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Tippecanoe River near Ora

Highest listed crest 15.72 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft96 crests since 1944

The Tippecanoe River near Ora crested at major flood stage 24 times among the 96 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1944 to 2021. The highest, 15.72 ft on March 13, 2009, was major flooding, 3.72 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Tippecanoe River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.72 ft
March 13, 2009; 7,980 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
24
2nd of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
January 13, 2020
12.59 ft, minor flooding
Location
Pulaski County
Indiana

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Tippecanoe River near Ora
Action stage9.03Jun 29, 2021The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.049Jan 13, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.020May 3, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.024Feb 23, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

96 crests from 1944 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Tippecanoe River near Ora, 1944 to 2021 10121416ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Apr 13, 1944: 13.20 ft, moderate flooding; 5,650 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1944: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 4,450 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1945: 12.18 ft, minor flooding; 4,050 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1949: 12.32 ft, minor flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1950: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 4,000 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1950: 12.70 ft, minor flooding; 4,900 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1950: 13.30 ft, moderate flooding; 5,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1950: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 4,750 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1950: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 4,750 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1950: 14.40 ft, major flooding; 7,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1951: 12.02 ft, minor flooding; 3,940 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1954: 12.12 ft, minor flooding; 3,540 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1956: 13.30 ft, moderate flooding; 5,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1959: 14.06 ft, major flooding; 7,120 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1960: 12.31 ft, minor flooding; 4,300 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1962: 12.79 ft, minor flooding; 4,370 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1965: 12.13 ft, minor flooding; 3,120 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 1966: 13.99 ft, moderate flooding; 6,680 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1967: 12.78 ft, minor flooding; 4,240 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1968: 13.95 ft, moderate flooding; 6,600 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1968: 12.11 ft, minor flooding; 3,450 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1969: 13.13 ft, moderate flooding; 4,890 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1970: 12.17 ft, minor flooding; 3,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1971: 12.93 ft, minor flooding; 3,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1971: 12.07 ft, minor flooding; 3,410 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 1973: 12.37 ft, minor flooding; 4,720 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1974: 12.36 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1975: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 4,790 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1976: 12.61 ft, minor flooding; 5,070 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1978: 13.71 ft, moderate flooding; 6,720 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1978: 12.27 ft, minor flooding; 4,620 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1979: 14.27 ft, major flooding; 7,660 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1980: 12.81 ft, minor flooding; 5,360 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1981: 12.02 ft, minor flooding; 3,880 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1981: 14.19 ft, major flooding; 7,020 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1981: 12.72 ft, minor flooding; 4,750 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1981: 13.63 ft, moderate flooding; 6,100 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1981: 15.08 ft, major flooding; 8,660 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1982: 14.98 ft, major flooding; 8,460 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1983: 12.05 ft, minor flooding; 3,910 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1983: 12.80 ft, minor flooding; 4,860 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 1985: 12.18 ft, minor flooding; 4,060 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1985: 15.05 ft, major flooding; 8,640 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1985: 12.52 ft, minor flooding; 4,470 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1986: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 4,410 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1990: 13.89 ft, moderate flooding; 5,510 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1990: 12.67 ft, minor flooding; 4,240 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1990: 15.22 ft, major flooding; 7,110 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1990: 13.22 ft, moderate flooding; 4,790 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1990: 15.00 ft, major flooding; 6,830 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1993: 14.91 ft, major floodingJan 24, 1993: 12.30 ft, minor floodingJan 31, 1994: 12.47 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 1994: 13.89 ft, moderate flooding; 5,510 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1996: 14.42 ft, major flooding; 6,120 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1997: 13.92 ft, moderate flooding; 5,550 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1998: 14.61 ft, major flooding; 6,384 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1998: 12.28 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 1999: 13.27 ft, moderate floodingApr 25, 1999: 14.08 ft, major floodingFeb 11, 2001: 12.57 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 2001: 12.36 ft, minor floodingJul 10, 2001: 12.29 ft, minor floodingOct 19, 2001: 12.08 ft, minor floodingOct 26, 2001: 12.77 ft, minor floodingFeb 3, 2002: 12.12 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 2002: 13.52 ft, moderate floodingJun 15, 2004: 12.22 ft, minor floodingJan 15, 2005: 14.96 ft, major floodingFeb 16, 2005: 13.58 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 2006: 10.98 ft, action stage; 2,380 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2007: 13.15 ft, moderate floodingJan 10, 2008: 15.63 ft, major floodingFeb 8, 2008: 15.60 ft, major floodingMar 5, 2008: 12.82 ft, minor floodingMar 13, 2009: 15.72 ft, major flooding; 7,980 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2009: 12.63 ft, minor flooding; 3,710 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2009: 13.32 ft, moderate flooding; 4,380 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2010: 11.83 ft, action stage; 2,900 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2011: 14.16 ft, major flooding; 5,480 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2011: 13.52 ft, moderate flooding; 4,627 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2011: 12.08 ft, minor flooding; 3,050 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 2011: 12.48 ft, minor flooding; 3,430 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2011: 14.00 ft, major flooding; 5,260 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2012: 12.33 ft, minor flooding; 3,280 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2013: 14.37 ft, major flooding; 5,780 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2013: 14.65 ft, major flooding; 6,200 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2013: 13.35 ft, moderate flooding; 4,146 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2014: 14.31 ft, major flooding; 5,640 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2015: 14.56 ft, major flooding; 6,070 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2015: 12.09 ft, minor flooding; 3,050 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 2017: 12.04 ft, minor flooding; 2,994 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2018: 15.60 ft, major flooding; 8,030 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2019: 13.34 ft, moderate flooding; 3,980 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2020: 12.59 ft, minor flooding; 3,310 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2021: 11.95 ft, action stage; 2,840 cubic feet per second Highest, 15.72 ft, Mar 13, 2009 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Tippecanoe River near Ora 1940s: 4 1950s: 10 1960s: 8 1970s: 10 1980s: 13 1990s: 15 2000s: 17 17 2010s: 15 2020s: 1 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 96 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Tippecanoe River near Ora
1Mar 13, 200915.72+3.72Major7,980
2Jan 10, 200815.63+3.63Major—
3Feb 8, 200815.60+3.60Major—
4Feb 23, 201815.60+3.60Major8,030
5Aug 20, 199015.22+3.22Major7,110
6Jun 15, 198115.08+3.08Major8,660
7Feb 25, 198515.05+3.05Major8,640
8Dec 31, 199015.00+3.00Major6,830
9Mar 15, 198214.98+2.98Major8,460
10Jan 15, 200514.96+2.96Major—
11Jan 6, 199314.91+2.91Major—
12Jun 3, 201314.65+2.65Major6,200
13Jan 10, 199814.61+2.61Major6,384
14Jun 18, 201514.56+2.56Major6,070
15Jul 20, 199614.42+2.42Major6,120
16Apr 5, 195014.40+2.40Major7,800
17Apr 21, 201314.37+2.37Major5,780
18Feb 24, 201414.31+2.31Major5,640
19Mar 4, 197914.27+2.27Major7,660
20Apr 16, 198114.19+2.19Major7,020
21Apr 30, 201114.16+2.16Major5,480
22Apr 25, 199914.08+2.08Major—
23Feb 15, 195914.06+2.06Major7,120
24Dec 17, 201114.00+2.00Major5,260
25Dec 10, 196613.99+1.99Moderate6,680
26Feb 4, 196813.95+1.95Moderate6,600
27Apr 1, 199713.92+1.92Moderate5,550
28Feb 24, 199013.89+1.89Moderate5,510
29Apr 14, 199413.89+1.89Moderate5,510
30Mar 23, 197813.71+1.71Moderate6,720
31May 16, 198113.63+1.63Moderate6,100
32Feb 16, 200513.58+1.58Moderate—
33May 14, 200213.52+1.52Moderate—
34May 31, 201113.52+1.52Moderate4,627
35Jun 15, 201313.35+1.35Moderate4,146
36May 3, 201913.34+1.34Moderate3,980
37May 18, 200913.32+1.32Moderate4,380
38Jan 27, 195013.30+1.30Moderate5,800
39May 1, 195613.30+1.30Moderate5,800
40Jan 26, 199913.27+1.27Moderate—
41Oct 12, 199013.22+1.22Moderate4,790
42Apr 13, 194413.20+1.20Moderate5,650
43Jan 17, 200713.15+1.15Moderate—
44Feb 1, 196913.13+1.13Moderate4,890
45Feb 7, 197112.93+0.93Minor3,200
46Mar 5, 200812.82+0.82Minor—
47Jun 4, 198012.81+0.81Minor5,360
48May 4, 198312.80+0.80Minor4,860
49Mar 14, 196212.79+0.79Minor4,370
50Dec 24, 196712.78+0.78Minor4,240

