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Cayuga Lake at Ithaca

Highest listed crest 386.46 ftFlood stage 383.5 ft15 crests since 1916

The Cayuga Lake at Ithaca crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 15 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1916 to 2026. The highest, 386.46 ft on April 26, 1993, was major flooding, 2.96 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
386.46 ft
April 26, 1993
Flood stage
383.5 ft
Major flooding from 385.0 ft
Crests at major
4
45th of 160 gauges in New York
Most recent flood crest
April 20, 2026
383.82 ft, minor flooding
Location
Tompkins County
Near Ithaca (0.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cayuga Lake at Ithaca
Action stage383.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)383.54Apr 20, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage384.07Apr 10, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage385.04Apr 26, 1993Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

15 crests from 1916 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cayuga Lake at Ithaca, 1916 to 2026 383384385386387ft Flood stage 383.5 ftMajor 385.0 ft Apr 5, 1916: 385.12 ft, major floodingJul 9, 1935: 384.42 ft, moderate floodingMar 22, 1936: 385.12 ft, major floodingJun 25, 1972: 386.27 ft, major floodingApr 26, 1993: 386.46 ft, major floodingMay 22, 2014: 383.70 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 2015: 384.28 ft, moderate floodingMay 9, 2017: 383.74 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 2019: 383.50 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 2020: 384.34 ft, moderate floodingAug 23, 2021: 384.26 ft, moderate floodingNov 2, 2021: 384.75 ft, moderate floodingMay 11, 2025: 384.04 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 2026: 384.32 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 2026: 383.82 ft, minor flooding Highest, 386.46 ft, Apr 26, 1993 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cayuga Lake at Ithaca 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 2 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 4 2020s: 6 6 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, Cayuga Lake at Ithaca
1Apr 26, 1993386.46+2.96Major—
2Jun 25, 1972386.27+2.77Major—
3Apr 5, 1916385.12+1.62Major—
4Mar 22, 1936385.12+1.62Major—
5Nov 2, 2021384.75+1.25Moderate—
6Jul 9, 1935384.42+0.92Moderate—
7May 4, 2020384.34+0.84Moderate—
8Apr 10, 2026384.32+0.82Moderate—
9Jun 16, 2015384.28+0.78Moderate—
10Aug 23, 2021384.26+0.76Moderate—
11May 11, 2025384.04+0.54Moderate—
12Apr 20, 2026383.82+0.32Minor—
13May 9, 2017383.74+0.24Minor—
14May 22, 2014383.70+0.20Minor—
15Jun 22, 2019383.500.00Minor—

Other gauges in Tompkins County

Flood gauges in Tompkins County
Ithaca6.011.16 ft, Feb 21, 197113

Tompkins County: every hazard · River floods across the country · New York

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ICYN6, 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.