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Chipola River near Altha (CR 274)

Highest listed crest 33.55 ftFlood stage 22.0 ft53 crests since 1925

The Chipola River near Altha (CR 274) crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 53 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1925 to 2024. The highest, 33.55 ft on September 20, 1926, was major flooding, 11.55 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
33.55 ft
September 20, 1926; 25,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
22.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
4
53rd of 237 gauges in Florida
Most recent flood crest
September 22, 2020
26.61 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Calhoun County
Florida

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Chipola River near Altha (CR 274)
Action stage18.09Feb 18, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)22.010Nov 16, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage23.030Sep 22, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.04Apr 4, 2009Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

53 crests from 1925 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Chipola River near Altha (CR 274), 1925 to 2024 1520253035ft Flood stage 22.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Apr 24, 1925: 23.70 ft, moderate floodingSep 20, 1926: 33.55 ft, major flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 1929: 25.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 22, 1946: 23.85 ft, moderate floodingMar 13, 1947: 26.42 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 1948: 32.20 ft, major flooding; 19,100 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1950: 22.50 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 1960: 28.42 ft, moderate floodingJan 15, 1964: 23.18 ft, moderate floodingMay 7, 1964: 26.05 ft, moderate floodingMar 6, 1966: 22.85 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 1973: 23.42 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1975: 29.43 ft, moderate floodingJul 31, 1975: 23.45 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 1978: 23.15 ft, moderate floodingMar 14, 1978: 26.98 ft, moderate floodingMar 2, 1979: 25.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1983: 22.13 ft, minor flooding; 6,170 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1984: 24.52 ft, moderate flooding; 7,380 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1986: 26.05 ft, moderate flooding; 8,710 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1993: 22.07 ft, minor flooding; 5,790 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1994: 29.60 ft, moderate flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1994: 22.59 ft, minor flooding; 6,020 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1998: 30.73 ft, major flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1998: 22.95 ft, minor flooding; 6,470 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2005: 24.21 ft, moderate flooding; 7,350 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2009: 30.79 ft, major flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2010: 23.61 ft, moderate flooding; 6,940 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2013: 28.94 ft, moderate floodingAug 19, 2013: 23.07 ft, moderate flooding; 7,600 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 2013: 25.17 ft, moderate flooding; 9,006 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2014: 25.46 ft, moderate floodingMay 5, 2014: 27.89 ft, moderate floodingNov 13, 2015: 20.28 ft, action stage; 5,181 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 2016: 22.58 ft, minor flooding; 6,028 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2016: 19.47 ft, action stage; 4,855 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2016: 21.65 ft, action stage; 5,707 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2016: 28.33 ft, moderate flooding; 9,943 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2016: 18.38 ft, action stage; 4,427 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2017: 22.68 ft, minor flooding; 6,280 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2017: 20.20 ft, action stage; 5,160 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2018: 22.85 ft, minor flooding; 6,357 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2018: 23.72 ft, moderate flooding; 6,781 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 2018: 22.54 ft, minor flooding; 6,220 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2018: 26.35 ft, moderate flooding; 8,627 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2018: 23.46 ft, moderate flooding; 6,645 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 2018: 23.65 ft, moderate flooding; 6,733 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2020: 19.37 ft, action stage; 4,804 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2020: 18.65 ft, action stage; 4,536 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2020: 18.61 ft, action stage; 4,520 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2020: 26.56 ft, moderate flooding; 8,830 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 2020: 26.61 ft, moderate flooding; 8,880 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2024: 21.15 ft, action stage; 5,596 cubic feet per second Highest, 33.55 ft, Sep 20, 1926 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Chipola River near Altha (CR 274) 1920s: 3 1930s: 0 1940s: 3 1950s: 1 1960s: 4 1970s: 6 1980s: 3 1990s: 5 2000s: 2 2010s: 15 15 2020s: 2 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 53 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Chipola River near Altha (CR 274)
1Sep 20, 192633.55+11.55Major25,000
2Apr 5, 194832.20+10.20Major19,100
3Apr 4, 200930.79+8.79Major13,400
4Mar 13, 199830.73+8.73Major14,800
5Jul 11, 199429.60+7.60Moderate14,200
6Apr 16, 197529.43+7.43Moderate—
7Mar 2, 201328.94+6.94Moderate—
8Apr 8, 196028.42+6.42Moderate—
9Apr 5, 201628.33+6.33Moderate9,943
10May 5, 201427.89+5.89Moderate—
11Mar 14, 197826.98+4.98Moderate—
12Sep 22, 202026.61+4.61Moderate8,880
13Sep 18, 202026.56+4.56Moderate8,830
14Mar 13, 194726.42+4.42Moderate—
15Dec 9, 201826.35+4.35Moderate8,627
16May 7, 196426.05+4.05Moderate—
17Feb 12, 198626.05+4.05Moderate8,710
18Apr 17, 201425.46+3.46Moderate—
19Oct 2, 192925.20+3.20Moderate—
20Aug 23, 201325.17+3.17Moderate9,006
21Mar 2, 197925.10+3.10Moderate—
22Mar 7, 198424.52+2.52Moderate7,380
23Apr 3, 200524.21+2.21Moderate7,350
24May 22, 194623.85+1.85Moderate—
25Oct 13, 201823.72+1.72Moderate6,781
26Apr 24, 192523.70+1.70Moderate—
27Dec 22, 201823.65+1.65Moderate6,733
28Jan 26, 201023.61+1.61Moderate6,940
29Dec 16, 201823.46+1.46Moderate6,645
30Jul 31, 197523.45+1.45Moderate—
31Apr 5, 197323.42+1.42Moderate—
32Jan 15, 196423.18+1.18Moderate—
33Feb 1, 197823.15+1.15Moderate—
34Aug 19, 201323.07+1.07Moderate7,600
35Oct 1, 199822.95+0.95Minor6,470
36Mar 6, 196622.85+0.85Minor—
37Feb 13, 201822.85+0.85Minor6,357
38Jan 7, 201722.68+0.68Minor6,280
39Oct 3, 199422.59+0.59Minor6,020
40Jan 4, 201622.58+0.58Minor6,028
41Nov 16, 201822.54+0.54Minor6,220
42Sep 1, 195022.50+0.50Minor—
43Apr 16, 198322.13+0.13Minor6,170
44Jan 17, 199322.07+0.07Minor5,790
45Mar 29, 201621.65−0.35Action5,707
46Feb 18, 202421.15−0.85Action5,596
47Nov 13, 201520.28−1.72Action5,181
48Jan 27, 201720.20−1.80Action5,160
49Feb 8, 201619.47−2.53Action4,855
50Feb 13, 202019.37−2.63Action4,804

The worst floods along the Chipola River

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

April 4, 2009: 30.79 ft here, major flooding

July 11, 1994: 29.60 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Chipola River

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

Flood gauges on the Chipola River
Marianna (US 90)FL18.027.00 ft, Apr 15, 19751
Scott's FerryFL22.026.24 ft, Sep 18, 20200
Altha (CR 274) this gaugeFL22.033.55 ft, Sep 20, 19264
Wewahitchka (Lands Landing)FL22.023.42 ft, Mar 12, 20200

Other gauges in Calhoun County

Flood gauges in Calhoun County
Blountstown17.028.60 ft, Mar 21, 19295
Scott's Ferry22.026.24 ft, Sep 18, 20200

Calhoun County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Florida

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ALTF1, 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.