Lake Erie near Buffalo

Highest listed crest 12.08 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft9 crests since 1975

The Lake Erie near Buffalo crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 9 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1975 to 2022. The highest, 12.08 ft on December 2, 1985, was major flooding, 4.08 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest: 12.08 ft; December 2, 1985
Flood stage: 8.0 ft; Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major: 3; 50th of 160 gauges in New York
Most recent flood crest: December 23, 2022; 10.67 ft, moderate flooding
Location: Erie County; Near Buffalo (1.9 mi), Lackawanna (5.0 mi), Kenmore (6.2 mi)
Identifiers: NWS BUFN6; 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, Lake Erie near Buffalo

Action stage	6.0	0	—	The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)	8.0	0	—	Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage	9.0	6	Dec 23, 2022	Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage	11.0	3	Nov 15, 2020	Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

9 crests from 1975 to 2022. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

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.
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, Lake Erie near Buffalo

1	Dec 2, 1985	12.08	+4.08	Major	—
2	Nov 15, 2020	11.12	+3.12	Major	—
3	Jan 30, 2008	11.06	+3.06	Major	—
4	Dec 23, 2022	10.67	+2.67	Moderate	—
5	Apr 6, 1979	10.65	+2.65	Moderate	—
6	Nov 1, 2019	10.65	+2.65	Moderate	—
7	Dec 11, 2021	10.57	+2.57	Moderate	—
8	Dec 12, 2020	10.36	+2.36	Moderate	—
9	Nov 10, 1975	10.31	+2.31	Moderate	—

Other gauges in Erie County

Flood gauges in Erie County

Gardenville	7.0	14.34 ft, Mar 21, 1978	6
Lancaster	8.0	13.35 ft, Jan 23, 1999	3
Ebenezer	10.0	15.82 ft, Mar 1, 1955	8
Williamsville	8.0	11.59 ft, Mar 31, 1960	0
Lake Erie at Sturgeon Point (NOS)	8.0	9.48 ft, Dec 11, 2021	0
Rapids	12.0	16.96 ft, Apr 1, 1960	2

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BUFN6, 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.