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Altamaha River at Doctortown

Highest listed crest 18.60 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft154 crests since 1925

The Altamaha River at Doctortown crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 154 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1925 to 2024. The highest, 18.60 ft on January 23, 1925, was major flooding, 6.60 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Altamaha River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
18.60 ft
January 23, 1925; 300,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.5 ft
Crests at major
4
32nd of 271 gauges in Georgia
Most recent flood crest
October 5, 2024
12.39 ft, minor flooding
Location
Wayne County
Near Jesup (5.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Altamaha River at Doctortown
Action stage10.05Nov 12, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.0119Oct 5, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.025Mar 8, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.54Mar 19, 1998Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

Listed crests at the Altamaha River at Doctortown, 1925 to 2024 8101214161820ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 15.5 ft Jan 23, 1925: 18.60 ft, major flooding; 300,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1926: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 53,900 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 1928: 15.00 ft, moderate flooding; 126,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1929: 16.30 ft, major flooding; 179,000 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1929: 15.20 ft, moderate flooding; 133,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1933: 12.10 ft, minor flooding; 46,400 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1934: 12.10 ft, minor flooding; 46,400 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1936: 12.85 ft, minor flooding; 58,600 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1936: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 70,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1936: 14.00 ft, moderate flooding; 85,000 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1936: 16.00 ft, major flooding; 178,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1937: 12.10 ft, minor flooding; 47,800 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1938: 13.00 ft, minor flooding; 68,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1939: 14.20 ft, moderate flooding; 98,000 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1942: 12.65 ft, minor flooding; 55,100 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1942: 14.00 ft, moderate flooding; 89,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1943: 13.34 ft, minor flooding; 68,700 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1943: 13.30 ft, minor flooding; 71,100 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1944: 14.50 ft, moderate flooding; 112,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1944: 13.07 ft, minor flooding; 63,000 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1946: 12.12 ft, minor flooding; 46,400 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1946: 13.00 ft, minor flooding; 71,000 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1947: 13.00 ft, minor flooding; 71,000 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1947: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 44,600 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1947: 12.33 ft, minor flooding; 49,700 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1947: 12.58 ft, minor flooding; 53,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1948: 13.35 ft, minor flooding; 69,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1948: 13.35 ft, minor flooding; 69,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1948: 14.00 ft, moderate flooding; 92,500 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 1948: 14.80 ft, moderate flooding; 118,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1949: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1952: 13.20 ft, minor flooding; 71,400 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1952: 13.14 ft, minor flooding; 64,400 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1953: 12.21 ft, minor flooding; 47,800 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1953: 13.00 ft, minor flooding; 66,700 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1958: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 53,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1960: 13.46 ft, minor flooding; 71,400 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1960: 13.90 ft, minor flooding; 89,600 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1961: 13.60 ft, minor flooding; 81,400 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1961: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 60,000 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1962: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 53,700 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1962: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1962: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1963: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 53,700 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1964: 12.81 ft, minor flooding; 57,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1964: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1964: 13.25 ft, minor flooding; 66,700 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1964: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1964: 13.90 ft, minor flooding; 79,000 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1964: 13.49 ft, minor flooding; 72,000 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1965: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 60,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1965: 13.30 ft, minor flooding; 66,000 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1965: 12.61 ft, minor flooding; 54,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1966: 13.72 ft, minor flooding; 77,600 