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Ohio River at Shawneetown

Highest listed crest 65.64 ftFlood stage 33.0 ft106 crests since 1937

The Ohio River at Shawneetown crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 106 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1937 to 2025. The highest, 65.64 ft on January 30, 1937, was major flooding, 32.64 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
65.64 ft
January 30, 1937
Flood stage
33.0 ft
Major flooding from 53.0 ft
Crests at major
7
14th of 72 gauges in Kentucky
Most recent flood crest
April 14, 2025
53.33 ft, major flooding
Location
Union County
Kentucky

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 Shawneetown
Action stage30.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)33.048Apr 21, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage43.050Feb 24, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage53.07Apr 14, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

106 crests from 1937 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Shawneetown, 1937 to 2025 203040506070ft Flood stage 33.0 ftMajor 53.0 ft Jan 30, 1937: 65.64 ft, major floodingApr 18, 1938: 38.40 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1939: 48.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 1, 1940: 47.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 14, 1941: 26.00 ft, below flood stageMar 23, 1942: 39.20 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1943: 49.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 22, 1944: 42.40 ft, minor floodingMar 14, 1945: 55.60 ft, major floodingJan 18, 1946: 39.20 ft, minor floodingJan 27, 1947: 35.20 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 1948: 50.40 ft, moderate floodingFeb 4, 1949: 49.20 ft, moderate floodingJan 19, 1950: 55.30 ft, major floodingJan 23, 1951: 42.70 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1951: 44.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 9, 1952: 47.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 11, 1953: 33.80 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 1955: 47.30 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 1956: 44.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 1957: 45.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1958: 44.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 1959: 45.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 27, 1959: 41.60 ft, minor floodingFeb 18, 1960: 34.20 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1960: 36.00 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 1961: 52.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 1962: 49.70 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1963: 50.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1964: 54.60 ft, major floodingApr 5, 1965: 38.30 ft, minor floodingMay 9, 1966: 41.10 ft, minor floodingJul 23, 1966: 40.40 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1967: 45.90 ft, moderate floodingJun 23, 1967: 42.20 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 1968: 46.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 9, 1969: 42.20 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1970: 42.10 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 1970: 43.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 2, 1971: 42.30 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1972: 41.90 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 1972: 47.70 ft, moderate floodingDec 20, 1972: 44.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 27, 1973: 42.90 ft, minor floodingJun 6, 1973: 40.90 ft, minor floodingJan 20, 1974: 44.50 ft, moderate floodingJun 8, 1974: 37.80 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 1975: 44.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 1975: 48.60 ft, moderate floodingMay 4, 1975: 42.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 1976: 43.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1977: 39.00 ft, minor floodingMar 24, 1978: 47.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 8, 1979: 51.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1979: 43.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 29, 1980: 40.30 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 1981: 38.20 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 1982: 43.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 11, 1983: 49.30 ft, moderate floodingMay 15, 1984: 42.45 ft, minor floodingDec 7, 1985: 43.80 ft, moderate floodingFeb 14, 1986: 40.70 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1987: 37.10 ft, minor floodingFeb 10, 1988: 39.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 24, 1989: 45.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 20, 1990: 45.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 1991: 52.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 14, 1993: 41.70 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 1994: 44.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 23, 1994: 45.70 ft, moderate floodingMay 26, 1995: 47.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 15, 1996: 48.70 ft, moderate floodingMar 12, 1997: 54.40 ft, major floodingApr 27, 1998: 41.90 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 1999: 43.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 27, 2000: 42.