Mad River near Springfield OH water level

Name: Mad River near Springfield OH 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, Mad River, Ohio, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.43ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 09:15 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 384 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.20 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 09:24 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Mad River near Springfield OH reads 3.43 ft, a normal level.

It is 8.57 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.20 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.34 ft and 3.48 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 14.13 ftApril 5, 2025
Forecast peak: 3.50 ftSunday, October 18 at 02:00 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 12.00 ft, still 8.57 ft away.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft: Major flooding occurs through Clark County along the river, with flooding affecting many homes close to the river between Lower Valley Pike and Dayton-Springfield Roads.
19.00 ft: This is a similar crest to the 1959 flood. Significant flooding of low-lying residences and businesses in Snyderville and Durbin occurs, as well as other low areas along the river southwest of Springfield. Spangler Road is flooded south of Medway, as well as Osborn, Union and Snider Roads. Flooding also occurs at the Waste Water Treatment Plant near Woodbury Road.
18.00 ft: About half of the Springfield Waste Water Treatment Plant is flooded, as well as portions of Lower Valley Pike and Old Mill Road.
17.00 ft: Several homes along the river become inundated, especially in low areas of Snyderville and Durbin. Portions of Lower Valley Pike are flooded, as well as near St. Paris Pike. Levees along Buck and Beaver Creeks help prevent backwater flooding in Springfield itself.
16.00 ft: Water spills onto low-lying area roads south of Springfield, possibly cutting off access to some areas, particularly near Durbin and Snyderville. Locations along the river upstream in Champaign and Logan Counties also experience flooding in lowland areas. Some evacuations may be necessary in low-lying communities along the river.
14.00 ft: West 1st Street in Springfield Township floods, including the Forest Lake Fishing and Campround area, with water approaching some businesses along West 1st Street. Spangler Road downstream of Springfield also floods. Flood waters approach several homes to the southwest of Springfield. In addition, the Mad River experiences widespread flooding in Champaign County near the river.
13.00 ft: In addition to flooding along Lower Valley Pike between Old Mill Road and State Route 369, Spengler Road is flooded, and the I-70 Westbound exit to Medway at route 675 is closed.
12.00 ft: Flooding occurs along Spangler Road and Lower Valley Pike.
3.43 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: 15 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.13 ft	April 5, 2025
2	14.09 ft	March 27, 2026
3	11.60 ft	December 30, 1990
4	11.00 ft	January 31, 1982

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:53 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Mad River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Mad River at West Liberty OH - 03266560River gauge, Mad River	36.2 cfs	High	−1.2 cfs	24 mi
Mad River near Urbana OHRiver gauge, Mad River	155 cfs	Very high	−3.0 cfs	14 mi
Mad River at St Paris Pike at Eagle City OHRiver gauge, Mad River	221 cfs	High	−7.0 cfs	3.9 mi
Mad River near Dayton OHRiver gauge, Mad River	2.97 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	14 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Buck Creek below CJ Brown Reservoir near Springfield OHRiver gauge, Buck Creek	1.15 ft	High	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Clarence J Brown Reservoir near Springfield OHReservoir, Clarence J Brown Reservoir	1,010.89 ft	Normal	−0.10 ft	7 mi
Little Miami River near Oldtown OHRiver gauge, Little Miami River	74.7 cfs	Very high	−4.2 cfs	12 mi
Massies Creek at Wilberforce OHRiver gauge, Massies Creek	24.4 cfs	High	−2.3 cfs	14 mi
Great Miami River at Taylorsville OHRiver gauge, Great Miami River	3.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	15 mi
Great Miami River at Troy OHRiver gauge, Great Miami River	2.70 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	18 mi
Great Miami River at Dayton OHRiver gauge, Great Miami River	24.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	20 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Mad River near Springfield OH?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 8.57 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 Mad River near Springfield OH today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 09:15 AM EDT, the water level was 3.43 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Mad River near Springfield OH rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Mad River near Springfield OH normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Mad River near Springfield OH?

The highest level on record is 14.13 ft on April 5, 2025.

Is Mad River near Springfield OH expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.20 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 08:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03269500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.91889, -83.87611 (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	3.43 ft	2026-10-18 13:15	Provisional
Flow	384 cfs	2026-10-18 13:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Mad River near Springfield OH (usgs:03269500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/ohio/mad-river-near-springfield-oh

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