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Ohio River at Paducah

Highest listed crest 60.60 ftFlood stage 39.0 ft73 crests since 1867

The Ohio River at Paducah crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 73 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1867 to 2025. The highest, 60.60 ft on February 2, 1937, was major flooding, 21.60 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
60.60 ft
February 2, 1937
Flood stage
39.0 ft
Major flooding from 52.0 ft
Crests at major
7
14th of 72 gauges in Kentucky
Most recent flood crest
April 15, 2025
48.15 ft, moderate flooding
Location
McCracken County
Near Paducah (3.0 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 Paducah
Action stage32.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)39.013Mar 8, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage43.053Apr 15, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage52.07Feb 25, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

73 crests from 1867 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Paducah, 1867 to 2025 3040506070ft Flood stage 39.0 ftMajor 52.0 ft Mar 21, 1867: 52.00 ft, major floodingFeb 26, 1882: 50.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 25, 1883: 50.70 ft, moderate floodingFeb 23, 1884: 54.30 ft, major floodingApr 17, 1886: 50.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 8, 1887: 46.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 11, 1890: 48.50 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 1897: 50.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1898: 47.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 16, 1903: 47.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 11, 1912: 49.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 7, 1913: 54.30 ft, major floodingMar 26, 1917: 47.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1922: 48.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 1927: 47.20 ft, moderate floodingFeb 13, 1932: 46.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 3, 1933: 47.30 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1936: 49.10 ft, moderate floodingFeb 2, 1937: 60.60 ft, major floodingFeb 22, 1939: 49.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 1943: 46.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 10, 1945: 50.30 ft, moderate floodingFeb 4, 1949: 46.10 ft, moderate floodingFeb 13, 1950: 53.30 ft, major floodingMar 29, 1955: 47.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 18, 1961: 46.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 12, 1962: 48.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 19, 1963: 49.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 21, 1964: 47.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 1965: 42.17 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 1967: 40.11 ft, minor floodingFeb 9, 1969: 41.74 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 1970: 40.99 ft, minor floodingMar 4, 1971: 41.26 ft, minor floodingDec 20, 1972: 43.84 ft, moderate floodingMar 27, 1973: 47.50 ft, moderate floodingJan 18, 1974: 46.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 3, 1975: 51.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 1978: 43.23 ft, moderate floodingMar 7, 1979: 49.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 1980: 44.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 1982: 39.90 ft, minor floodingMay 25, 1983: 47.30 ft, moderate floodingMay 14, 1984: 48.10 ft, moderate floodingFeb 24, 1989: 46.10 ft, moderate floodingFeb 19, 1990: 46.30 ft, moderate floodingJan 8, 1991: 49.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 3, 1993: 41.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 18, 1994: 41.90 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1994: 45.70 ft, moderate floodingMay 28, 1995: 44.90 ft, moderate floodingMay 16, 1996: 44.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 11, 1997: 51.79 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 1998: 43.20 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 1999: 44.23 ft, moderate floodingMay 19, 2002: 44.36 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 2003: 44.95 ft, moderate flooding; 894,539 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 2004: 42.24 ft, minor flooding; 808,030 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 2005: 47.90 ft, moderate flooding; 977,238 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2008: 45.55 ft, moderate flooding; 746,299 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2009: 42.83 ft, minor flooding; 664,584 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2010: 44.34 ft, moderate flooding; 710,037 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2011: 55.03 ft, major flooding; 1,300,980 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2013: 39.63 ft, minor flooding; 742,107 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2015: 46.00 ft, moderate flooding; 919,996 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2017: 40.65 ft, minor flooding; 767,530 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2018: 51.43 ft, moderate flooding; 1,123,954 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2019: 53.27 ft, major flooding; 1,212,961 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2020: 48.39 ft, moderate flooding; 1,011,612 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2021: 42.84 ft, minor flooding; 825,010 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2022: 44.58 ft, moderate flooding; 877,255 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2025: 43.23 ft, moderate flooding; 836,715 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2025: 48.15 ft, moderate flooding; 1,004,459 cubic feet per second Highest, 60.60 ft, Feb 2, 1937 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Paducah 1860s: 1 1870s: 0 1880s: 5 1890s: 3 1900s: 1 1910s: 3 1920s: 2 1930s: 5 1940s: 3 1950s: 2 1960s: 7 1970s: 8 1980s: 5 1990s: 10 10 2000s: 6 2010s: 7 2020s: 5 1860s1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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 73 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at Paducah
1Feb 2, 193760.60+21.60Major—
2May 5, 201155.03+16.03Major1,300,980
3Feb 23, 188454.30+15.30Major—
4Apr 7, 191354.30+15.30Major—
5Feb 13, 195053.30+14.30Major—
6Feb 25, 201953.27+14.27Major1,212,961
7Mar 21, 186752.00+13.00Major—
8Mar 11, 199751.79+12.79Moderate—
9Mar 2, 201851.43+12.43Moderate1,123,954
10Apr 3, 197551.40+12.40Moderate—
11Mar 25, 189750.90+11.90Moderate—
12Feb 25, 188350.70+11.70Moderate—
13Apr 17, 188650.40+11.40Moderate—
14Mar 10, 194550.30+11.30Moderate—
15Feb 26, 188250.00+11.00Moderate—
16Apr 11, 191249.90+10.90Moderate—
17Jan 8, 199149.90+10.90Moderate—
18Mar 19, 196349.80+10.80Moderate—
19Mar 7, 197949.20+10.20Moderate—
20Apr 16, 193649.10+10.10Moderate—
21Feb 22, 193949.10+10.10Moderate—
22Mar 24, 192248.90+9.90Moderate—
23Mar 11, 189048.50+9.50Moderate—
24Feb 21, 202048.39+9.39Moderate1,011,612
25Mar 12, 196248.20+9.20Moderate—
26Apr 15, 202548.15+9.15Moderate1,004,459
27May 14, 198448.10+9.10Moderate—
28Jan 16, 200547.90+8.90Moderate977,238
29Mar 21, 196447.70+8.70Moderate—
30Mar 16, 190347.60+8.60Moderate—
31Mar 29, 195547.50+8.50Moderate—
32Mar 27, 197347.50+8.50Moderate—
33Apr 6, 189847.30+8.30Moderate—
34Apr 3, 193347.30+8.30Moderate—
35May 25, 198347.30+8.30Moderate—
36Apr 18, 192747.20+8.20Moderate—
37Mar 26, 191747.10+8.10Moderate—
38May 18, 196146.90+7.90Moderate—
39Mar 8, 188746.80+7.80Moderate—
40Feb 13, 193246.80+7.80Moderate—
41Jan 18, 197446.70+7.70Moderate—
42Feb 19, 199046.30+7.30Moderate—
43Feb 4, 194946.10+7.10Moderate—
44Feb 24, 198946.10+7.10Moderate—
45Mar 30, 194346.00+7.00Moderate—
46Dec 31, 201546.00+7.00Moderate919,996
47Apr 22, 199445.70+6.70Moderate—
48Mar 28, 200845.55+6.55Moderate746,299
49Feb 28, 200344.95+5.95Moderate894,539
50May 28, 199544.90+5.90Moderate—

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: 60.60 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 5, 2011: 55.03 ft here, major flooding

February 23, 1884: 54.30 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
Paducah this gaugeKY39.060.60 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

McCracken County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Kentucky

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PAHK2, 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.