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East Fork White River near Bedford

Highest listed crest 47.50 ftFlood stage 20.0 ft162 crests since 1913

The East Fork White River near Bedford crested at major flood stage 12 times among the 162 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1913 to 2026. The highest, 47.50 ft on March 29, 1913, was major flooding, 27.50 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the East Fork White River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
47.50 ft
March 29, 1913
Flood stage
20.0 ft
Major flooding from 32.0 ft
Crests at major
12
6th of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
May 24, 2026
23.90 ft, minor flooding
Location
Lawrence County
Near Bedford (2.4 mi)
Identifiers
NWS BFRI3
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, East Fork White River near Bedford
Action stage13.058Nov 7, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.061May 24, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage27.029Jun 22, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage32.012Jan 9, 2005Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

162 crests from 1913 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the East Fork White River near Bedford, 1913 to 2026 01020304050ft Flood stage 20.0 ftMajor 32.0 ft Mar 29, 1913: 47.50 ft, major floodingJan 24, 1937: 37.20 ft, major floodingApr 23, 1940: 29.90 ft, moderate flooding; 50,200 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1941: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 7,960 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1942: 15.45 ft, action stage; 14,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1942: 15.00 ft, action stage; 14,400 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1942: 16.21 ft, action stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1942: 20.20 ft, minor flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1943: 32.18 ft, major flooding; 59,500 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1943: 17.42 ft, action stage; 17,700 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1944: 28.72 ft, moderate flooding; 44,900 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1944: 16.08 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1945: 33.75 ft, major flooding; 68,400 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1945: 15.48 ft, action stage; 15,800 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1945: 23.48 ft, minor flooding; 28,900 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1945: 21.53 ft, minor flooding; 25,300 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1945: 17.51 ft, action stage; 18,900 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1945: 16.06 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1945: 22.81 ft, minor flooding; 27,500 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1945: 15.70 ft, action stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1946: 18.93 ft, action stage; 21,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1947: 16.05 ft, action stage; 17,300 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1947: 22.24 ft, minor flooding; 27,700 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1947: 18.91 ft, action stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1947: 26.14 ft, minor flooding; 37,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1948: 15.00 ft, action stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1948: 22.99 ft, minor flooding; 29,400 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1948: 24.20 ft, minor flooding; 31,800 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1948: 17.34 ft, action stage; 19,400 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1949: 32.90 ft, major flooding; 63,800 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1949: 30.52 ft, moderate flooding; 52,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1949: 24.85 ft, minor flooding; 33,600 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1949: 16.47 ft, action stage; 18,100 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1949: 25.70 ft, minor flooding; 35,800 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1950: 33.08 ft, major flooding; 64,900 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1950: 25.29 ft, minor flooding; 34,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1950: 32.02 ft, major flooding; 59,900 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1950: 21.12 ft, minor flooding; 26,100 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1950: 24.43 ft, minor flooding; 32,400 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 1950: 19.90 ft, action stage; 23,700 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1950: 21.90 ft, minor flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1951: 17.10 ft, action stage; 19,100 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1951: 21.50 ft, minor flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1951: 25.92 ft, minor flooding; 36,400 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1951: 17.57 ft, action stage; 19,900 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1951: 16.18 ft, action stage; 17,600 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1951: 18.90 ft, action stage; 21,000 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1952: 16.13 ft, action stage; 17,500 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1952: 26.16 ft, minor flooding; 37,300 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1952: 19.92 ft, action stage; 23,700 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1952: 21.19 ft, minor flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1952: 14.70 ft, action stage; 15,200 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1952: 13.38 ft, action stage; 13,100 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1953: 15.48 ft, action stage; 16,500 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1953: 16.32 ft, action stage; 17,800 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1954: 7.49 ft, below flood stage; 4,600 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1955: 20.20 ft, minor flooding; 24,200 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1955: 18.23 ft, action stage; 18,500 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 1955: 19.73 ft, action stage; 23,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1956: 17.08 ft, action stage; 19,000 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1956: 17.62 ft, action stage; 19,800 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1956: 19.30 ft, action stage; 22,700 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1956: 24.05 ft, minor flooding; 31,700 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1956: 13.70 ft, action stage; 13,200 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1957: 26.25 ft, minor flooding; 37,600 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1957: 27.63 ft, moderate flooding; 41,700 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1957: 15.70 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 1957: 18.87 ft, action stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1959: 32.90 ft, major floodingMay 11, 1961: 34.60 ft, major floodingMar 13, 1964: 32.30 ft, major floodingMay 29, 1968: 30.60 ft, moderate floodingMar 19, 1978: 27.