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Ohio River at Evansville

Highest listed crest 53.75 ftFlood stage 42.0 ft90 crests since 1832

The Ohio River at Evansville crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 90 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1832 to 2025. The highest, 53.75 ft on January 31, 1937, was major flooding, 11.75 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
53.75 ft
January 31, 1937; 1,410,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
42.0 ft
Major flooding from 52.0 ft
Crests at major
1
96th of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
April 12, 2025
47.67 ft, minor flooding
Location
Vanderburgh County
Near Evansville (2.5 mi), Henderson (9.2 mi)

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 Evansville
Action stage24.019May 14, 2009The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)42.066Apr 12, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage48.04Mar 11, 1945Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage52.01Jan 31, 1937Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

90 crests from 1832 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Evansville, 1832 to 2025 3540455055ft Flood stage 42.0 ftMajor 52.0 ft Jan 1, 1832: 46.29 ft, minor floodingFeb 28, 1874: 39.30 ft, action stage; 443,000 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1875: 41.90 ft, action stage; 526,000 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1876: 43.30 ft, minor flooding; 593,000 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1877: 41.70 ft, action stage; 518,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1880: 42.10 ft, minor flooding; 534,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1882: 44.90 ft, minor flooding; 684,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1883: 48.60 ft, moderate floodingFeb 19, 1884: 48.82 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1886: 43.40 ft, minor flooding; 598,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1887: 43.20 ft, minor flooding; 588,000 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1890: 44.40 ft, minor flooding; 654,000 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1891: 42.80 ft, minor flooding; 568,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1893: 41.80 ft, action stage; 522,000 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1897: 43.60 ft, minor flooding; 608,000 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1898: 44.80 ft, minor flooding; 678,000 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1899: 42.80 ft, minor flooding; 568,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1901: 41.80 ft, action stage; 522,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1902: 40.00 ft, action stage; 458,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1903: 42.40 ft, minor flooding; 548,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1904: 39.80 ft, action stage; 453,000 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1906: 41.10 ft, action stage; 494,000 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1907: 46.20 ft, minor floodingApr 9, 1908: 42.20 ft, minor flooding; 538,000 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1909: 43.20 ft, minor flooding; 588,000 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1910: 39.70 ft, action stage; 451,000 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1912: 42.60 ft, minor flooding; 558,000 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1913: 48.40 ft, moderate floodingFeb 11, 1915: 42.60 ft, minor flooding; 558,000 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1916: 43.60 ft, minor flooding; 608,000 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1917: 42.90 ft, minor flooding; 573,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1918: 39.80 ft, action stage; 453,000 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1919: 40.90 ft, action stage; 486,000 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1920: 42.80 ft, minor flooding; 568,000 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1921: 43.10 ft, minor flooding; 583,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1923: 42.20 ft, minor flooding; 538,000 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1924: 43.50 ft, minor flooding; 603,000 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1927: 44.80 ft, minor flooding; 678,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1929: 42.10 ft, minor flooding; 534,000 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1930: 39.90 ft, action stage; 455,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1932: 43.20 ft, minor flooding; 588,000 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1933: 45.20 ft, minor flooding; 702,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1935: 42.90 ft, minor flooding; 573,000 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1936: 44.40 ft, minor flooding; 654,000 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1937: 53.75 ft, major flooding; 1,410,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1939: 44.81 ft, minor flooding; 679,000 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1940: 43.81 ft, minor flooding; 613,000 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1943: 45.20 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1944: 40.10 ft, action stage; 462,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1945: 48.28 ft, moderate flooding; 906,000 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1948: 45.60 ft, minor floodingJan 31, 1949: 43.10 ft, minor flooding; 569,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1950: 45.84 ft, minor flooding; 695,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1952: 43.72 ft, minor flooding; 