Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland water level

Name: Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Ohio River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

13.74ft Up 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 PM CDT (35 min ago)

Flow: 117,000 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 12.70 ft by Friday, November 13 at 12:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 11:19 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland reads 13.74 ft, a normal level.

It is 26.26 ft below the flood stage of 40.00 ft.

The water is rising: up 0.64 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 12.70 ft by Friday, November 13 at 12:00 PM. There is still 26.26 ft of room before flood stage. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 12.61 ft and 15.04 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 54.83 ftMay 6, 2011
Forecast peak: 13.60 ftSunday, October 18 at 07:00 PM

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 40.00 ft, still 26.26 ft away.

What happens at each level

51.00 ft: Large amounts of property damage can be expected. Evacuation of many homes and businesses becomes necessary. Highway 60 in Smithland closes.
40.00 ft: Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding and low lying areas.
13.74 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 9 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	54.83 ft	May 6, 2011
2	51.83 ft	February 25, 2019
3	51.44 ft	March 12, 1997
4	50.14 ft	March 2, 2018
5	49.80 ft	January 8, 1991
6	47.96 ft	April 15, 2025
7	47.29 ft	January 16, 2005
8	47.10 ft	May 14, 1984
9	46.59 ft	February 20, 2020
10	46.40 ft	May 25, 1983

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:06 AM Sunset 06:13 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min First quarter 56%

Map

Other gauges on the Ohio River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ohio River below Riverview Park near LouisvilleRiver gauge, Ohio River	15.51 ft	No reference yet	−0.62 ft	154 mi
Ohio River at Cannelton Dam at CanneltonRiver gauge, Ohio River	14.97 ft	High	−0.01 ft	107 mi
Ohio River at Riverport at OwensboroRiver gauge, Ohio River	20.06 ft	No reference yet	−0.03 ft	83 mi
Ohio River at Newburgh Lock and DamRiver gauge, Ohio River	17.82 ft	Normal	+0.70 ft	78 mi
Ohio River at EvansvilleRiver gauge, Ohio River	16.79 ft	Normal	+0.54 ft	73 mi
Ohio River at HendersonRiver gauge, Ohio River	14.57 ft	Normal	+0.44 ft	66 mi
Ohio River at Uniontown DamRiver gauge, Ohio River	17.61 ft	Normal	+4.95 ft	50 mi
Ohio River at Old ShawneetownRiver gauge, Ohio River	17.27 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	40 mi
Ohio River at Dam 51 at GolcondaRiver gauge, Ohio River	30.02 ft	Below flood stage	−0.36 ft	14 mi
Ohio River at PaducahRiver gauge, Ohio River	16.20 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Ohio River at OlmstedRiver gauge, Ohio River	20.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	35 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Massac Creek near PaducahRiver gauge, Massac Creek	1.6 cfs	Normal	±0	18 mi
Lusk Creek near EddyvilleRiver gauge, Lusk Creek	1.87 ft	Low	±0	23 mi
Mayfield Creek at LovelacevilleRiver gauge, Mayfield Creek	32.3 cfs	Very high	−1.8 cfs	26 mi
Cache River at FormanRiver gauge, Cache River	8.26 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	30 mi
Clarks River at AlmoRiver gauge, Clarks River	11.8 cfs	Normal	−3.2 cfs	33 mi
South Fork Saline River near Carrier MillsRiver gauge, South Fork Saline River	2.20 ft	Low	±0	36 mi
Tradewater River at OlneyRiver gauge, Tradewater River	2.5 cfs	Normal	−4.4 cfs	36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland?

The official flood stage is 40.00 ft. The level is currently 26.26 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 PM CDT, the water level was 13.74 ft. Up 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland rising or falling?

Up 0.64 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland?

The highest level on record is 54.83 ft on May 6, 2011.

Is Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 12.70 ft by Friday, November 13 at 12:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03399800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.15922, -88.42726 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	13.74 ft	2026-10-19 04:00	Provisional
Flow	117,000 cfs	2026-10-19 01:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ohio River at Smithland Dam, Smithland (usgs:03399800). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/ohio-river-at-smithland-dam-smithland

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer