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Ohio River at Tell City

Highest listed crest 56.95 ftFlood stage 38.0 ft65 crests since 1884

The Ohio River at Tell City crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 65 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1884 to 2025. The highest, 56.95 ft on January 29, 1937, was major flooding, 18.95 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
56.95 ft
January 29, 1937
Flood stage
38.0 ft
Major flooding from 50.0 ft
Crests at major
6
26th of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
April 10, 2025
49.50 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Perry County
Indiana
Identifiers
NWS TELI3
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, Ohio River at Tell City
Action stage36.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)38.035Feb 28, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage44.024Apr 10, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage50.06Mar 8, 1997Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

65 crests from 1884 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Tell City, 1884 to 2025 354045505560ft Flood stage 38.0 ftMajor 50.0 ft Feb 15, 1884: 50.80 ft, major floodingApr 1, 1913: 50.70 ft, major floodingJan 29, 1937: 56.95 ft, major floodingFeb 11, 1939: 46.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 1940: 45.50 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1943: 47.50 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 1944: 40.00 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 1945: 52.00 ft, major floodingJan 15, 1946: 38.70 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1948: 49.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 31, 1949: 43.60 ft, minor floodingFeb 9, 1950: 47.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 20, 1951: 41.60 ft, minor floodingFeb 5, 1952: 45.60 ft, moderate floodingMar 12, 1955: 47.10 ft, moderate floodingMay 13, 1958: 45.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 1961: 45.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 1961: 46.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 6, 1962: 47.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1963: 46.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 8, 1964: 53.00 ft, major floodingMar 11, 1989: 40.00 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1989: 42.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 1990: 41.80 ft, minor floodingJan 5, 1991: 45.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 28, 1991: 40.00 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1993: 40.60 ft, minor floodingFeb 2, 1994: 43.30 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 1994: 43.00 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1994: 41.50 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 1995: 43.40 ft, minor floodingJan 27, 1996: 44.80 ft, moderate floodingMay 13, 1996: 43.00 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 1997: 50.40 ft, major floodingApr 25, 1998: 38.40 ft, minor floodingJan 25, 1999: 38.40 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 2000: 43.30 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 2002: 42.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 28, 2003: 40.60 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 2004: 42.60 ft, minor flooding; 513,799 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 2004: 40.10 ft, minor flooding; 431,299 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2004: 38.20 ft, minor floodingJan 13, 2005: 44.80 ft, moderate flooding; 586,400 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2007: 38.00 ft, minor floodingDec 18, 2007: 39.00 ft, minor flooding; 413,431 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2008: 39.60 ft, minor flooding; 422,155 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2008: 40.50 ft, minor flooding; 441,842 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2008: 44.50 ft, moderate flooding; 570,031 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2008: 39.50 ft, minor flooding; 420,698 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2010: 40.80 ft, minor flooding; 450,277 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2011: 44.40 ft, moderate flooding; 566,459 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2011: 48.00 ft, moderate flooding; 707,600 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2011: 38.00 ft, minor flooding; 399,000 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2014: 38.60 ft, minor flooding; 407,641 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2015: 46.10 ft, moderate flooding; 629,159 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2015: 41.60 ft, minor floodingDec 30, 2015: 42.00 ft, minor flooding; 484,998 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2018: 49.30 ft, moderate flooding; 770,026 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2018: 38.10 ft, minor floodingJan 29, 2019: 38.30 ft, minor flooding; 403,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2019: 45.00 ft, moderate flooding; 588,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2019: 43.70 ft, minor flooding; 541,700 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2021: 45.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 2025: 45.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 2025: 49.50 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 56.95 ft, Jan 29, 1937 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Tell City 1880s: 1 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 2 1940s: 7 1950s: 5 1960s: 5 1970s: 0 1980s: 2 1990s: 13 13 2000s: 13 2010s: 13 2020s: 3 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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 65 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at Tell City
1Jan 29, 193756.95+18.95Major—
2Mar 8, 196453.00+15.00Major—
3Mar 10, 194552.00+14.00Major—
4Feb 15, 188450.80+12.80Major—
5Apr 1, 191350.70+12.70Major—
6Mar 8, 199750.40+12.40Major—
7Apr 10, 202549.50+11.50Moderate—
8Feb 27, 201849.30+11.30Moderate770,026
9Apr 20, 194849.00+11.00Moderate—
10Apr 28, 201148.00+10.00Moderate707,600
11Mar 6, 196247.80+9.80Moderate—
12Mar 24, 194347.50+9.50Moderate—
13Mar 12, 195547.10+9.10Moderate—
14Feb 9, 195047.00+9.00Moderate—
15Mar 20, 196346.90+8.90Moderate—
16May 12, 196146.80+8.80Moderate—
17Feb 11, 193946.20+8.20Moderate—
18Mar 17, 201546.10+8.10Moderate629,159
19Feb 5, 195245.60+7.60Moderate—
20Apr 27, 194045.50+7.50Moderate—
21Jan 5, 199145.40+7.40Moderate—
22Mar 9, 196145.20+7.20Moderate—
23May 13, 195845.10+7.10Moderate—
24Feb 14, 201945.00+7.00Moderate588,100
25Mar 7, 202145.00+7.00Moderate—
26Feb 21, 202545.00+7.00Moderate—
27Jan 27, 199644.80+6.80Moderate—
28Jan 13, 200544.80+6.80Moderate586,400
29Mar 22, 200844.50+6.50Moderate570,031
30Mar 15, 201144.40+6.40Moderate566,459
31Feb 28, 201943.70+5.70Minor541,700
32Jan 31, 194943.60+5.60Minor—
33May 23, 199543.40+5.40Minor—
34Feb 2, 199443.30+5.30Minor—
35Feb 23, 200043.30+5.30Minor—
36Mar 16, 199443.00+5.00Minor—
37May 13, 199643.00+5.00Minor—
38Jan 10, 200442.60+4.60Minor513,799
39Apr 6, 198942.00+4.00Minor—
40Mar 25, 200242.00+4.00Minor—
41Dec 30, 201542.00+4.00Minor484,998
42Feb 17, 199041.80+3.80Minor—
43Jan 20, 195141.60+3.60Minor—
44Apr 19, 201541.60+3.60Minor—
45Apr 20, 199441.50+3.50Minor—
46May 7, 201040.80+2.80Minor450,277
47Mar 11, 199340.60+2.60Minor—
48Feb 28, 200340.60+2.60Minor—
49Mar 12, 200840.50+2.50Minor441,842
50Feb 12, 200440.10+2.10Minor431,299

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 29, 1937: 56.95 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

March 8, 1964: 53.00 ft here, major flooding

March 10, 1945: 52.00 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
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 City this gaugeIN38.056.95 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

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge TELI3, 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.