Ohio River at Belleville Lock
Highest listed crest 61.80 ftFlood stage 35.0 ft41 crests since 1884
The Ohio River at Belleville Lock crested at major flood stage 15 times among the 41 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1884 to 2025. The highest, 61.80 ft on March 29, 1913, was major flooding, 26.80 feet above flood stage. 19 other gauges on the Ohio River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 4 at their own highest listed crest.
The gauge
- Highest listed crest
- 61.80 ft
- March 29, 1913
- Flood stage
- 35.0 ft
- Major flooding from 45.0 ft
- Crests at major
- 15
- 4th of 116 gauges in West Virginia
- Most recent flood crest
- April 7, 2025
- 37.79 ft, minor flooding
Flood stages
The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.
| Action stage | 33.0 | 2 | Dec 23, 2018 |
| Flood stage (minor) | 35.0 | 8 | Apr 7, 2025 |
| Moderate flood stage | 38.0 | 16 | Apr 14, 2024 |
| Major flood stage | 45.0 | 15 | Sep 19, 2004 |
Every listed crest
41 crests from 1884 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.
Crests at or above flood stage, by decade
- 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.
- 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
| 1 | Mar 29, 1913 | 61.80 | +26.80 | Major |
| 2 | Jan 27, 1937 | 58.63 | +23.63 | Major |
| 3 | Feb 9, 1884 | 56.50 | +21.50 | Major |
| 4 | Mar 1, 1907 | 54.50 | +19.50 | Major |
| 5 | Jan 2, 1943 | 51.60 | +16.60 | Major |
| 6 | Mar 9, 1945 | 51.40 | +16.40 | Major |
| 7 | Apr 16, 1948 | 50.90 | +15.90 | Major |
| 8 | Mar 21, 1936 | 50.60 | +15.60 | Major |
| 9 | Mar 12, 1964 | 48.80 | +13.80 | Major |
| 10 | Jan 24, 1927 | 48.30 | +13.30 | Major |
| 11 | Apr 22, 1940 | 48.00 | +13.00 | Major |
| 12 | Jan 29, 1952 | 46.60 | +11.60 | Major |
| 13 | Sep 19, 2004 | 45.80 | +10.80 | Major |
| 14 | Mar 7, 1963 | 45.50 | +10.50 | Major |
| 15 | Mar 17, 1933 | 45.10 | +10.10 | Major |
| 16 | Jan 8, 2005 | 44.50 | +9.50 | Moderate |
| 17 | Jan 24, 1959 | 43.60 | +8.60 | Moderate |
| 18 | Mar 31, 1924 | 43.20 | +8.20 | Moderate |
| 19 | Mar 22, 1963 | 42.50 | +7.50 | Moderate |
| 20 | Feb 19, 2018 | 42.42 | +7.42 | Moderate |
| 21 | Apr 5, 2024 | 41.93 | +6.93 | Moderate |
| 22 | Dec 6, 1950 | 41.90 | +6.90 | Moderate |
| 23 | Jan 28, 1994 | 41.90 | +6.90 | Moderate |
| 24 | Jan 2, 1991 | 41.50 | +6.50 | Moderate |
| 25 | Mar 6, 1955 | 41.30 | +6.30 | Moderate |
| 26 | Apr 29, 1937 | 41.10 | +6.10 | Moderate |
| 27 | May 15, 1924 | 40.30 | +5.30 | Moderate |
| 28 | Mar 4, 1997 | 40.10 | +5.10 | Moderate |
| 29 | Apr 14, 2024 | 40.05 | +5.05 | Moderate |
| 30 | Mar 13, 2011 | 39.85 | +4.85 | Moderate |
| 31 | Apr 6, 2018 | 38.28 | +3.28 | Moderate |
| 32 | Apr 7, 2025 | 37.79 | +2.79 | Minor |
| 33 | Apr 11, 2015 | 37.03 | +2.03 | Minor |
| 34 | Sep 12, 2018 | 36.55 | +1.55 | Minor |
| 35 | Feb 20, 2022 | 36.53 | +1.53 | Minor |
| 36 | Feb 9, 2019 | 36.45 | +1.45 | Minor |
| 37 | Feb 9, 2008 | 35.75 | +0.75 | Minor |
| 38 | Mar 3, 2021 | 35.58 | +0.58 | Minor |
| 39 | Feb 27, 2018 | 35.01 | +0.01 | Minor |
| 40 | Mar 16, 2015 | 34.40 | −0.60 | Action |
| 41 | Dec 23, 2018 | 33.32 | −1.68 | Action |
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.
March 29, 1913: 61.80 ft here, major flooding
- AshlandKY · Mar 31, 1913 · 70.60 ft · Major
- PomeroyOH · Apr 1, 1913 · 68.80 ft · Major · its highest
- MaysvilleKY · Mar 31, 1913 · 68.80 ft · Major
- Meldahl DamOH · Mar 31, 1913 · 67.00 ft · Major
- Lloyd Greenup LockKY · Mar 31, 1913 · 64.50 ft · Major · its highest
- Point PleasantWV · Mar 30, 1913 · 62.80 ft · Major · its highest
- Marietta PumphouseOH · Mar 29, 1913 · 58.30 ft · Major · its highest
- CairoIL · Apr 4, 1913 · 54.70 ft · Major
- Cannelton Lock and DamKY · Apr 1, 1913 · 53.80 ft · Major
- Mount VernonIN · Apr 5, 1913 · 52.90 ft · Major
January 27, 1937: 58.63 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
February 9, 1884: 56.50 ft here, major flooding
- McAlpine LowerKY · Feb 16, 1884 · 74.40 ft · Major
- R C Byrd LockWV · Feb 11, 1884 · 65.50 ft · Major
- PomeroyOH · Feb 11, 1884 · 64.60 ft · Major
- Lloyd Greenup LockKY · Feb 12, 1884 · 64.00 ft · Major
- Point PleasantWV · Feb 11, 1884 · 60.70 ft · Major
- Tell CityIN · Feb 15, 1884 · 50.80 ft · Major
- McAlpine UpperKY · Feb 16, 1884 · 41.70 ft · Major
- Clifty CreekIN · Feb 15, 1884 · 464.30 ft · Moderate
Gauges on the Ohio River
Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.