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 1979: 27.30 ft, moderate floodingAug 7, 1979: 22.00 ft, minor floodingNov 30, 1979: 22.40 ft, minor floodingFeb 4, 1982: 28.60 ft, moderate floodingFeb 22, 1982: 20.70 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1983: 28.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 1984: 22.60 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 1985: 25.00 ft, minor floodingNov 20, 1985: 20.30 ft, minor floodingFeb 10, 1986: 19.90 ft, action stageFeb 6, 1988: 22.30 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1988: 19.30 ft, action stageApr 4, 1989: 25.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 21, 1990: 21.00 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1990: 29.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 3, 1991: 29.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 11, 1991: 19.40 ft, action stageMar 9, 1993: 20.00 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 1993: 16.40 ft, action stageNov 21, 1993: 29.10 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 1994: 22.00 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1994: 23.70 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1994: 17.00 ft, action stageMay 11, 1994: 14.60 ft, action stageApr 26, 1995: 18.20 ft, action stageMay 19, 1995: 20.70 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 1995: 24.80 ft, minor floodingAug 11, 1995: 13.90 ft, action stageJan 24, 1996: 21.40 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 1996: 17.20 ft, action stageApr 24, 1996: 18.20 ft, action stageApr 28, 1996: 20.90 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 1996: 32.45 ft, major floodingMay 9, 1996: 27.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 14, 1996: 25.40 ft, minor floodingJun 1, 1996: 19.90 ft, action stageJun 13, 1996: 20.00 ft, minor floodingJan 28, 1997: 19.00 ft, action stageMar 6, 1997: 21.80 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 1997: 27.30 ft, moderate floodingApr 19, 1998: 26.20 ft, minor floodingJan 27, 1999: 24.50 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 2000: 17.40 ft, action stageOct 29, 2001: 19.70 ft, action stageDec 21, 2001: 27.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 14, 2002: 29.20 ft, moderate floodingJan 6, 2003: 17.30 ft, action stageMay 11, 2003: 19.60 ft, action stageJul 14, 2003: 17.30 ft, action stageJan 8, 2004: 29.20 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 2005: 34.65 ft, major floodingJan 17, 2005: 24.50 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 2006: 30.90 ft, moderate floodingDec 7, 2006: 22.00 ft, minor floodingJan 19, 2007: 27.01 ft, moderate floodingFeb 11, 2008: 23.38 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 2008: 24.27 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2008: 31.29 ft, moderate floodingJun 10, 2008: 30.45 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 2009: 17.75 ft, action stageAug 10, 2009: 22.79 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 2010: 21.55 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 2011: 25.80 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 2011: 30.85 ft, moderate floodingJan 18, 2013: 21.50 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2013: 27.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 8, 2014: 27.22 ft, moderate floodingMar 17, 2015: 25.00 ft, minor flooding; 35,429 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2015: 16.20 ft, action stageJul 18, 2015: 28.40 ft, moderate floodingJan 1, 2016: 25.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 29, 2016: 21.00 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 2016: 21.00 ft, minor floodingAug 21, 2016: 15.40 ft, action stageJan 25, 2017: 20.00 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 2017: 18.00 ft, action stageMay 10, 2017: 25.00 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 2017: 17.30 ft, action stageFeb 28, 2018: 28.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 7, 2018: 27.50 ft, moderate floodingSep 15, 2018: 18.50 ft, action stageNov 7, 2018: 19.40 ft, action stageFeb 12, 2019: 29.00 ft, moderate flooding; 51,387 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2019: 23.50 ft, minor flooding; 30,380 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2019: 28.60 ft, moderate flooding; 49,606 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2020: 26.30 ft, minor flooding; 40,208 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2021: 21.80 ft, minor flooding; 25,231 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2023: 25.70 ft, minor flooding; 37,959 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2026: 23.90 ft, minor flooding; 31,675 cubic feet per second Highest, 47.50 ft, Mar 29, 1913 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, East Fork White River near Bedford 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 1 1940s: 16 1950s: 15 1960s: 3 1970s: 4 1980s: 8 1990s: 19 19 2000s: 13 2010s: 18 2020s: 4 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 162 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, East Fork White River near Bedford
1Mar 29, 191347.50+27.50Major—
2Jan 24, 193737.20+17.20Major—
3Jan 9, 200534.65+14.65Major—
4May 11, 196134.60+14.60Major—
5Mar 9, 194533.75+13.75Major68,400
6Jan 8, 195033.08+13.08Major64,900
7Jan 8, 194932.90+12.90Major63,800
8Jan 25, 195932.90+12.90Major—
9May 3, 199632.45+12.45Major—
10Mar 13, 196432.30+12.30Major—
11Mar 22, 194332.18+12.18Major59,500
12Feb 17, 195032.02+12.02Major59,900
13Mar 22, 200831.29+11.29Moderate—
14Mar 16, 200630.90+10.90Moderate—
15Apr 25, 201130.85+10.85Moderate—
16May 29, 196830.60+10.60Moderate—
17Jan 27, 194930.52+10.52Moderate52,900
18Jun 10, 200830.45+10.45Moderate—
19Apr 23, 194029.90+9.90Moderate50,200
20May 14, 200229.20+9.20Moderate—
21Jan 8, 200429.20+9.20Moderate—
22Nov 21, 199329.10+9.10Moderate—
23May 20, 199029.00+9.00Moderate—
24Jan 3, 199129.00+9.00Moderate—
25Feb 12, 201929.00+9.00Moderate51,387
26Apr 15, 194428.72+8.72Moderate44,900
27May 6, 198328.70+8.70Moderate—
28Feb 4, 198228.60+8.60Moderate—
29Feb 28, 201828.60+8.60Moderate—
30Jun 22, 201928.60+8.60Moderate49,606
31Jul 18, 201528.40+8.40Moderate—
32May 26, 195727.63+7.63Moderate41,700
33Dec 27, 201327.60+7.60Moderate—
34Mar 19, 197827.50+7.50Moderate—
35Apr 7, 201827.50+7.50Moderate—
36Feb 28, 197927.30+7.30Moderate—
37Jun 5, 199727.30+7.30Moderate—
38Apr 8, 201427.22+7.22Moderate—
39Jan 19, 200727.01+7.01Moderate—
40May 9, 199627.00+7.00Moderate—
41Dec 21, 200127.00+7.00Moderate—
42Mar 24, 202026.30+6.30Minor40,208
43Apr 9, 195726.25+6.25Minor37,600
44Apr 19, 199826.20+6.20Minor—
45Jan 31, 195226.16+6.16Minor37,300
46Jun 7, 194726.14+6.14Minor37,000
47Feb 25, 195125.92+5.92Minor36,400
48Mar 10, 201125.80+5.80Minor—
49Mar 31, 194925.70+5.70Minor35,800
50Mar 30, 202325.70+5.70Minor37,959

