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Ottawa River at University of Toledo

Highest listed crest 14.54 ftFlood stage 14.5 ft10 crests since 1978

The Ottawa River at University of Toledo crested above flood stage 1 time among the 10 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1978 to 2011. The highest, 14.54 ft on March 14, 1982, was minor flooding, 0.04 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.54 ft
March 14, 1982; 3,950 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.5 ft
Major flooding from 17.0 ft
Crests at major
0
1 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
March 14, 1982
14.54 ft, minor flooding
Location
Lucas County
Near Toledo (1.6 mi), Sylvania (6.1 mi), Maumee (6.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Ottawa River at University of Toledo
Action stage14.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.51Mar 14, 1982Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.50—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage17.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

10 crests from 1978 to 2011. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ottawa River at University of Toledo, 1978 to 2011 121314151617ft Flood stage 14.5 ftMajor 17.0 ft Mar 22, 1978: 13.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,330 cubic feet per secondSep 4, 1981: 13.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,330 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1982: 14.54 ft, minor flooding; 3,950 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1985: 12.81 ft, below flood stage; 2,740 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1990: 12.97 ft, below flood stage; 2,830 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2005: 12.58 ft, below flood stage; 2,370 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2006: 13.17 ft, below flood stage; 2,710 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2008: 12.83 ft, below flood stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2009: 13.94 ft, below flood stage; 3,240 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2011: 13.25 ft, below flood stage; 2,760 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.54 ft, Mar 14, 1982 1980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ottawa River at University of Toledo 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 0 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Ottawa River at University of Toledo
1Mar 14, 198214.54+0.04Minor3,950
2Mar 11, 200913.94−0.56Below flood stage3,240
3Mar 22, 197813.70−0.80Below flood stage3,330
4Sep 4, 198113.70−0.80Below flood stage3,330
5Nov 30, 201113.25−1.25Below flood stage2,760
6Jun 22, 200613.17−1.33Below flood stage2,710
7Feb 24, 199012.97−1.53Below flood stage2,830
8Feb 6, 200812.83−1.67Below flood stage2,500
9Feb 25, 198512.81−1.69Below flood stage2,740
10Jan 14, 200512.58−1.92Below flood stage2,370

Gauges on the Ottawa River

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

Flood gauges on the Ottawa River
University of Toledo this gaugeOH14.514.54 ft, Mar 14, 19820
KalidaOH19.022.37 ft, Jun 17, 20151

Other gauges in Lucas County

Flood gauges in Lucas County
Lake Erie near Toledo6.06.76 ft, Jul 7, 20190

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge UTOO1, 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.