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South Umpqua River near Riddle

Highest listed crest 34.00 ftFlood stage 19.0 ft19 crests since 1950

The South Umpqua River near Riddle crested at major flood stage 11 times among the 19 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1950 to 2012. The highest, 34.00 ft on December 23, 1950, was major flooding, 15.00 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the South Umpqua River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
34.00 ft
December 23, 1950
Flood stage
19.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
11
2nd of 100 gauges in Oregon
Most recent flood crest
December 30, 2005
20.32 ft, minor flooding
Location
Douglas County
Oregon

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Umpqua River near Riddle
Action stage18.01Jan 9, 1995The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)19.01Dec 30, 2005Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.03Jan 1, 1997Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.011Dec 9, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

19 crests from 1950 to 2012. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Umpqua River near Riddle, 1950 to 2012 101520253035ft Flood stage 19.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft Oct 29, 1950: 31.00 ft, major floodingDec 23, 1950: 34.00 ft, major floodingDec 22, 1955: 29.20 ft, major floodingDec 26, 1955: 27.60 ft, major floodingJan 20, 1957: 22.00 ft, moderate floodingNov 23, 1962: 24.00 ft, major floodingDec 23, 1964: 34.00 ft, major floodingJan 4, 1966: 24.50 ft, major floodingJan 17, 1971: 27.80 ft, major floodingJan 16, 1974: 30.50 ft, major floodingFeb 18, 1983: 27.50 ft, major floodingJan 9, 1995: 18.40 ft, action stageDec 12, 1995: 16.72 ft, below flood stageNov 19, 1996: 22.09 ft, moderate floodingDec 9, 1996: 26.30 ft, major floodingJan 1, 1997: 22.20 ft, moderate floodingDec 30, 2005: 20.32 ft, minor floodingJan 20, 2012: 15.06 ft, below flood stage; 29,117 cubic feet per secondNov 21, 2012: 14.46 ft, below flood stage; 27,033 cubic feet per second Highest, 34.00 ft, Dec 23, 1950 1950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Umpqua River near Riddle 1950s: 5 5 1960s: 3 1970s: 2 1980s: 1 1990s: 3 2000s: 1 2010s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, South Umpqua River near Riddle
1Dec 23, 195034.00+15.00Major—
2Dec 23, 196434.00+15.00Major—
3Oct 29, 195031.00+12.00Major—
4Jan 16, 197430.50+11.50Major—
5Dec 22, 195529.20+10.20Major—
6Jan 17, 197127.80+8.80Major—
7Dec 26, 195527.60+8.60Major—
8Feb 18, 198327.50+8.50Major—
9Dec 9, 199626.30+7.30Major—
10Jan 4, 196624.50+5.50Major—
11Nov 23, 196224.00+5.00Major—
12Jan 1, 199722.20+3.20Moderate—
13Nov 19, 199622.09+3.09Moderate—
14Jan 20, 195722.00+3.00Moderate—
15Dec 30, 200520.32+1.32Minor—
16Jan 9, 199518.40−0.60Action—
17Dec 12, 199516.72−2.28Below flood stage—
18Jan 20, 201215.06−3.94Below flood stage29,117
19Nov 21, 201214.46−4.54Below flood stage27,033

The worst floods along the South Umpqua River

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

December 23, 1950: 34.00 ft here, major flooding

  • RoseburgOR · Dec 23, 1950 · 34.00 ft · Major · its highest

December 23, 1964: 34.00 ft here, major flooding

  • WinstonOR · Dec 23, 1964 · 34.28 ft · Major · its highest
  • RoseburgOR · Dec 23, 1964 · 34.00 ft · Major
  • TillerOR · Dec 22, 1964 · 25.72 ft · Major · its highest

October 29, 1950: 31.00 ft here, major flooding

  • WinstonOR · Oct 29, 1950 · 32.40 ft · Major
  • RoseburgOR · Oct 29, 1950 · 31.00 ft · Moderate
  • TillerOR · Oct 29, 1950 · 22.35 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the South Umpqua River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the South Umpqua River
RoseburgOR22.034.00 ft, Dec 23, 19502
Riddle this gaugeOR19.034.00 ft, Dec 23, 195011
TillerOR18.025.72 ft, Dec 22, 19641
WinstonOR26.034.28 ft, Dec 23, 19643

Other gauges in Douglas County

Flood gauges in Douglas County
Riddle22.028.50 ft, Oct 29, 19504
Roseburg10.015.91 ft, Mar 16, 20252
Drain16.023.70 ft, Feb 10, 19613
Winchester26.034.20 ft, Dec 22, 19641
Roseburg22.034.00 ft, Dec 23, 19502
Tiller18.025.72 ft, Dec 22, 19641
Winston26.034.28 ft, Dec 23, 19643
Reedsport18.018.96 ft, Dec 31, 20050
Elkton33.051.95 ft, Dec 23, 19641

Douglas County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Oregon

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SURO3, 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.