The worst floods along the East Fork White River

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

March 29, 1913: 47.50 ft here, major flooding

  • RivervaleIN · Mar 29, 1913 · 47.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • ShoalsIN · Mar 28, 1913 · 42.20 ft · Major · its highest
  • SparksvilleIN · Mar 28, 1913 · 41.72 ft · Major · its highest
  • WilliamsIN · Mar 27, 1913 · 31.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • SeymourIN · Mar 26, 1913 · 21.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • ColumbusIN · Mar 27, 1913 · 17.90 ft · Major

January 24, 1937: 37.20 ft here, major flooding

  • RivervaleIN · Jan 24, 1937 · 38.00 ft · Major
  • ShoalsIN · Jan 25, 1937 · 37.02 ft · Major
  • WilliamsIN · Jan 25, 1937 · 25.00 ft · Major
  • SeymourIN · Jan 22, 1937 · 19.02 ft · Major

January 9, 2005: 34.65 ft here, major flooding

  • RivervaleIN · Jan 9, 2005 · 37.84 ft · Major
  • ShoalsIN · Jan 11, 2005 · 33.22 ft · Major
  • WilliamsIN · Jan 9, 2005 · 21.30 ft · Major
  • SeymourIN · Jan 6, 2005 · 19.40 ft · Major
  • ColumbusIN · Jan 7, 2005 · 17.05 ft · Major

Gauges on the East Fork White River

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

Flood gauges on the East Fork White River
ColumbusIN9.018.61 ft, Jun 8, 20087
RivervaleIN20.047.60 ft, Mar 29, 19137
ShoalsIN20.042.20 ft, Mar 28, 191319
SparksvilleIN20.041.72 ft, Mar 28, 19134
WilliamsIN8.031.00 ft, Mar 27, 191311
Bedford this gaugeIN20.047.50 ft, Mar 29, 191312
SeymourIN12.021.00 ft, Mar 26, 191316

Other gauges in Lawrence County

Flood gauges in Lawrence County
Rivervale20.047.60 ft, Mar 29, 19137
Williams8.031.00 ft, Mar 27, 191311

Lawrence County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Indiana

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BFRI3, 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.