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 2001: 36.00 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2002: 45.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 2, 2003: 43.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 14, 2004: 44.70 ft, moderate floodingJan 16, 2005: 50.57 ft, moderate flooding; 1,030,000 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2006: 38.05 ft, minor floodingJan 23, 2007: 42.30 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 2008: 48.04 ft, moderate flooding; 735,285 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2009: 39.70 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 2010: 39.29 ft, minor flooding; 536,002 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2011: 56.36 ft, major flooding; 1,179,673 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2013: 39.14 ft, minor flooding; 532,948 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2014: 41.28 ft, minor flooding; 576,016 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2015: 48.36 ft, moderate flooding; 744,783 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 2016: 43.55 ft, moderate flooding; 619,672 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2016: 37.84 ft, minor flooding; 506,715 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2017: 39.07 ft, minor flooding; 531,524 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2018: 52.06 ft, moderate flooding; 920,069 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2019: 39.87 ft, minor flooding; 571,440 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2020: 44.51 ft, moderate flooding; 656,193 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2021: 45.25 ft, moderate flooding; 673,472 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2022: 39.62 ft, minor flooding; 566,811 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2022: 35.81 ft, minor flooding; 495,797 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2022: 44.49 ft, moderate flooding; 655,831 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2023: 34.32 ft, minor flooding; 467,629 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2023: 37.29 ft, minor flooding; 523,539 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 2024: 36.79 ft, minor flooding; 525,316 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2024: 40.11 ft, minor flooding; 570,255 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2025: 44.72 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 2025: 53.33 ft, major flooding; 1,031,707 cubic feet per second Highest, 65.64 ft, Jan 30, 1937 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Shawneetown 1930s: 3 1940s: 9 1950s: 11 1960s: 13 1970s: 18 18 1980s: 10 1990s: 10 2000s: 10 2010s: 10 2020s: 11 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 106 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at Shawneetown
1Jan 30, 193765.64+32.64Major—
2May 6, 201156.36+23.36Major1,179,673
3Mar 14, 194555.60+22.60Major—
4Jan 19, 195055.30+22.30Major—
5Mar 20, 196454.60+21.60Major—
6Mar 12, 199754.40+21.40Major—
7Apr 14, 202553.33+20.33Major1,031,707
8May 16, 196152.40+19.40Moderate—
9Jan 9, 199152.30+19.30Moderate—
10Mar 4, 201852.06+19.06Moderate920,069
11Mar 8, 197951.10+18.10Moderate—
12Mar 24, 196350.80+17.80Moderate—
13Jan 16, 200550.57+17.57Moderate1,030,000
14Apr 24, 194850.40+17.40Moderate—
15Mar 9, 196249.70+16.70Moderate—
16Mar 29, 194349.60+16.60Moderate—
17May 11, 198349.30+16.30Moderate—
18Feb 4, 194949.20+16.20Moderate—
19May 15, 199648.70+15.70Moderate—
20Apr 5, 197548.60+15.60Moderate—
21Mar 20, 201548.36+15.36Moderate744,783
22Mar 27, 200848.04+15.04Moderate735,285
23Apr 27, 193948.00+15.00Moderate—
24Apr 26, 197247.70+14.70Moderate—
25Mar 15, 195547.30+14.30Moderate—
26May 26, 199547.20+14.20Moderate—
27Feb 9, 195247.10+14.10Moderate—
28May 1, 194047.00+14.00Moderate—
29Mar 24, 197847.00+14.00Moderate—
30Jun 5, 196846.50+13.50Moderate—
31Mar 19, 196745.90+12.90Moderate—
32Apr 23, 199445.70+12.70Moderate—
33Apr 18, 195745.50+12.50Moderate—
34Feb 24, 198945.50+12.50Moderate—
35May 23, 200245.40+12.40Moderate—
36Mar 10, 202145.25+12.25Moderate673,472
37Feb 1, 195945.00+12.00Moderate—
38Feb 20, 199045.00+12.00Moderate—
39Feb 28, 195644.80+11.80Moderate—
40Dec 20, 197244.80+11.80Moderate—
41Feb 24, 202544.72+11.72Moderate—
42Feb 6, 199444.70+11.70Moderate—
43Jan 14, 200444.70+11.70Moderate—
44Feb 21, 202044.51+11.51Moderate656,193
45May 17, 195844.50+11.50Moderate—
46Jan 20, 197444.50+11.50Moderate—
47Mar 4, 202244.49+11.49Moderate655,831
48Mar 5, 197544.20+11.20Moderate—
49Mar 2, 195144.00+11.00Moderate—
50Dec 7, 198543.80+10.80Moderate—

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 30, 1937: 65.64 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
  • J.T. Myers Lock and DamKY · Feb 1, 1937 · 64.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • Point PleasantWV · Jan 27, 1937 · 62.70 ft · Major

May 6, 2011: 56.36 ft here, major flooding

March 14, 1945: 55.60 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
Shawneetown this gaugeKY33.065.64 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

Other gauges in Union County

Flood gauges in Union County
J.T. Myers Lock and Dam37.064.40 ft, Feb 1, 19371

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SHNI2, 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.