South Umpqua River near Winston

Highest listed crest 34.28 ftFlood stage 26.0 ft29 crests since 1927

The South Umpqua River near Winston crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 29 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1927 to 2025. The highest, 34.28 ft on December 23, 1964, was major flooding, 8.28 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges 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
34.28 ft
December 23, 1964; 125,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
26.0 ft
Major flooding from 32.0 ft
Crests at major
3
30th of 100 gauges in Oregon
Most recent flood crest
March 17, 2025
29.47 ft, minor flooding
Location
Douglas County
Near Roseburg (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, South Umpqua River near Winston
Action stage22.09Jan 1, 1997The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)26.010Mar 17, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage30.06Feb 18, 1983Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage32.03Jan 16, 1974Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

29 crests from 1927 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Umpqua River near Winston, 1927 to 2025 1520253035ft Flood stage 26.0 ftMajor 32.0 ft Feb 21, 1927: 31.20 ft, moderate floodingJan 7, 1948: 29.00 ft, minor floodingOct 29, 1950: 32.40 ft, major flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1953: 30.36 ft, moderate flooding; 89,200 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1953: 29.03 ft, minor flooding; 81,800 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1955: 31.55 ft, moderate flooding; 91,300 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1955: 30.34 ft, moderate flooding; 85,300 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1956: 26.26 ft, minor flooding; 68,200 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1957: 24.89 ft, action stage; 61,400 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1958: 26.01 ft, minor flooding; 66,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1958: 23.93 ft, action stage; 57,600 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1959: 24.08 ft, action stage; 58,300 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1961: 25.50 ft, action stage; 63,300 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1964: 26.84 ft, minor flooding; 69,000 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1964: 34.28 ft, major flooding; 125,000 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1966: 27.98 ft, minor flooding; 74,100 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1970: 22.91 ft, action stage; 52,700 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1971: 30.62 ft, moderate flooding; 86,600 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1974: 32.64 ft, major flooding; 105,000 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 1981: 28.74 ft, minor flooding; 77,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1983: 30.32 ft, moderate flooding; 85,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1984: 25.74 ft, action stage; 64,800 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1995: 25.08 ft, action stage; 62,300 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1996: 24.59 ft, action stage; 60,360 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1996: 28.40 ft, minor flooding; 76,205 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1997: 25.48 ft, action stage; 64,500 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2005: 26.62 ft, minor floodingNov 21, 2012: 16.63 ft, below flood stage; 34,356 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2025: 29.47 ft, minor flooding; 86,466 cubic feet per second Highest, 34.28 ft, Dec 23, 1964 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Umpqua River near Winston 1920s: 1 1930s: 0 1940s: 1 1950s: 7 7 1960s: 3 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 0 2020s: 1 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Winston
1Dec 23, 196434.28+8.28Major125,000
2Jan 16, 197432.64+6.64Major105,000
3Oct 29, 195032.40+6.40Major102,000
4Dec 22, 195531.55+5.55Moderate91,300
5Feb 21, 192731.20+5.20Moderate—
6Jan 17, 197130.62+4.62Moderate86,600
7Jan 18, 195330.36+4.36Moderate89,200
8Dec 26, 195530.34+4.34Moderate85,300
9Feb 18, 198330.32+4.32Moderate85,200
10Mar 17, 202529.47+3.47Minor86,466
11Nov 23, 195329.03+3.03Minor81,800
12Jan 7, 194829.00+3.00Minor—
13Dec 6, 198128.74+2.74Minor77,600
14Dec 8, 199628.40+2.40Minor76,205
15Jan 4, 196627.98+1.98Minor74,100
16Jan 20, 196426.84+0.84Minor69,000
17Dec 31, 200526.62+0.62Minor—
18Dec 11, 195626.26+0.26Minor68,200
19Jan 29, 195826.01+0.01Minor66,100
20Feb 13, 198425.74−0.26Action64,800
21Nov 23, 196125.50−0.50Action63,300
22Jan 1, 199725.48−0.52Action64,500
23Jan 9, 199525.08−0.92Action62,300
24Dec 21, 195724.89−1.11Action61,400
25Nov 19, 199624.59−1.41Action60,360
26Jan 12, 195924.08−1.92Action58,300
27Feb 16, 195823.93−2.07Action57,600
28Jan 27, 197022.91−3.09Action52,700
29Nov 21, 201216.63−9.37Below flood stage34,356

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, 1964: 34.28 ft here, major flooding

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

January 16, 1974: 32.64 ft here, major flooding

  • RiddleOR · Jan 16, 1974 · 30.50 ft · Major
  • RoseburgOR · Jan 16, 1974 · 30.50 ft · Moderate
  • TillerOR · Jan 15, 1974 · 18.36 ft · Minor

October 29, 1950: 32.40 ft here, major flooding

  • RiddleOR · Oct 29, 1950 · 31.00 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
RiddleOR19.034.00 ft, Dec 23, 195011
TillerOR18.025.72 ft, Dec 22, 19641
Winston this gaugeOR26.034.28 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
Riddle19.034.00 ft, Dec 23, 195011
Tiller18.025.72 ft, Dec 22, 19641
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 WSNO3, 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.