Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Ohio River at Meldahl Dam

Highest listed crest 76.00 ftFlood stage 51.0 ft23 crests since 1913

The Ohio River at Meldahl Dam crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 23 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1913 to 2025. The highest, 76.00 ft on January 26, 1937, was major flooding, 25.00 feet above flood stage. 23 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
76.00 ft
January 26, 1937
Flood stage
51.0 ft
Major flooding from 64.0 ft
Crests at major
3
28th of 129 gauges in Ohio
Most recent flood crest
April 8, 2025
56.28 ft, minor flooding
Location
Clermont County
Ohio

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 Meldahl Dam
Action stage49.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)51.016Apr 8, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage58.02Mar 5, 1997Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage64.03Mar 6, 1945Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

23 crests from 1913 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Meldahl Dam, 1913 to 2025 4050607080ft Flood stage 51.0 ftMajor 64.0 ft Mar 31, 1913: 67.00 ft, major floodingJan 26, 1937: 76.00 ft, major floodingMar 6, 1945: 65.50 ft, major floodingMar 13, 1964: 63.20 ft, moderate floodingDec 12, 1972: 51.77 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 1991: 53.80 ft, minor floodingJan 31, 1994: 52.00 ft, minor floodingJan 24, 1996: 53.73 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 1997: 62.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 2000: 51.80 ft, minor floodingFeb 26, 2003: 48.70 ft, below flood stageJan 9, 2004: 51.30 ft, minor floodingJan 11, 2005: 54.40 ft, minor floodingMar 13, 2011: 53.70 ft, minor flooding; 497,566 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2015: 54.41 ft, minor flooding; 509,981 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2018: 44.22 ft, below flood stageFeb 20, 2018: 53.43 ft, minor floodingFeb 25, 2018: 55.73 ft, minor flooding; 532,764 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2019: 51.22 ft, minor flooding; 453,785 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2020: 52.05 ft, minor flooding; 468,220 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2021: 54.64 ft, minor flooding; 513,919 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2025: 52.67 ft, minor flooding; 479,145 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2025: 56.28 ft, minor flooding; 542,391 cubic feet per second Highest, 76.00 ft, Jan 26, 1937 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Meldahl Dam 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 1 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 1 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 4 2000s: 3 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 4 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, Ohio River at Meldahl Dam
1Jan 26, 193776.00+25.00Major—
2Mar 31, 191367.00+16.00Major—
3Mar 6, 194565.50+14.50Major—
4Mar 13, 196463.20+12.20Moderate—
5Mar 5, 199762.50+11.50Moderate—
6Apr 8, 202556.28+5.28Minor542,391
7Feb 25, 201855.73+4.73Minor532,764
8Mar 4, 202154.64+3.64Minor513,919
9Mar 15, 201554.41+3.41Minor509,981
10Jan 11, 200554.40+3.40Minor—
11Jan 3, 199153.80+2.80Minor—
12Jan 24, 199653.73+2.73Minor—
13Mar 13, 201153.70+2.70Minor497,566
14Feb 20, 201853.43+2.43Minor—
15Feb 19, 202552.67+1.67Minor479,145
16Feb 15, 202052.05+1.05Minor468,220
17Jan 31, 199452.00+1.00Minor—
18Feb 21, 200051.80+0.80Minor—
19Dec 12, 197251.77+0.77Minor—
20Jan 9, 200451.30+0.30Minor—
21Feb 13, 201951.22+0.22Minor453,785
22Feb 26, 200348.70−2.30Below flood stage—
23Feb 15, 201844.22−6.78Below flood stage—

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 26, 1937: 76.00 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
  • 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
  • ShawneetownKY · Jan 30, 1937 · 65.64 ft · Major · its highest
  • J.T. Myers Lock and DamKY · Feb 1, 1937 · 64.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • Point PleasantWV · Jan 27, 1937 · 62.70 ft · Major

March 31, 1913: 67.00 ft here, major flooding

  • AshlandKY · Mar 31, 1913 · 70.60 ft · Major
  • MaysvilleKY · Mar 31, 1913 · 68.80 ft · Major
  • PomeroyOH · Apr 1, 1913 · 68.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • Lloyd Greenup LockKY · Mar 31, 1913 · 64.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • Point PleasantWV · Mar 30, 1913 · 62.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • Belleville LockWV · Mar 29, 1913 · 61.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • Marietta PumphouseOH · Mar 29, 1913 · 58.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • GolcondaIL · Apr 6, 1913 · 56.80 ft · Major
  • CairoIL · Apr 4, 1913 · 54.70 ft · Major
  • PaducahKY · Apr 7, 1913 · 54.30 ft · Major

March 6, 1945: 65.50 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 Dam this gaugeOH51.076.00 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 Clermont County

Flood gauges in Clermont County
Perintown19.023.84 ft, Mar 10, 19640
Milford17.030.50 ft, Mar 27, 19132

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MELO1, 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.