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Ohio River at Cincinnati

Highest listed crest 66.20 ftFlood stage 52.0 ft99 crests since 1947

The Ohio River at Cincinnati crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 99 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1947 to 2025. The highest, 66.20 ft on March 11, 1964, was major flooding, 14.20 feet above flood stage. 25 other gauges on the Ohio River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
66.20 ft
March 11, 1964
Flood stage
52.0 ft
Major flooding from 65.0 ft
Crests at major
1
46th of 129 gauges in Ohio
Most recent flood crest
April 7, 2025
60.91 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Hamilton County
Near Newport (1.4 mi), Fort Thomas (3.0 mi), Cincinnati (3.2 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 Cincinnati
Action stage40.044Apr 16, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)52.032Feb 19, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage56.020Apr 7, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage65.01Mar 11, 1964Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

99 crests from 1947 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Cincinnati, 1947 to 2025 3040506070ft Flood stage 52.0 ftMajor 65.0 ft Jan 24, 1947: 41.00 ft, action stageFeb 18, 1948: 54.00 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1948: 64.80 ft, moderate floodingJan 30, 1949: 52.60 ft, minor floodingJan 11, 1950: 52.90 ft, minor floodingFeb 5, 1950: 59.00 ft, moderate floodingDec 10, 1950: 56.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 19, 1951: 49.00 ft, action stageFeb 2, 1952: 56.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 26, 1952: 52.00 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1953: 36.30 ft, below flood stageOct 21, 1954: 38.50 ft, below flood stageMar 10, 1955: 61.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 18, 1956: 53.20 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1957: 52.30 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 1958: 58.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 26, 1959: 55.50 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 1960: 45.80 ft, action stageMar 7, 1961: 53.20 ft, minor floodingMay 9, 1961: 55.35 ft, minor floodingMar 3, 1962: 61.32 ft, moderate flooding; 595,000 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1963: 59.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 11, 1964: 66.20 ft, major floodingMar 29, 1965: 47.20 ft, action stageFeb 18, 1966: 53.00 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1967: 59.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 18, 1967: 55.10 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 1968: 56.80 ft, moderate floodingFeb 4, 1969: 40.70 ft, action stageApr 5, 1970: 50.30 ft, action stageFeb 23, 1971: 47.68 ft, action stageApr 13, 1972: 41.80 ft, action stageDec 13, 1972: 53.81 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1973: 49.25 ft, action stageJan 14, 1974: 53.49 ft, minor floodingMar 24, 1975: 50.04 ft, action stageFeb 21, 1976: 48.86 ft, action stageApr 8, 1977: 50.90 ft, action stageJan 29, 1978: 54.00 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 1978: 54.98 ft, minor floodingDec 12, 1978: 58.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 1, 1979: 58.60 ft, moderate floodingMar 22, 1980: 43.88 ft, action stageJun 10, 1981: 47.33 ft, action stageMar 20, 1982: 48.15 ft, action stageMay 6, 1983: 51.80 ft, action stageApr 25, 1984: 47.40 ft, action stageDec 2, 1985: 52.50 ft, minor floodingFeb 2, 1986: 49.70 ft, action stageApr 11, 1987: 49.30 ft, action stageFeb 6, 1988: 44.80 ft, action stageFeb 19, 1989: 52.20 ft, minor floodingDec 23, 1990: 53.00 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 1991: 56.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 22, 1992: 42.80 ft, action stageMar 8, 1993: 51.60 ft, action stageJan 31, 1994: 54.60 ft, minor floodingMar 13, 1994: 52.30 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 1995: 50.60 ft, action stageJan 24, 1996: 57.30 ft, moderate flooding; 549,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1996: 53.80 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 1997: 64.70 ft, moderate flooding; 625,000 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1998: 46.80 ft, action stageMar 9, 1999: 41.50 ft, action stageFeb 22, 2000: 54.50 ft, minor floodingMay 25, 2001: 44.50 ft, action stageFeb 16, 2002: 50.40 ft, action stageFeb 26, 2003: 50.69 ft, action stageJan 9, 2004: 53.37 ft, minor floodingJan 11, 2005: 56.66 ft, moderate floodingOct 22, 2006: 41.60 