Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Oconee River below Oconee

Highest listed crest 29.90 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft70 crests since 1992

The Oconee River below Oconee crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 70 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1992 to 2026. The highest, 29.90 ft on March 10, 1998, was major flooding, 12.90 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Oconee River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
29.90 ft
March 10, 1998; 96,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
6
21st of 271 gauges in Georgia
Most recent flood crest
March 2, 2026
18.19 ft, minor flooding
Location
Washington County
Georgia

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Oconee River below Oconee
Action stage14.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.050Mar 2, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.014Feb 15, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.06Mar 29, 2023Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

70 crests from 1992 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Oconee River below Oconee, 1992 to 2026 15202530ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Nov 28, 1992: 23.32 ft, moderate flooding; 41,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1995: 25.82 ft, major flooding; 62,300 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1996: 24.02 ft, moderate flooding; 47,000 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1998: 29.90 ft, major flooding; 96,900 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2004: 23.11 ft, moderate flooding; 40,000 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2008: 19.79 ft, minor flooding; 22,210 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2009: 25.28 ft, major flooding; 54,124 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2009: 20.50 ft, minor flooding; 25,273 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2009: 19.63 ft, minor flooding; 21,551 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 2009: 23.76 ft, moderate flooding; 43,876 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2009: 17.08 ft, minor flooding; 13,882 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 2009: 21.04 ft, moderate flooding; 27,802 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2009: 20.30 ft, minor flooding; 24,384 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2010: 17.66 ft, minor flooding; 15,253 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 2010: 20.84 ft, minor flooding; 26,838 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2010: 21.24 ft, moderate flooding; 28,828 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2010: 18.41 ft, minor flooding; 17,283 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2011: 17.73 ft, minor flooding; 15,425 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2013: 17.55 ft, minor flooding; 14,985 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2013: 18.24 ft, minor flooding; 16,786 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2013: 17.51 ft, minor flooding; 14,889 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2013: 18.83 ft, minor flooding; 18,563 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2013: 17.19 ft, minor flooding; 14,135 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2013: 19.36 ft, minor flooding; 20,472 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2013: 18.91 ft, minor flooding; 18,814 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2014: 18.90 ft, minor flooding; 18,791 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2014: 17.11 ft, minor flooding; 13,968 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2015: 17.24 ft, minor flooding; 14,271 cubic feet per secondNov 13, 2015: 18.70 ft, minor flooding; 18,213 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2015: 27.01 ft, major flooding; 68,342 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2016: 18.23 ft, minor flooding; 16,858 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2016: 17.39 ft, minor flooding; 14,480 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2016: 22.49 ft, moderate flooding; 36,435 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2017: 17.73 ft, minor flooding; 15,334 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2017: 17.88 ft, minor flooding; 15,798 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2018: 20.05 ft, minor flooding; 22,908 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 2018: 20.73 ft, minor flooding; 26,187 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2018: 18.01 ft, minor flooding; 16,181 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 2019: 17.86 ft, minor flooding; 15,735 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2019: 23.10 ft, moderate flooding; 39,880 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2019: 17.68 ft, minor flooding; 15,219 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2019: 18.43 ft, minor flooding; 17,476 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2019: 17.80 ft, minor flooding; 15,569 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2020: 20.32 ft, minor flooding; 24,169 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2020: 26.39 ft, major flooding; 62,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2020: 