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Blanchard River at Ottawa

Highest listed crest 33.30 ftFlood stage 23.0 ft53 crests since 1913

The Blanchard River at Ottawa crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 53 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1913 to 2021. The highest, 33.30 ft on March 25, 1913, was major flooding, 10.30 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
33.30 ft
March 25, 1913
Flood stage
23.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
2
34th of 129 gauges in Ohio
Most recent flood crest
May 11, 2021
23.80 ft, minor flooding
Location
Putnam County
Ohio

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Blanchard River at Ottawa
Action stage20.03Feb 22, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)23.036May 11, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage27.011Jul 15, 2017Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.02Aug 23, 2007Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

53 crests from 1913 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Blanchard River at Ottawa, 1913 to 2021 1520253035ft Flood stage 23.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Mar 25, 1913: 33.30 ft, major floodingFeb 11, 1959: 29.72 ft, moderate floodingApr 26, 1961: 25.60 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 1979: 24.92 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 1981: 29.75 ft, moderate floodingMar 13, 1982: 26.65 ft, minor floodingDec 31, 1990: 26.51 ft, minor floodingJul 16, 1992: 26.00 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 1995: 24.00 ft, minor floodingJan 19, 1996: 25.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 28, 1997: 26.50 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 1997: 28.40 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 1998: 24.98 ft, minor floodingJan 23, 1999: 24.30 ft, minor floodingFeb 2, 2002: 25.00 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 2003: 26.06 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2004: 23.99 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2004: 24.56 ft, minor floodingJan 6, 2005: 24.55 ft, minor floodingJan 13, 2005: 27.25 ft, moderate floodingApr 25, 2005: 24.15 ft, minor floodingDec 3, 2006: 26.50 ft, minor floodingJan 7, 2007: 27.09 ft, moderate floodingJan 16, 2007: 25.80 ft, minor floodingMar 3, 2007: 24.45 ft, minor floodingAug 23, 2007: 31.40 ft, major floodingDec 14, 2007: 23.31 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 2008: 23.51 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 2008: 29.29 ft, moderate floodingMar 21, 2008: 23.71 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 2009: 28.72 ft, moderate flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2010: 19.49 ft, below flood stage; 3,360 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2011: 28.46 ft, moderate flooding; 15,600 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2011: 23.08 ft, minor flooding; 6,590 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2011: 23.88 ft, minor flooding; 7,540 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2011: 23.65 ft, minor flooding; 7,260 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 2011: 24.65 ft, minor flooding; 8,520 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2011: 26.33 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 2011: 24.22 ft, minor flooding; 7,980 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2012: 21.14 ft, action stage; 3,990 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2013: 24.41 ft, minor flooding; 8,230 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2013: 27.31 ft, moderate flooding; 12,800 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2013: 28.85 ft, moderate flooding; 16,630 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2014: 25.51 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 2015: 25.88 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2015: 25.82 ft, minor flooding; 9,960 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 2015: 23.27 ft, minor flooding; 6,833 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2016: 21.52 ft, action stage; 4,130 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 2017: 27.55 ft, moderate flooding; 11,719 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2018: 22.23 ft, action stage; 5,270 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2019: 25.32 ft, minor flooding; 8,150 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2020: 25.17 ft, minor flooding; 7,980 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2021: 23.80 ft, minor flooding; 6,563 cubic feet per second Highest, 33.30 ft, Mar 25, 1913 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Blanchard River at Ottawa 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 1 1960s: 1 1970s: 1 1980s: 2 1990s: 8 2000s: 17 17 2010s: 16 2020s: 2 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

The 50 highest of 53 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Blanchard River at Ottawa
1Mar 25, 191333.30+10.30Major—
2Aug 23, 200731.40+8.40Major—
3Jun 15, 198129.75+6.75Moderate—
4Feb 11, 195929.72+6.72Moderate—
5Feb 7, 200829.29+6.29Moderate—
6Dec 23, 201328.85+5.85Moderate16,630
7Mar 9, 200928.72+5.72Moderate16,200
8Mar 2, 201128.46+5.46Moderate15,600
9Jun 2, 199728.40+5.40Moderate—
10Jul 15, 201727.55+4.55Moderate11,719
11Apr 13, 201327.31+4.31Moderate12,800
12Jan 13, 200527.25+4.25Moderate—
13Jan 7, 200727.09+4.09Moderate—
14Mar 13, 198226.65+3.65Minor—
15Dec 31, 199026.51+3.51Minor—
16Feb 28, 199726.50+3.50Minor—
17Dec 3, 200626.50+3.50Minor—
18Dec 1, 201126.33+3.33Minor10,800
19May 12, 200326.06+3.06Minor—
20Jul 16, 199226.00+3.00Minor—
21Jun 17, 201525.88+2.88Minor10,000
22Jun 29, 201525.82+2.82Minor9,960
23Jan 16, 200725.80+2.80Minor—
24Apr 26, 196125.60+2.60Minor—
25Feb 24, 201425.51+2.51Minor—
26Jan 19, 199625.50+2.50Minor—
27Apr 27, 201925.32+2.32Minor8,150
28May 20, 202025.17+2.17Minor7,980
29Feb 2, 200225.00+2.00Minor—
30Jan 9, 199824.98+1.98Minor—
31Apr 15, 197924.92+1.92Minor—
32Oct 22, 201124.65+1.65Minor8,520
33Jun 15, 200424.56+1.56Minor—
34Jan 6, 200524.55+1.55Minor—
35Mar 3, 200724.45+1.45Minor—
36Jan 14, 201324.41+1.41Minor8,230
37Jan 23, 199924.30+1.30Minor—
38Dec 7, 201124.22+1.22Minor7,980
39Apr 25, 200524.15+1.15Minor—
40Mar 9, 199524.00+1.00Minor—
41May 23, 200423.99+0.99Minor—
42Apr 28, 201123.88+0.88Minor7,540
43May 11, 202123.80+0.80Minor6,563
44Mar 21, 200823.71+0.71Minor—
45Sep 29, 201123.65+0.65Minor7,260
46Jan 10, 200823.51+0.51Minor—
47Dec 14, 200723.31+0.31Minor—
48Dec 30, 201523.27+0.27Minor6,833
49Mar 7, 201123.08+0.08Minor6,590
50Feb 22, 201822.23−0.77Action5,270

The worst floods along the Blanchard River

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

August 23, 2007: 31.40 ft here, major flooding

  • FindlayOH · Aug 22, 2007 · 18.46 ft · Major · its highest

June 15, 1981: 29.75 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FindlayOH · Jun 14, 1981 · 17.43 ft · Major

February 11, 1959: 29.72 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FindlayOH · Feb 11, 1959 · 16.76 ft · Major

Gauges on the Blanchard River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Blanchard River
Mt BlanchardOH14.015.34 ft, Mar 1, 20111
FindlayOH12.018.46 ft, Aug 22, 200715
Ottawa this gaugeOH23.033.30 ft, Mar 25, 19132

Other gauges in Putnam County

Flood gauges in Putnam County
Ft. Jennings13.020.30 ft, Jan 23, 19591
Kalida19.022.37 ft, Jun 17, 20151

Putnam County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Ohio

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge OTTO1, 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.