618,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1955: 44.48 ft, minor flooding; 655,000 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1956: 42.76 ft, minor flooding; 561,000 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1957: 42.24 ft, minor flooding; 543,000 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1958: 42.95 ft, minor flooding; 573,000 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1959: 42.88 ft, minor flooding; 577,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1961: 44.38 ft, minor flooding; 633,000 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1962: 45.00 ft, minor flooding; 726,000 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1964: 47.72 ft, minor flooding; 913,000 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1965: 39.91 ft, action stage; 487,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1971: 40.52 ft, action stage; 602,000 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1978: 44.84 ft, minor flooding; 701,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1984: 41.17 ft, action stage; 537,000 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1985: 41.20 ft, action stage; 554,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1989: 43.76 ft, minor flooding; 674,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1990: 42.54 ft, minor flooding; 592,000 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1991: 44.60 ft, minor flooding; 670,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1993: 40.48 ft, action stage; 543,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1994: 42.50 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 1996: 42.40 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 1997: 47.52 ft, minor floodingFeb 24, 2000: 42.52 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 2002: 42.02 ft, minor floodingJan 11, 2004: 42.11 ft, minor floodingJan 15, 2005: 44.14 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 2008: 43.65 ft, minor flooding; 626,008 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2009: 39.12 ft, action stageMay 5, 2011: 46.78 ft, minor flooding; 868,734 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2015: 45.21 ft, minor flooding; 735,908 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 2016: 42.29 ft, minor flooding; 556,085 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2018: 46.87 ft, minor flooding; 876,890 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2019: 44.39 ft, minor flooding; 673,262 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2020: 43.49 ft, minor flooding; 617,462 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2021: 44.19 ft, minor flooding; 658,646 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2022: 42.03 ft, minor flooding; 543,402 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2025: 44.52 ft, minor flooding; 682,902 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2025: 47.67 ft, minor flooding; 95,200 cubic feet per second Highest, 53.75 ft, Jan 31, 1937 18401880192019602000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Evansville 1830s: 1 1840s: 0 1850s: 0 1860s: 0 1870s: 1 1880s: 6 1890s: 5 1900s: 4 1910s: 5 1920s: 6 1930s: 6 1940s: 5 1950s: 7 7 1960s: 3 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 5 2000s: 5 2010s: 5 2020s: 5 1830s1850s1870s1890s1910s1930s1950s1970s1990s2010s
  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 90 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at Evansville
1Jan 31, 193753.75+11.75Major1,410,000
2Feb 19, 188448.82+6.82Moderate—
3Feb 19, 188348.60+6.60Moderate—
4Apr 5, 191348.40+6.40Moderate—
5Mar 11, 194548.28+6.28Moderate906,000
6Mar 16, 196447.72+5.72Minor913,000
7Apr 12, 202547.67+5.67Minor95,200
8Mar 10, 199747.52+5.52Minor—
9Mar 1, 201846.87+4.87Minor876,890
10May 5, 201146.78+4.78Minor868,734
11Jan 1, 183246.29+4.29Minor—
12Jan 24, 190746.20+4.20Minor—
13Feb 9, 195045.84+3.84Minor695,000
14Apr 21, 194845.60+3.60Minor—
15Mar 18, 201545.21+3.21Minor735,908
16Mar 27, 193345.20+3.20Minor702,000
17Mar 26, 194345.20+3.20Minor—
18Mar 7, 196245.00+3.00Minor726,000
19Feb 24, 188244.90+2.90Minor684,000
20Dec 16, 197844.84+2.84Minor701,000
21Feb 12, 193944.81+2.81Minor679,000
22Apr 3, 189844.80+2.80Minor678,000
23Jan 29, 192744.80+2.80Minor678,000
24Jan 6, 199144.60+2.60Minor670,000
25Feb 22, 202544.52+2.52Minor682,902
26Mar 13, 195544.48+2.48Minor655,000
27Mar 31, 189044.40+2.40Minor654,000
28Apr 1, 193644.40+2.40Minor654,000
29Feb 17, 201944.39+2.39Minor673,262
30May 13, 196144.38+2.38Minor633,000
31Mar 8, 202144.19+2.19Minor658,646
32Jan 15, 200544.14+2.14Minor—
33Apr 28, 194043.81+1.81Minor613,000
34Feb 21, 198943.76+1.76Minor674,000
35Feb 5, 195243.72+1.72Minor618,000
36Mar 23, 200843.65+1.65Minor626,008
37Mar 3, 189743.60+1.60Minor608,000
38Jan 18, 191643.60+1.60Minor608,000
39Jan 11, 192443.50+1.50Minor603,000
40Feb 18, 202043.49+1.49Minor617,462
41Apr 14, 188643.40+1.40Minor598,000
42Jan 31, 187643.30+1.30Minor593,000
43Feb 9, 188743.20+1.20Minor588,000
44Mar 2, 190943.20+1.20Minor588,000
45Feb 7, 193243.20+1.20Minor588,000
46Dec 30, 192143.10+1.10Minor583,000
47Jan 31, 194943.10+1.10Minor569,000
48May 14, 195842.95+0.95Minor573,000
49Mar 22, 191742.90+0.90Minor573,000
50Mar 20, 193542.90+0.90Minor573,000

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.

January 31, 1937: 53.75 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

February 19, 1884: 48.82 ft here, moderate flooding

February 19, 1883: 48.60 ft here, moderate 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
Evansville this gaugeIN42.053.75 ft, Jan 31, 19371
GolcondaIL40.062.60 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

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EVVI3, 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.