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Ohio River at Golconda

Highest listed crest 62.60 ftFlood stage 40.0 ft77 crests since 1913

The Ohio River at Golconda crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 77 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1913 to 2025. The highest, 62.60 ft on February 2, 1937, was major flooding, 22.60 feet above flood stage. 24 other gauges on the Ohio River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 17 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
62.60 ft
February 2, 1937; 1,470,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
40.0 ft
Major flooding from 55.0 ft
Crests at major
3
72nd of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
April 15, 2025
52.32 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Pope County
Illinois

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Ohio River at Golconda
Action stage36.01Mar 24, 1942The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)40.058Feb 24, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage49.015Apr 15, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage55.03May 6, 2011Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

77 crests from 1913 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Golconda, 1913 to 2025 3040506070ft Flood stage 40.0 ftMajor 55.0 ft Apr 6, 1913: 56.80 ft, major floodingFeb 2, 1937: 62.60 ft, major flooding; 1,470,000 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1939: 48.40 ft, minor flooding; 733,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1940: 45.71 ft, minor flooding; 714,000 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1942: 39.40 ft, action stage; 523,000 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1943: 48.60 ft, minor flooding; 802,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1944: 42.10 ft, minor flooding; 605,000 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1945: 53.20 ft, moderate flooding; 1,010,000 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1946: 42.80 ft, minor flooding; 506,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1948: 48.10 ft, minor flooding; 814,000 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1950: 54.40 ft, moderate flooding; 987,000 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1951: 43.70 ft, minor flooding; 647,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1952: 46.50 ft, minor flooding; 726,000 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1955: 45.60 ft, minor flooding; 737,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1956: 44.85 ft, minor flooding; 668,000 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1957: 44.35 ft, minor flooding; 694,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1958: 43.70 ft, minor flooding; 660,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1959: 42.90 ft, minor flooding; 690,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1961: 50.40 ft, moderate flooding; 873,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1962: 49.70 ft, moderate flooding; 785,000 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1963: 51.00 ft, moderate flooding; 818,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1964: 52.40 ft, moderate flooding; 958,000 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1965: 41.12 ft, minor flooding; 494,000 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1966: 40.50 ft, minor flooding; 583,000 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1967: 45.00 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 1968: 44.62 ft, minor flooding; 735,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1969: 42.80 ft, minor flooding; 601,000 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1970: 43.00 ft, minor flooding; 636,000 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1971: 42.60 ft, minor flooding; 607,000 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1972: 46.40 ft, minor flooding; 755,000 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1974: 46.30 ft, minor flooding; 647,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1975: 50.70 ft, moderate flooding; 742,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1976: 42.70 ft, minor flooding; 628,000 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1978: 46.60 ft, minor flooding; 731,000 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1979: 51.20 ft, moderate flooding; 828,000 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1980: 43.10 ft, minor flooding; 538,000 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1982: 43.50 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 1983: 49.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 26, 1989: 46.90 ft, minor floodingFeb 21, 1990: 46.30 ft, minor floodingJan 9, 1991: 51.