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1966: 14.84 ft, moderate flooding; 110,000 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1967: 12.44 ft, minor flooding; 51,400 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1970: 14.04 ft, moderate flooding; 79,000 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1971: 14.76 ft, moderate flooding; 96,200 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1971: 12.29 ft, minor flooding; 49,000 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1972: 13.82 ft, minor flooding; 73,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1972: 12.35 ft, minor flooding; 50,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1973: 13.38 ft, minor flooding; 63,600 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1973: 12.23 ft, minor flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1973: 12.95 ft, minor flooding; 60,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1974: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 44,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1974: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 48,600 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1975: 13.65 ft, minor flooding; 75,900 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1975: 14.71 ft, moderate flooding; 104,000 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1975: 13.62 ft, minor flooding; 75,200 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1976: 12.90 ft, minor flooding; 60,800 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1976: 12.59 ft, minor flooding; 54,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1977: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 54,100 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1977: 12.65 ft, minor flooding; 55,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1978: 14.16 ft, moderate flooding; 90,000 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1979: 14.17 ft, moderate flooding; 90,200 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1980: 14.53 ft, moderate flooding; 99,200 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1980: 14.30 ft, moderate flooding; 81,600 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1982: 12.19 ft, minor flooding; 47,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1982: 12.89 ft, minor flooding; 60,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1983: 12.68 ft, minor flooding; 55,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1983: 12.68 ft, minor flooding; 55,500 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1983: 12.71 ft, minor flooding; 56,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1983: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1983: 12.19 ft, minor flooding; 47,400 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1983: 13.30 ft, minor flooding; 69,300 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1983: 12.22 ft, minor flooding; 47,900 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1984: 12.67 ft, minor flooding; 55,300 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1984: 12.97 ft, minor flooding; 62,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1985: 12.18 ft, minor flooding; 47,000 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1987: 12.25 ft, minor flooding; 48,300 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1987: 13.58 ft, minor flooding; 75,600 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1987: 13.24 ft, minor flooding; 66,500 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1990: 12.48 ft, minor flooding; 52,100 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1990: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 50,700 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1990: 13.36 ft, minor flooding; 70,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1991: 13.08 ft, minor flooding; 63,200 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1991: 13.79 ft, minor flooding; 80,700 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 1992: 12.97 ft, minor flooding; 62,400 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1993: 14.21 ft, moderate flooding; 91,700 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1993: 12.28 ft, minor flooding; 48,700 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1993: 13.56 ft, minor flooding; 75,200 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1994: 14.59 ft, moderate flooding; 96,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1995: 14.02 ft, moderate flooding; 82,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1996: 12.99 ft, minor flooding; 62,800 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1996: 12.84 ft, minor flooding; 59,600 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1997: 12.75 ft, minor flooding; 57,700 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1998: 13.96 ft, minor flooding; 84,900 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1998: 12.90 ft, minor flooding; 60,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1998: 14.73 ft, moderate flooding; 107,000 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1998: 15.55 ft, major flooding; 135,000 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1998: 12.35 ft, minor flooding; 49,900 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2001: 12.85 ft, minor flooding; 59,800 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2003: 13.17 ft, minor flooding; 66,500 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2004: 12.23 ft, minor flooding; 47,900 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2004: 12.31 ft, minor flooding; 49,300 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2005: 14.41 ft, moderate flooding; 97,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2008: 11.27 ft, action stage; 33,500 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2009: 14.58 ft, moderate flooding; 89,200 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2009: 12.13 ft, minor flooding; 43,100 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 2009: 13.74 ft, minor flooding; 70,400 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 2010: 13.03 ft, minor flooding; 