ft, action stageJan 18, 2007: 46.90 ft, action stageMar 5, 2007: 47.30 ft, action stageMar 20, 2008: 51.94 ft, action stageMay 9, 2009: 44.80 ft, action stageMar 17, 2010: 50.97 ft, action stageMar 13, 2011: 55.89 ft, minor flooding; 508,541 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2011: 55.33 ft, minor flooding; 497,819 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2012: 46.70 ft, action stageFeb 4, 2013: 48.40 ft, action stageFeb 24, 2014: 47.80 ft, action stageMar 8, 2015: 52.99 ft, minor flooding; 454,319 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2015: 57.72 ft, moderate flooding; 544,419 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 2016: 44.40 ft, action stageMar 4, 2017: 46.90 ft, action stageFeb 21, 2018: 55.38 ft, minor floodingFeb 26, 2018: 60.53 ft, moderate flooding; 602,028 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2018: 52.34 ft, minor flooding; 442,609 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2018: 50.00 ft, action stageFeb 13, 2019: 55.46 ft, minor flooding; 500,298 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2019: 53.39 ft, minor flooding; 461,607 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2020: 54.42 ft, minor flooding; 480,654 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2021: 56.86 ft, moderate flooding; 527,398 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2022: 51.04 ft, action stageFeb 19, 2023: 45.32 ft, action stageApr 7, 2024: 51.69 ft, action stageApr 16, 2024: 51.26 ft, action stageFeb 19, 2025: 55.46 ft, minor flooding; 500,298 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2025: 60.91 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 66.20 ft, Mar 11, 1964 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Cincinnati 1940s: 3 1950s: 10 10 1960s: 9 1970s: 6 1980s: 2 1990s: 7 2000s: 3 2010s: 9 2020s: 4 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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.
  3. 102 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 43.70 ft on Jun 16, 1858; 55.40 ft on Feb 22, 1859; 49.10 ft on Apr 17, 1860; 49.40 ft on Apr 20, 1861; 57.30 ft on Jan 24, 1862; 52.20 ft on Apr 26, 1862; and more.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 99 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at Cincinnati
1Mar 11, 196466.20+14.20Major—
2Apr 18, 194864.80+12.80Moderate—
3Mar 5, 199764.70+12.70Moderate625,000
4Mar 3, 196261.32+9.32Moderate595,000
5Mar 10, 195561.00+9.00Moderate—
6Apr 7, 202560.91+8.91Moderate—
7Feb 26, 201860.53+8.53Moderate602,028
8Mar 11, 196759.80+7.80Moderate—
9Mar 10, 196359.40+7.40Moderate—
10Feb 5, 195059.00+7.00Moderate—
11Mar 1, 197958.60+6.60Moderate—
12Dec 12, 197858.40+6.40Moderate—
13May 10, 195858.00+6.00Moderate—
14Mar 15, 201557.72+5.72Moderate544,419
15Jan 24, 199657.30+5.30Moderate549,000
16Feb 2, 195256.90+4.90Moderate—
17Jan 3, 199156.90+4.90Moderate—
18Mar 4, 202156.86+4.86Moderate527,398
19May 30, 196856.80+4.80Moderate—
20Jan 11, 200556.66+4.66Moderate—
21Dec 10, 195056.00+4.00Moderate—
22Mar 13, 201155.89+3.89Minor508,541
23Jan 26, 195955.50+3.50Minor—
24Feb 13, 201955.46+3.46Minor500,298
25Feb 19, 202555.46+3.46Minor500,298
26Feb 21, 201855.38+3.38Minor—
27May 9, 196155.35+3.35Minor—
28Apr 26, 201155.33+3.33Minor497,819
29Mar 18, 196755.10+3.10Minor—
30Mar 17, 197854.98+2.98Minor—
31Jan 31, 199454.60+2.60Minor—
32Feb 22, 200054.50+2.50Minor—
33Feb 15, 202054.42+2.42Minor480,654
34Feb 18, 194854.00+2.00Minor—
35Jan 29, 197854.00+2.00Minor—
36Dec 13, 197253.81+1.81Minor—
37May 16, 199653.80+1.80Minor—
38Jan 14, 197453.49+1.49Minor—
39Feb 26, 201953.39+1.39Minor461,607
40Jan 9, 200453.37+1.37Minor—
41Mar 18, 195653.20+1.20Minor—
42Mar 7, 196153.20+1.20Minor—
43Feb 18, 196653.00+1.00Minor—
44Dec 23, 199053.00+1.00Minor—
45Mar 8, 201552.99+0.99Minor454,319
46Jan 11, 195052.90+0.90Minor—
47Jan 30, 194952.60+0.60Minor—
48Dec 2, 198552.50+0.50Minor—
49Apr 7, 201852.34+0.34Minor442,609
50Apr 11, 195752.30+0.30Minor—

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.

March 11, 1964: 66.20 ft here, major flooding

April 18, 1948: 64.80 ft here, moderate flooding

March 5, 1997: 64.70 ft here, moderate 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
Cincinnati this gaugeOH52.066.20 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
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

Other gauges in Hamilton County

Flood gauges in Hamilton County
Miamitown16.033.40 ft, Jan 29, 19591
Evendale12.016.25 ft, May 19, 20200

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CCNO1, 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.