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 3, 1993: 41.40 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 1994: 44.30 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1994: 42.60 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 1994: 46.60 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 1996: 47.60 ft, minor floodingMar 12, 1997: 53.58 ft, moderate floodingApr 28, 1998: 42.70 ft, minor floodingFeb 1, 1999: 45.38 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 2000: 41.70 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2002: 45.42 ft, minor floodingMar 3, 2003: 44.42 ft, minor floodingJan 15, 2004: 43.12 ft, minor floodingJan 16, 2005: 50.55 ft, moderate floodingJan 24, 2007: 42.14 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 2008: 48.62 ft, minor flooding; 813,858 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2009: 42.07 ft, minor flooding; 646,518 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2010: 41.47 ft, minor flooding; 628,707 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2011: 56.87 ft, major flooding; 1,278,679 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2014: 41.58 ft, minor flooding; 632,070 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2015: 48.60 ft, minor flooding; 813,288 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 2016: 45.25 ft, minor flooding; 720,195 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2017: 40.88 ft, minor flooding; 610,820 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2018: 52.66 ft, moderate flooding; 1,047,917 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2018: 45.25 ft, minor flooding; 720,195 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2019: 41.27 ft, minor flooding; 622,614 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2019: 41.50 ft, minor flooding; 629,623 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2019: 51.51 ft, moderate flooding; 975,611 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 43.41 ft, minor flooding; 675,854 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2019: 40.90 ft, minor flooding; 611,421 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2020: 47.32 ft, minor flooding; 777,168 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2020: 44.11 ft, minor flooding; 691,330 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2021: 45.95 ft, minor flooding; 739,261 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2022: 41.08 ft, minor flooding; 616,854 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2022: 46.02 ft, minor flooding; 741,178 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2025: 45.72 ft, minor flooding; 732,974 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2025: 52.32 ft, moderate flooding; 1,026,167 cubic feet per second Highest, 62.60 ft, Feb 2, 1937 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Golconda 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 2 1940s: 6 1950s: 8 1960s: 9 1970s: 8 1980s: 4 1990s: 10 2000s: 8 2010s: 13 13 2020s: 7 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 77 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at Golconda
1Feb 2, 193762.60+22.60Major1,470,000
2May 6, 201156.87+16.87Major1,278,679
3Apr 6, 191356.80+16.80Major—
4Jan 19, 195054.40+14.40Moderate987,000
5Mar 12, 199753.58+13.58Moderate—
6Mar 15, 194553.20+13.20Moderate1,010,000
7Mar 4, 201852.66+12.66Moderate1,047,917
8Mar 20, 196452.40+12.40Moderate958,000
9Apr 15, 202552.32+12.32Moderate1,026,167
10Jan 9, 199151.60+11.60Moderate—
11Feb 25, 201951.51+11.51Moderate975,611
12Mar 8, 197951.20+11.20Moderate828,000
13Mar 26, 196351.00+11.00Moderate818,000
14Apr 4, 197550.70+10.70Moderate742,000
15Jan 16, 200550.55+10.55Moderate—
16May 16, 196150.40+10.40Moderate873,000
17Mar 11, 196249.70+9.70Moderate785,000
18May 11, 198349.00+9.00Moderate—
19Mar 27, 200848.62+8.62Minor813,858
20Mar 29, 194348.60+8.60Minor802,000
21Mar 20, 201548.60+8.60Minor813,288
22Apr 27, 193948.40+8.40Minor733,000
23Apr 23, 194848.10+8.10Minor814,000
24May 16, 199647.60+7.60Minor—
25Feb 21, 202047.32+7.32Minor777,168
26Feb 26, 198946.90+6.90Minor—
27Mar 25, 197846.60+6.60Minor731,000
28Apr 23, 199446.60+6.60Minor—
29Feb 10, 195246.50+6.50Minor726,000
30Apr 28, 197246.40+6.40Minor755,000
31Jan 20, 197446.30+6.30Minor647,000
32Feb 21, 199046.30+6.30Minor—
33Mar 4, 202246.02+6.02Minor741,178
34Mar 10, 202145.95+5.95Minor739,261
35Feb 24, 202545.72+5.72Minor732,974
36May 1, 194045.71+5.71Minor714,000
37Mar 14, 195545.60+5.60Minor737,000
38May 23, 200245.42+5.42Minor—
39Feb 1, 199945.38+5.38Minor—
40Jan 4, 201645.25+5.25Minor720,195
41Apr 12, 201845.25+5.25Minor720,195
42Mar 21, 196745.00+5.00Minor—
43Feb 2, 195644.85+4.85Minor668,000
44Jun 5, 196844.62+4.62Minor735,000
45Mar 3, 200344.42+4.42Minor—
46Apr 18, 195744.35+4.35Minor694,000
47Feb 6, 199444.30+4.30Minor—
48Mar 29, 202044.11+4.11Minor691,330
49Mar 1, 195143.70+3.70Minor647,000
50May 16, 195843.70+3.70Minor660,000