57,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2010: 13.43 ft, minor flooding; 64,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2010: 12.72 ft, minor flooding; 51,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2011: 10.78 ft, action stage; 27,300 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2012: 8.69 ft, below flood stage; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2013: 13.56 ft, minor flooding; 66,900 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2013: 12.17 ft, minor flooding; 43,700 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2013: 12.47 ft, minor flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2014: 12.71 ft, minor flooding; 51,800 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2015: 11.65 ft, action stage; 36,800 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2015: 11.99 ft, action stage; 41,200 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2016: 14.70 ft, moderate flooding; 92,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2016: 12.69 ft, minor flooding; 51,500 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2016: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 41,300 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2018: 12.33 ft, minor flooding; 46,000 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 2019: 12.15 ft, minor flooding; 43,400 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2019: 13.06 ft, minor flooding; 57,600 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2019: 12.15 ft, minor flooding; 43,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2020: 13.89 ft, minor flooding; 73,500 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2020: 14.96 ft, moderate flooding; 98,900 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2020: 14.86 ft, moderate flooding; 96,300 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2020: 13.41 ft, minor flooding; 63,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2021: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 64,200 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2021: 12.24 ft, minor flooding; 44,700 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 2021: 12.39 ft, minor flooding; 46,200 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2022: 12.77 ft, minor flooding; 52,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2023: 12.14 ft, minor flooding; 42,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2023: 12.23 ft, minor flooding; 43,800 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2023: 13.06 ft, minor flooding; 57,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2024: 13.26 ft, minor flooding; 61,200 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2024: 13.34 ft, minor flooding; 62,700 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 2024: 12.75 ft, minor flooding; 52,100 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 2024: 12.39 ft, minor flooding; 46,200 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2024: 11.97 ft, action stage; 40,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 18.60 ft, Jan 23, 1925 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Altamaha River at Doctortown 1920s: 5 1930s: 9 1940s: 17 1950s: 5 1960s: 20 20 1970s: 19 1980s: 17 1990s: 19 2000s: 8 2010s: 14 2020s: 15 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 154 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Altamaha River at Doctortown
1Jan 23, 192518.60+6.60Major300,000
2Mar 13, 192916.30+4.30Major179,000
3Apr 18, 193616.00+4.00Major178,000
4Mar 19, 199815.55+3.55Major135,000
5Oct 13, 192915.20+3.20Moderate133,000
6Aug 25, 192815.00+3.00Moderate126,000
7Mar 1, 202014.96+2.96Moderate98,900
8Mar 8, 202014.86+2.86Moderate96,300
9Mar 12, 196614.84+2.84Moderate110,000
10Dec 12, 194814.80+2.80Moderate118,000
11Mar 16, 197114.76+2.76Moderate96,200
12Feb 14, 199814.73+2.73Moderate107,000
13Mar 28, 197514.71+2.71Moderate104,000
14Jan 8, 201614.70+2.70Moderate92,200
15Jul 19, 199414.59+2.59Moderate96,900
16Apr 11, 200914.58+2.58Moderate89,200
17Mar 23, 198014.53+2.53Moderate99,200
18Apr 2, 194414.50+2.50Moderate112,000
19Apr 7, 200514.41+2.41Moderate97,400
20Apr 10, 198014.30+2.30Moderate81,600
21Jan 17, 199314.21+2.21Moderate91,700
22Mar 11, 193914.20+2.20Moderate98,000
23Mar 8, 197914.17+2.17Moderate90,200
24Feb 7, 197814.16+2.16Moderate90,000
25Apr 6, 197014.04+2.04Moderate79,000
26Feb 28, 199514.02+2.02Moderate82,400
27Feb 18, 193614.00+2.00Moderate85,000
28Apr 3, 194214.00+2.00Moderate89,500
29Apr 4, 194814.00+2.00Moderate92,500
30Jan 5, 199813.96+1.96Minor84,900
31Apr 12, 196013.90+1.90Minor89,600
32Apr 20, 196413.90+1.90Minor79,000
33Feb 18, 202013.89+1.89Minor73,500
34Jan 25, 197213.82+1.82Minor73,700
35Mar 10, 199113.79+1.79Minor80,700
36Dec 22, 200913.74+1.74Minor70,400
37Feb 28, 196613.72+1.72Minor77,600
38Mar 2, 197513.65+1.65Minor75,900
39Apr 18, 197513.62+1.62Minor75,200
40Mar 10, 196113.60+1.60Minor81,400
41Jan 28, 198713.58+1.58Minor75,600
42Apr 9, 199313.56+1.56Minor75,200
43Mar 2, 201313.56+1.56Minor66,900
44May 14, 196413.49+1.49Minor72,000
45Feb 19, 196013.46+1.46Minor71,400
46Feb 7, 201013.43+1.43Minor64,300
47Jan 31, 193613.42+1.42Minor70,600
48Feb 22, 202113.42+1.42Minor64,200
49May 1, 202013.41+1.41Minor63,900
50Feb 14, 197313.38+1.38Minor63,600

The worst floods along the Altamaha River

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

January 23, 1925: 18.60 ft here, major flooding

  • BaxleyGA · Jan 22, 1925 · 91.51 ft · Major · its highest
  • CharlottevilleGA · Jan 22, 1925 · 29.00 ft · Major · its highest

March 13, 1929: 16.30 ft here, major flooding

April 18, 1936: 16.00 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Altamaha River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Altamaha River
CharlottevilleGA13.029.00 ft, Jan 22, 19254
BaxleyGA74.591.51 ft, Jan 22, 192511
Doctortown this gaugeGA12.018.60 ft, Jan 23, 19254
Everett CityGA13.016.76 ft, Apr 13, 20090

Other gauges in Wayne County

Flood gauges in Wayne County
Offerman9.016.40 ft, Apr 6, 19485

Wayne County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Georgia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DCTG1, 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.