The worst floods along the Tippecanoe River

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

March 13, 2009: 15.72 ft here, major flooding

  • WinamacIN · Mar 14, 2009 · 15.69 ft · Major · its highest
  • Oakdale DamIN · Mar 11, 2009 · 18.72 ft · Moderate
  • Oakdale DamIN · Mar 11, 2009 · 18.72 ft · Moderate
  • DelphiIN · Mar 11, 2009 · 14.40 ft · Moderate
  • OswegoIN · Mar 15, 2009 · 8.96 ft · Moderate
  • North WebsterIN · Mar 14, 2009 · 6.81 ft · Moderate

January 10, 2008: 15.63 ft here, major flooding

  • Oakdale DamIN · Jan 8, 2008 · 21.75 ft · Major · its highest
  • Oakdale DamIN · Jan 8, 2008 · 21.75 ft · Major · its highest
  • DelphiIN · Jan 8, 2008 · 17.83 ft · Major · its highest
  • WinamacIN · Jan 11, 2008 · 15.11 ft · Major
  • OswegoIN · Jan 13, 2008 · 8.51 ft · Moderate
  • North WebsterIN · Jan 13, 2008 · 6.15 ft · Minor

February 8, 2008: 15.60 ft here, major flooding

  • Oakdale DamIN · Feb 6, 2008 · 19.00 ft · Major
  • Oakdale DamIN · Feb 6, 2008 · 19.00 ft · Major
  • DelphiIN · Feb 6, 2008 · 14.89 ft · Moderate
  • OswegoIN · Feb 10, 2008 · 8.54 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Tippecanoe River

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

Flood gauges on the Tippecanoe River
North WebsterIN6.07.12 ft, Feb 22, 20181
OswegoIN7.59.40 ft, May 21, 19432
WinamacIN10.015.69 ft, Mar 14, 20093
Oakdale DamIN14.021.75 ft, Jan 8, 20083
Oakdale DamIN14.021.75 ft, Jan 8, 20083
AmericusIN15.021.05 ft, Apr 20, 20130
DelphiIN8.017.83 ft, Jan 8, 20083
Ora this gaugeIN12.015.72 ft, Mar 13, 200924

Other gauges in Pulaski County

Flood gauges in Pulaski County
Winamac10.015.69 ft, Mar 14, 20093

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ORAI3, 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.