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Ohio River at Pike Island Lock and Dam

Highest listed crest 47.70 ftFlood stage 37.0 ft53 crests since 1964

The Ohio River at Pike Island Lock and Dam crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 53 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1964 to 2024. The highest, 47.70 ft on March 11, 1964, was major flooding, 10.70 feet above flood stage. 25 other gauges on the Ohio River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
47.70 ft
March 11, 1964
Flood stage
37.0 ft
Major flooding from 43.0 ft
Crests at major
5
20th of 116 gauges in West Virginia
Most recent flood crest
April 13, 2024
38.38 ft, minor flooding
Location
Ohio County
Near Wheeling (5.3 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 Pike Island Lock and Dam
Action stage26.437Mar 24, 2007The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)37.04Apr 13, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage39.05Apr 4, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage43.05Jan 7, 2005Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

53 crests from 1964 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ohio River at Pike Island Lock and Dam, 1964 to 2024 253035404550ft Flood stage 37.0 ftMajor 43.0 ft Mar 7, 1964: 37.90 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1964: 47.70 ft, major floodingJan 26, 1965: 26.70 ft, action stageFeb 15, 1966: 40.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 8, 1967: 35.60 ft, action stageMay 9, 1967: 28.50 ft, action stageFeb 1, 1968: 32.70 ft, action stageMay 25, 1968: 30.70 ft, action stageApr 4, 1970: 36.30 ft, action stageJun 25, 1972: 47.50 ft, major floodingFeb 25, 1975: 35.40 ft, action stageJan 2, 1976: 25.70 ft, below flood stageFeb 18, 1976: 34.30 ft, action stageApr 3, 1977: 31.90 ft, action stageDec 16, 1977: 30.70 ft, action stageJan 27, 1978: 31.80 ft, action stageMar 15, 1978: 31.30 ft, action stageMay 18, 1978: 31.30 ft, action stageDec 10, 1978: 31.90 ft, action stageJan 3, 1979: 32.40 ft, action stageFeb 26, 1979: 37.40 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1979: 34.80 ft, action stageApr 10, 1980: 27.70 ft, action stageAug 19, 1980: 26.50 ft, action stageFeb 22, 1981: 34.70 ft, action stageMar 18, 1982: 28.50 ft, action stageMay 4, 1983: 26.50 ft, action stageFeb 16, 1984: 32.00 ft, action stageMar 13, 1985: 28.90 ft, action stageNov 6, 1985: 34.60 ft, action stageNov 17, 1985: 33.20 ft, action stageNov 29, 1985: 33.60 ft, action stageJan 21, 1986: 26.00 ft, below flood stageFeb 6, 1986: 34.50 ft, action stageFeb 21, 1986: 26.70 ft, action stageMar 16, 1986: 27.00 ft, action stageApr 9, 1987: 26.70 ft, action stageDec 20, 1990: 35.80 ft, action stageJan 1, 1991: 39.30 ft, moderate floodingJan 21, 1996: 46.00 ft, major floodingMay 13, 1996: 32.60 ft, action stageMay 19, 1996: 29.40 ft, action stageAug 20, 1996: 32.80 ft, action stageJan 6, 2004: 36.40 ft, action stage; 237,000 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2004: 46.30 ft, major flooding; 344,700 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2005: 43.04 ft, major floodingMar 16, 2007: 33.88 ft, action stage; 211,143 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2007: 30.83 ft, action stage; 182,996 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2011: 38.05 ft, minor flooding; 249,895 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2018: 39.79 ft, moderate flooding; 265,748 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 2018: 39.34 ft, moderate flooding; 261,623 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2024: 42.21 ft, moderate flooding; 291,098 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2024: 38.38 ft, minor flooding; 253,063 cubic feet per second Highest, 47.70 ft, Mar 11, 1964 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ohio River at Pike Island Lock and Dam 1960s: 3 3 1970s: 2 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 2020s: 2 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 53 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Ohio River at Pike Island Lock and Dam
1Mar 11, 196447.70+10.70Major—
2Jun 25, 197247.50+10.50Major—
3Sep 19, 200446.30+9.30Major344,700
4Jan 21, 199646.00+9.00Major—
5Jan 7, 200543.04+6.04Major—
6Apr 4, 202442.21+5.21Moderate291,098
7Feb 15, 196640.90+3.90Moderate—
8Feb 18, 201839.79+2.79Moderate265,748
9Sep 11, 201839.34+2.34Moderate261,623
10Jan 1, 199139.30+2.30Moderate—
11Apr 13, 202438.38+1.38Minor253,063
12Mar 12, 201138.05+1.05Minor249,895
13Mar 7, 196437.90+0.90Minor—
14Feb 26, 197937.40+0.40Minor—
15Jan 6, 200436.40−0.60Action237,000
16Apr 4, 197036.30−0.70Action—
17Dec 20, 199035.80−1.20Action—
18Mar 8, 196735.60−1.40Action—
19Feb 25, 197535.40−1.60Action—
20Mar 6, 197934.80−2.20Action—
21Feb 22, 198134.70−2.30Action—
22Nov 6, 198534.60−2.40Action—
23Feb 6, 198634.50−2.50Action—
24Feb 18, 197634.30−2.70Action—
25Mar 16, 200733.88−3.12Action211,143
26Nov 29, 198533.60−3.40Action—
27Nov 17, 198533.20−3.80Action—
28Aug 20, 199632.80−4.20Action—
29Feb 1, 196832.70−4.30Action—
30May 13, 199632.60−4.40Action—
31Jan 3, 197932.40−4.60Action—
32Feb 16, 198432.00−5.00Action—
33Apr 3, 197731.90−5.10Action—
34Dec 10, 197831.90−5.10Action—
35Jan 27, 197831.80−5.20Action—
36Mar 15, 197831.30−5.70Action—
37May 18, 197831.30−5.70Action—
38Mar 24, 200730.83−6.17Action182,996
39May 25, 196830.70−6.30Action—
40Dec 16, 197730.70−6.30Action—
41May 19, 199629.40−7.60Action—
42Mar 13, 198528.90−8.10Action—
43May 9, 196728.50−8.50Action—
44Mar 18, 198228.50−8.50Action—
45Apr 10, 198027.70−9.30Action—
46Mar 16, 198627.00−10.00Action—
47Jan 26, 196526.70−10.30Action—
48Feb 21, 198626.70−10.30Action—
49Apr 9, 198726.70−10.30Action—
50Aug 19, 198026.50−10.50Action—

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 11, 1964: 47.70 ft here, major flooding

June 25, 1972: 47.50 ft here, major flooding

September 19, 2004: 46.30 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 DamOH36.050.20 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 Dam this gaugeWV37.047.70 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 Ohio County

Flood gauges in Ohio County
Wheeling36.045.40 ft, Jan 20, 19963
Elm Grove7.013.83 ft, Sep 17, 20040

Ohio County: every hazard · River floods across the country · West Virginia

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WHLW2, 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.