Dec 25, 201533.65+8.65Moderate77,100
9Mar 29, 202333.59+8.59Moderate80,803
10Apr 2, 200533.37+8.37Moderate75,600
11Jul 3, 200332.85+7.85Moderate—
12Apr 2, 197732.60+7.60Moderate—
13Apr 9, 201431.76+6.76Minor64,700
14Apr 2, 197331.40+6.40Minor—
15Feb 14, 202430.91+5.91Minor54,805
16Apr 3, 197630.50+5.50Minor—
17Mar 31, 198030.40+5.40Minor—
18Apr 9, 202530.07+5.07Minor54,777
19Mar 29, 200529.88+4.88Minor—
20Oct 7, 199529.70+4.70Minor57,100
21Jul 9, 199429.59+4.59Minor—
22Feb 21, 199029.31+4.31Minor—
23Mar 22, 200129.10+4.10Minor54,600
24Aug 4, 198428.90+3.90Minor—
25Mar 9, 199628.68+3.68Minor—
26Feb 6, 202228.60+3.60Minor40,674
27Mar 5, 200128.55+3.55Minor—
28Apr 21, 201928.51+3.51Minor50,300
29Apr 16, 198028.40+3.40Minor—
30Nov 12, 200927.93+2.93Minor—
31Apr 8, 202227.79+2.79Minor36,970
32Mar 13, 201027.15+2.15Minor—
33Nov 27, 199226.60+1.60Minor—
34Dec 30, 201826.58+1.58Minor44,700
35Feb 14, 201325.88+0.88Minor43,600
36Apr 28, 198225.20+0.20Minor—
37Mar 11, 202425.15+0.15Minor39,228
38Dec 10, 198323.15−1.85Action—
39Apr 9, 198923.10−1.90Action—
40Mar 2, 199722.09−2.91Action35,200
41Mar 2, 198721.81−3.19Action—
42Mar 31, 199120.93−4.07Action—
43Feb 18, 199219.37−5.63Action—
44Apr 21, 201519.32−5.68Action26,100
45Mar 21, 198618.85−6.15Action—
46Sep 17, 200418.03−6.97Action23,300
47Jan 21, 198815.95−9.05Action—
48Jul 26, 201712.36−12.64Below flood stage11,100

The worst floods along the Tallapoosa River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Tallapoosa River that crested above flood stage within a week.

March 18, 1990: 42.13 ft here, major flooding

  • MilsteadAL · Mar 17, 1990 · 49.85 ft · Moderate
  • WadleyAL · Mar 17, 1990 · 26.72 ft · Moderate
  • Horseshoe BendAL · Mar 17, 1990 · 19.15 ft · Minor

April 15, 1979: 37.90 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WadleyAL · Apr 14, 1979 · 30.57 ft · Major
  • MilsteadAL · Apr 14, 1979 · 48.89 ft · Moderate

March 5, 1971: 35.00 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WadleyAL · Mar 3, 1971 · 22.00 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Tallapoosa River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Tallapoosa River
Horseshoe BendAL14.023.59 ft, May 9, 20230
MilsteadAL40.054.00 ft, Dec 10, 19191
Tallapoosa Water Plant this gaugeAL25.042.13 ft, Mar 18, 19901
US 78 near TallapoosaGA16.019.96 ft, Mar 16, 20250
WadleyAL13.037.30 ft, May 8, 20032
HeflinAL13.014.49 ft, Aug 3, 20250

Other gauges in Montgomery County

Flood gauges in Montgomery County
Montgomery35.059.70 ft, Apr 1, 18868
Montgomery20.029.78 ft, Mar 17, 19903

Montgomery County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Alabama

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MGYA1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.