Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee water level

Name: Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee 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, Buffalo Creek, Georgia, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

5.82ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM EDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 5.6 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

At 5.82 ft, Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee is far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 1.20 ft below the median of 7.02 ft for mid-October, based on 20 years of readings. It is 9.18 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 6.37 ft (−0.55 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.47 ft and 6.74 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7.02 ft1.20 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 6.05 ft – 10.43 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.37 ft−0.55 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.47 ft – 6.74 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.47 ft – 13.33 ft
Highest on record: 15.83 ftFebruary 19, 1995

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 9.18 ft away.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft: Major flooding begins. Widespread flooding inundates the woodlands along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Georgia Highway 272. The water level begins to flood portions of the road and the bridge will be closed.
19.00 ft: Moderate flooding occurs of the natural flood plain and woodlands along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Georgia Highway 272. The water level begins to reach the bottom of the bridge and state officials will likely close the road at the bridge.
17.00 ft: Minor flooding continues of the natural flood plain and woodlands along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Georgia Highway 272.
15.00 ft: Flood stage is reached. Minor flooding occurs of the natural flood plain and woodlands along the creek upstream and downstream from the gage on Georgia Highway 272.
13.00 ft: Bankfull conditions occur along the creek upstream and downstream from the stream gage on Georgia Highway 272.
5.82 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.83 ft	February 19, 1995
2	15.81 ft	April 3, 2016
3	15.50 ft	July 5, 2013
4	15.49 ft	May 6, 2013
5	15.27 ft	February 8, 2020
6	15.14 ft	February 20, 2020
7	14.74 ft	July 6, 1994

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 75° 41° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 76° 46° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 79° 53° – Wind 3 mph

23 Fri 76° 53° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 73° 52° – Wind 15 mph

25 Sun 73° 51° – Wind 12 mph

26 Mon 75° 51° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:40 AM Sunset 06:54 PM Daylight 11 hr, 14 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Oconee River at Avant Mine, near OconeeRiver gauge, Oconee River	1.27 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Oconee River near OconeeRiver gauge, Oconee River	1.09 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Commissioner Creek at US 441, at McIntyreRiver gauge, Commissioner Creek	7.21 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Big Sandy Creek at US 441, near IrwintonRiver gauge, Big Sandy Creek	2.83 ft	Very low	±0	15 mi
Oconee River at MilledgevilleRiver gauge, Oconee River	7.08 ft	Low	±0	20 mi
Williamson Swamp Creek at DavisboroRiver gauge, Williamson Swamp Creek	2.30 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	21 mi
Ogeechee River at GA 88, near GrangeRiver gauge, Ogeechee River	6.45 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	23 mi
Oconee River at DublinRiver gauge, Oconee River	1.27 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

How does Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee compare with last year?

It is 0.55 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.37 ft.

What is flood stage for Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 9.18 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7.02 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.05 ft and 10.43 ft, based on 20 years of records.

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 Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM EDT, the water level was 5.82 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.92 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:02223110 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.89167, -82.96153 (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	5.82 ft	2026-10-20 20:30	Provisional
Flow	5.6 cfs	2026-10-20 20:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Buffalo Creek at GA 272, near Oconee (usgs:02223110). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/buffalo-creek-at-ga-272-near-oconee

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