17.87 ft, minor flooding; 15,770 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2020: 24.00 ft, moderate flooding; 45,384 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2020: 23.53 ft, moderate flooding; 42,445 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2020: 18.35 ft, minor flooding; 17,229 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2020: 19.63 ft, minor flooding; 21,087 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2020: 20.61 ft, minor flooding; 25,583 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2021: 17.14 ft, minor flooding; 13,993 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2021: 17.62 ft, minor flooding; 15,087 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2021: 22.18 ft, moderate flooding; 34,432 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2022: 17.94 ft, minor flooding; 15,990 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2022: 18.36 ft, minor flooding; 17,257 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2022: 17.56 ft, minor flooding; 14,895 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2022: 24.84 ft, moderate flooding; 51,021 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2023: 19.28 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 2023: 17.79 ft, minor floodingFeb 15, 2023: 18.22 ft, minor flooding; 16,822 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2023: 25.55 ft, major flooding; 56,182 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2024: 22.50 ft, moderate flooding; 36,446 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2024: 24.22 ft, moderate flooding; 46,815 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2024: 19.87 ft, minor flooding; 22,098 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2024: 19.36 ft, minor flooding; 20,233 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2025: 18.93 ft, minor flooding; 18,875 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2025: 20.64 ft, minor flooding; 25,734 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 2025: 18.89 ft, minor flooding; 18,761 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2026: 18.19 ft, minor flooding; 16,724 cubic feet per second Highest, 29.90 ft, Mar 10, 1998 200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Oconee River below Oconee 1990s: 4 2000s: 9 2010s: 30 30 2020s: 27 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 70 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Oconee River below Oconee
1Mar 10, 199829.90+12.90Major96,900
2Dec 26, 201527.01+10.01Major68,342
3Feb 9, 202026.39+9.39Major62,800
4Feb 20, 199525.82+8.82Major62,300
5Mar 29, 202325.55+8.55Major56,182
6Apr 4, 200925.28+8.28Major54,124
7Apr 9, 202224.84+7.84Moderate51,021
8Feb 15, 202424.22+7.22Moderate46,815
9Mar 9, 199624.02+7.02Moderate47,000
10Feb 21, 202024.00+7.00Moderate45,384
11Nov 14, 200923.76+6.76Moderate43,876
12Mar 8, 202023.53+6.53Moderate42,445
13Nov 28, 199223.32+6.32Moderate41,900
14Sep 30, 200423.11+6.11Moderate40,000
15Jan 7, 201923.10+6.10Moderate39,880
16Jan 13, 202422.50+5.50Moderate36,446
17Apr 4, 201622.49+5.49Moderate36,435
18Oct 10, 202122.18+5.18Moderate34,432
19Feb 9, 201021.24+4.24Moderate28,828
20Dec 21, 200921.04+4.04Moderate27,802
21Jan 28, 201020.84+3.84Minor26,838
22Dec 13, 201820.73+3.73Minor26,187
23Apr 10, 202520.64+3.64Minor25,734
24Sep 20, 202020.61+3.61Minor25,583
25Sep 24, 200920.50+3.50Minor25,273
26Jan 17, 202020.32+3.32Minor24,169
27Dec 28, 200920.30+3.30Minor24,384
28Nov 18, 201820.05+3.05Minor22,908
29Mar 10, 202419.87+2.87Minor22,098
30Dec 14, 200819.79+2.79Minor22,210
31Oct 16, 200919.63+2.63Minor21,551
32May 2, 202019.63+2.63Minor21,087
33Dec 26, 201319.36+2.36Minor20,472
34Sep 30, 202419.36+2.36Minor20,233
35Jan 8, 202319.28+2.28Minor—
36Feb 18, 202518.93+1.93Minor18,875
37Dec 31, 201318.91+1.91Minor18,814
38Jan 14, 201418.90+1.90Minor18,791
39Aug 9, 202518.89+1.89Minor18,761
40May 7, 201318.83+1.83Minor18,563
41Nov 13, 201518.70+1.70Minor18,213
42Dec 17, 201918.43+1.43Minor17,476
43Mar 14, 201018.41+1.41Minor17,283
44Feb 7, 202218.36+1.36Minor17,257
45Apr 23, 202018.35+1.35Minor17,229
46Feb 26, 201318.24+1.24Minor16,786
47Jan 26, 201618.23+1.23Minor16,858
48Feb 15, 202318.22+1.22Minor16,822
49Mar 2, 202618.19+1.19Minor16,724
50Dec 24, 201818.01+1.01Minor16,181

The worst floods along the Oconee River

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

March 10, 1998: 29.90 ft here, major flooding

December 26, 2015: 27.01 ft here, major flooding

February 9, 2020: 26.39 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Oconee River

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

Flood gauges on the Oconee River
Avant Mine near OconeeGA18.020.67 ft, Apr 15, 19980
DublinGA21.033.00 ft, Apr 12, 19364
Highway 280 near Mount VernonGA16.025.30 ft, Apr 14, 19363
Lake OconeeGA435.5436.00 ft, Feb 5, 19980
Lake SinclairGA340.5341.50 ft, Mar 9, 19980
MilledgevilleGA22.042.90 ft, Feb 25, 19615
Oconee this gaugeGA17.029.90 ft, Mar 10, 19986
PenfieldGA13.026.90 ft, Dec 19, 19190

Other gauges in Washington County

Flood gauges in Washington County
GA 272 near Oconee15.015.83 ft, Feb 19, 19950
Avant Mine near Oconee18.020.67 ft, Apr 15, 19980
Davisboro10.014.66 ft, Sep 17, 20200

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge OCNG1, 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.