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Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock and Dam

Highest listed crest 50.20 ftFlood stage 36.0 ft64 crests since 1936

The Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock and Dam crested at major flood stage 15 times among the 64 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2024. The highest, 50.20 ft on December 31, 1942, was major flooding, 14.20 feet above flood stage. 11 other gauges on the Ohio River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
50.20 ft
December 31, 1942
Flood stage
36.0 ft
Major flooding from 39.0 ft
Crests at major
15
2nd of 129 gauges in Ohio
Most recent flood crest
April 13, 2024
36.21 ft, minor flooding
Location
Jefferson County
Near Weirton (9.0 mi), Steubenville (11.3 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 New Cumberland Lock and Dam
Action stage26.632Jan 26, 2010The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)36.08Apr 13, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage38.03Jan 1, 1991Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage39.015Apr 4, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

64 crests from 1936 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock and Dam, 1936 to 2024 2030405060ft Flood stage 36.0 ftMajor 39.0 ft Mar 26, 1936: 39.00 ft, major floodingJan 26, 1937: 46.50 ft, major floodingApr 27, 1937: 45.50 ft, major floodingDec 19, 1937: 36.90 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1940: 37.70 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 1940: 41.20 ft, major floodingDec 31, 1942: 50.20 ft, major floodingFeb 28, 1945: 36.80 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1945: 45.60 ft, major floodingOct 17, 1954: 44.90 ft, major floodingJan 23, 1959: 43.10 ft, major floodingApr 1, 1960: 38.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 21, 1963: 33.40 ft, action stageMar 6, 1964: 37.20 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1964: 45.70 ft, major floodingFeb 14, 1966: 38.60 ft, moderate floodingMar 7, 1967: 33.10 ft, action stageJan 31, 1968: 31.00 ft, action stageApr 3, 1970: 33.60 ft, action stageJun 24, 1972: 45.40 ft, major floodingFeb 25, 1975: 33.50 ft, action stageFeb 18, 1976: 32.80 ft, action stageFeb 26, 1977: 26.90 ft, action stageApr 3, 1977: 29.90 ft, action stageDec 16, 1977: 29.30 ft, action stageJan 27, 1978: 30.10 ft, action stageMar 15, 1978: 29.60 ft, action stageMay 18, 1978: 29.40 ft, action stageDec 10, 1978: 30.40 ft, action stageJan 2, 1979: 30.80 ft, action stageFeb 26, 1979: 35.50 ft, action stageMar 6, 1979: 33.60 ft, action stageApr 10, 1980: 26.60 ft, action stageAug 19, 1980: 25.00 ft, below flood stageFeb 21, 1981: 33.70 ft, action stageMar 18, 1982: 27.50 ft, action stageMay 4, 1983: 25.10 ft, below flood stageFeb 16, 1984: 30.90 ft, action stageMar 13, 1985: 28.40 ft, action stageNov 6, 1985: 34.10 ft, action stageNov 17, 1985: 31.40 ft, action stageNov 29, 1985: 32.00 ft, action stageJan 21, 1986: 25.80 ft, below flood stageFeb 6, 1986: 33.30 ft, action stageFeb 20, 1986: 25.90 ft, below flood stageMar 16, 1986: 26.50 ft, below flood stageApr 8, 1987: 25.40 ft, below flood stageDec 19, 1990: 34.20 ft, action stageJan 1, 1991: 38.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 20, 1996: 45.60 ft, major flooding; 389,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1996: 30.70 ft, action stageMay 18, 1996: 27.40 ft, action stageAug 20, 1996: 36.80 ft, minor floodingSep 10, 2004: 32.12 ft, action stage; 215,080 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2004: 44.50 ft, major flooding; 366,400 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2005: 41.00 ft, major flooding; 324,000 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2007: 31.94 ft, action stage; 213,289 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2007: 27.90 ft, action stage; 167,729 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2010: 32.80 ft, action stage; 221,310 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2011: 39.23 ft, major flooding; 299,024 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2018: 37.63 ft, minor flooding; 276,803 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 2018: 37.49 ft, minor flooding; 274,895 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2024: 40.02 ft, major flooding; 310,268 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2024: 36.21 ft, minor flooding; 257,744 cubic feet per second Highest, 50.20 ft, Dec 31, 1942 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock and Dam 1930s: 4 1940s: 5 5 1950s: 2 1960s: 4 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 2020s: 2 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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. 1 crest measured on an earlier gauge datum is left out: 54.30 ft on Mar 19, 1936.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 64 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock and Dam
1Dec 31, 194250.20+14.20Major—
2Jan 26, 193746.50+10.50Major—
3Mar 11, 196445.70+9.70Major—
4Mar 7, 194545.60+9.60Major—
5Jan 20, 199645.60+9.60Major389,000
6Apr 27, 193745.50+9.50Major—
7Jun 24, 197245.40+9.40Major—
8Oct 17, 195444.90+8.90Major—
9Sep 19, 200444.50+8.50Major366,400
10Jan 23, 195943.10+7.10Major—
11Apr 21, 194041.20+5.20Major—
12Jan 7, 200541.00+5.00Major324,000
13Apr 4, 202440.02+4.02Major310,268
14Mar 9, 201139.23+3.23Major299,024
15Mar 26, 193639.00+3.00Major—
16Apr 1, 196038.90+2.90Moderate—
17Feb 14, 196638.60+2.60Moderate—
18Jan 1, 199138.00+2.00Moderate—
19Apr 1, 194037.70+1.70Minor—
20Feb 17, 201837.63+1.63Minor276,803
21Sep 11, 201837.49+1.49Minor274,895
22Mar 6, 196437.20+1.20Minor—
23Dec 19, 193736.90+0.90Minor—
24Feb 28, 194536.80+0.80Minor—
25Aug 20, 199636.80+0.80Minor—
26Apr 13, 202436.21+0.21Minor257,744
27Feb 26, 197935.50−0.50Action—
28Dec 19, 199034.20−1.80Action—
29Nov 6, 198534.10−1.90Action—
30Feb 21, 198133.70−2.30Action—
31Apr 3, 197033.60−2.40Action—
32Mar 6, 197933.60−2.40Action—
33Feb 25, 197533.50−2.50Action—
34Mar 21, 196333.40−2.60Action—
35Feb 6, 198633.30−2.70Action—
36Mar 7, 196733.10−2.90Action—
37Feb 18, 197632.80−3.20Action—
38Jan 26, 201032.80−3.20Action221,310
39Sep 10, 200432.12−3.88Action215,080
40Nov 29, 198532.00−4.00Action—
41Mar 16, 200731.94−4.06Action213,289
42Nov 17, 198531.40−4.60Action—
43Jan 31, 196831.00−5.00Action—
44Feb 16, 198430.90−5.10Action—
45Jan 2, 197930.80−5.20Action—
46May 13, 199630.70−5.30Action—
47Dec 10, 197830.40−5.60Action—
48Jan 27, 197830.10−5.90Action—
49Apr 3, 197729.90−6.10Action—
50Mar 15, 197829.60−6.40Action—

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.

December 31, 1942: 50.20 ft here, major flooding

January 26, 1937: 46.50 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
  • Meldahl DamOH · Jan 26, 1937 · 76.00 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

March 11, 1964: 45.70 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 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 Dam this gaugeOH36.050.20 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 Jefferson County

Flood gauges in Jefferson County
Steubenville36.044.00 ft, Jan 20, 19961
Dillonvale9.012.27 ft, Jun 15, 19900

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NCUW2, 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.