| Ashland | KY | 74.21 ft, Jan 27, 1937 | 4 |
| Belleville Lock this gauge | WV | 61.80 ft, Mar 29, 1913 | 15 |
| Cairo | IL | 61.72 ft, May 2, 2011 | 19 |
| Cannelton Lock and Dam | KY | 60.80 ft, Jan 27, 1937 | 8 |
| Cincinnati | OH | 66.20 ft, Mar 11, 1964 | 1 |
| Clifty Creek | IN | 475.90 ft, Jan 27, 1937 | 1 |
| Dashields Lock and Dam | PA | 42.80 ft, Mar 18, 1936 | 5 |
| East Liverpool | WV | 29.90 ft, Mar 19, 1936 | 11 |
| Evansville | IN | 53.75 ft, Jan 31, 1937 | 1 |
| Golconda | IL | 62.60 ft, Feb 2, 1937 | 3 |
| Hannibal Lock and Dam | OH | 41.90 ft, Jun 25, 1972 | 2 |
| Henderson | KY | 43.08 ft, Apr 12, 2025 | 0 |
| Ironton | OH | 54.67 ft, Feb 19, 2018 | 0 |
| J.T. Myers Lock and Dam | KY | 64.40 ft, Feb 1, 1937 | 1 |
| Lloyd Greenup Lock | KY | 64.50 ft, Mar 31, 1913 | 3 |
| Marietta Pumphouse | OH | 58.30 ft, Mar 29, 1913 | 3 |
| Markland Lower | KY | 76.10 ft, Jan 26, 1937 | 1 |
| Maysville | KY | 75.60 ft, Jan 27, 1937 | 2 |
| McAlpine Lower | KY | 85.44 ft, Jan 27, 1937 | 4 |
| McAlpine Upper | KY | 52.15 ft, Jan 27, 1937 | 7 |
| Meldahl Dam | OH | 76.00 ft, Jan 26, 1937 | 3 |
| Montgomery Lock and Dam | PA | 55.00 ft, Mar 18, 1936 | 10 |
| Moundsville | WV | 57.90 ft, Mar 19, 1936 | 3 |
| Mount Vernon | IN | 59.21 ft, Feb 1, 1937 | 2 |
| New Cumberland Lock and Dam | OH | 50.20 ft, Dec 31, 1942 | 15 |
| Newburgh Lock and Dam | KY | 56.60 ft, Jan 31, 1937 | 1 |
| Olmsted Lock and Dam Headwater | KY | 48.20 ft, Feb 21, 2020 | 1 |
| Owensboro | KY | 54.80 ft, Jan 29, 1937 | 5 |
| Paducah | KY | 60.60 ft, Feb 2, 1937 | 7 |
| Parkersburg | WV | 45.20 ft, Mar 12, 1964 | 5 |
| Pike Island Lock and Dam | WV | 47.70 ft, Mar 11, 1964 | 5 |
| Pittsburgh | PA | 46.00 ft, Mar 18, 1936 | 22 |
| Point Pleasant | WV | 62.80 ft, Mar 30, 1913 | 25 |
| Pomeroy | OH | 68.80 ft, Apr 1, 1913 | 34 |
| Portsmouth | OH | 53.78 ft, Apr 7, 2025 | 0 |
| Powhatan Point | OH | 53.30 ft, Mar 19, 1936 | 5 |
| R C Byrd Lock | WV | 69.60 ft, Jan 27, 1937 | 9 |
| Racine Lock | WV | 50.23 ft, Sep 20, 2004 | 3 |
| Shawneetown | KY | 65.64 ft, Jan 30, 1937 | 7 |
| Smithland Lock and Dam | KY | 54.83 ft, May 6, 2011 | 4 |
| Steubenville | OH | 44.00 ft, Jan 20, 1996 | 1 |
| Tell City | IN | 56.95 ft, Jan 29, 1937 | 6 |
| Wellsburg | WV | 54.60 ft, Mar 19, 1936 | 9 |
| Wellsville | OH | 20.90 ft, Jan 20, 1996 | 3 |
| Wheeling | WV | 45.40 ft, Jan 20, 1996 | 3 |
| Willow Island Lock | WV | 44.78 ft, Sep 19, 2004 | 2 |
| Huntington | OH | 57.52 ft, Mar 5, 1997 | 0 |
Other gauges in Wood County
| Mineral Wells | 15.61 ft, Apr 5, 2024 | 0 |
| Parkersburg | 45.20 ft, Mar 12, 1964 | 5 |
Wood County: every hazard · River floods across the country · West Virginia
NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BEVW2, 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.