The worst floods along the Ohio River

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

February 2, 1937: 62.60 ft here, major flooding

  • Clifty CreekIN · Jan 27, 1937 · 475.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • McAlpine LowerKY · Jan 27, 1937 · 85.44 ft · Major · its highest
  • Markland LowerKY · Jan 26, 1937 · 76.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • Meldahl DamOH · Jan 26, 1937 · 76.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • MaysvilleKY · Jan 27, 1937 · 75.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • AshlandKY · Jan 27, 1937 · 74.21 ft · Major · its highest
  • R C Byrd LockWV · Jan 27, 1937 · 69.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • PomeroyOH · Jan 26, 1937 · 67.80 ft · Major
  • ShawneetownKY · Jan 30, 1937 · 65.64 ft · Major · its highest
  • J.T. Myers Lock and DamKY · Feb 1, 1937 · 64.40 ft · Major · its highest

May 6, 2011: 56.87 ft here, major flooding

April 6, 1913: 56.80 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Ohio River

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

Flood gauges on the Ohio River
AshlandKY52.074.21 ft, Jan 27, 19374
Belleville LockWV35.061.80 ft, Mar 29, 191315
CairoIL40.061.72 ft, May 2, 201119
Cannelton Lock and DamKY42.060.80 ft, Jan 27, 19378
CincinnatiOH52.066.20 ft, Mar 11, 19641
Clifty CreekIN451.0475.90 ft, Jan 27, 19371
Dashields Lock and DamPA25.042.80 ft, Mar 18, 19365
East LiverpoolWV14.029.90 ft, Mar 19, 193611
EvansvilleIN42.053.75 ft, Jan 31, 19371
Golconda this gaugeIL40.062.60 ft, Feb 2, 19373
Hannibal Lock and DamOH35.041.90 ft, Jun 25, 19722
HendersonKY36.043.08 ft, Apr 12, 20250
IrontonOH52.054.67 ft, Feb 19, 20180
J.T. Myers Lock and DamKY37.064.40 ft, Feb 1, 19371
Lloyd Greenup LockKY54.064.50 ft, Mar 31, 19133
Marietta PumphouseOH35.058.30 ft, Mar 29, 19133
Markland LowerKY51.076.10 ft, Jan 26, 19371
MaysvilleKY50.075.60 ft, Jan 27, 19372
McAlpine LowerKY55.085.44 ft, Jan 27, 19374
McAlpine UpperKY23.052.15 ft, Jan 27, 19377
Meldahl DamOH51.076.00 ft, Jan 26, 19373
Montgomery Lock and DamPA33.055.00 ft, Mar 18, 193610
MoundsvilleWV37.057.90 ft, Mar 19, 19363
Mount VernonIN35.059.21 ft, Feb 1, 19372
New Cumberland Lock and DamOH36.050.20 ft, Dec 31, 194215
Newburgh Lock and DamKY38.056.60 ft, Jan 31, 19371
Olmsted Lock and Dam HeadwaterKY36.048.20 ft, Feb 21, 20201
OwensboroKY40.054.80 ft, Jan 29, 19375
PaducahKY39.060.60 ft, Feb 2, 19377
ParkersburgWV36.045.20 ft, Mar 12, 19645
Pike Island Lock and DamWV37.047.70 ft, Mar 11, 19645
PittsburghPA22.046.00 ft, Mar 18, 193622
Point PleasantWV40.062.80 ft, Mar 30, 191325
PomeroyOH46.068.80 ft, Apr 1, 191334
PortsmouthOH50.053.78 ft, Apr 7, 20250
Powhatan PointOH37.053.30 ft, Mar 19, 19365
R C Byrd LockWV50.069.60 ft, Jan 27, 19379
Racine LockWV41.050.23 ft, Sep 20, 20043
ShawneetownKY33.065.64 ft, Jan 30, 19377
Smithland Lock and DamKY40.054.83 ft, May 6, 20114
SteubenvilleOH36.044.00 ft, Jan 20, 19961
Tell CityIN38.056.95 ft, Jan 29, 19376
WellsburgWV36.054.60 ft, Mar 19, 19369
WellsvilleOH11.020.90 ft, Jan 20, 19963
WheelingWV36.045.40 ft, Jan 20, 19963
Willow Island LockWV37.044.78 ft, Sep 19, 20042
HuntingtonOH50.057.52 ft, Mar 5, 19970

Pope County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Illinois

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GOLI2, 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.