Scioto River at Chillicothe OH water level

Name: Scioto River at Chillicothe 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, Scioto River, Ohio, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.33ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:45 PM EDT (49 min ago)

Flow: 2,400 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Scioto River at Chillicothe OH reads 3.33 ft, a normal level.

It is 12.67 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.33 ft and 3.62 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 32.50 ftJanuary 23, 1959

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 16.00 ft, still 12.67 ft away.

What happens at each level

40.00 ft: Water begins to flow onto High Street and will already be across the Paint Street Bridge, the railroad bridge and the Bridge Street Bridge. Extensive lowland flooding occurs along the river throughout Ross County.
36.00 ft: Water flows onto the Paint Street Bridge and will already be across the railroad bridge in the southeast part of Chillicothe and the South Bridge Street Bridge. Extensive lowland flooding occurs along the river throughout Ross County.
30.50 ft: This is similar to the FEMA 1 percent flood. Flooding occurs on North Bridge Street and Eastern Avenue near the river in Chillicothe. Portions of State Route 207 and State Route 205 are flooded. Extensive lowland flooding occurs along the river throughout Ross County.
25.00 ft: Extensive lowland flooding occurs along the Scioto River throughout Ross County, with evacuations continuing for residents in low areas along the river.
23.00 ft: Flooding is widespread through lowland areas of Ross County. Some roadways are flooded, with numerous homes inundated in Yellowbud. Extensive crop losses occur during the growing season.
22.00 ft: Lowland flooding continues near Chillicothe. In Yellowbud, several homes are inundated due to backwater flooding from the Scioto River into Yellowbud Creek.
19.30 ft: Significant lowland flooding occurs along the Scioto River in Ross County. While Chillicothe itself has only minimal flooding, backwater flooding along Yellowbud Creek results in significant flooding near Yellowbud.
17.00 ft: Lowland areas flood along the Scioto River in Ross County. Backwater flooding from the Scioto River affects Yellowbud Creek, with lowland flooding near Yellowbud.
16.00 ft: Kellenberger Road near Yellowbud is flooded. Flooding occurs along stretches of the recreational bike trail, with water possibly encroaching along Stewart Road.
3.33 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	32.50 ft	January 23, 1959
2	28.30 ft	March 24, 1898
3	27.80 ft	January 23, 1937
4	26.80 ft	January 28, 1952
5	26.00 ft	February 28, 1929
6	25.70 ft	March 8, 1945
7	25.20 ft	March 6, 1963
8	24.55 ft	March 11, 1964
9	23.90 ft	April 21, 1940
10	22.70 ft	March 29, 1916

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 56° 43° 0.02 in, 33% Wind 14 mph

18 Sun 62° 37° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 67° 38° – Wind 5 mph

20 Tue 67° 42° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 68° 43° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 67° 41° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 69° 43° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Scioto River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Scioto River at Kenton OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	46.7 cfs	Very high	+1.4 cfs	96 mi
Scioto River at La Rue OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	1.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.22 ft	88 mi
Scioto River near Prospect OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	1.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	75 mi
Scioto River below O'Shaughnessy Dam near Dublin OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	94.9 cfs	Normal	−8.1 cfs	56 mi
Scioto River at 5th Ave at Columbus OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	140 cfs	Normal	−49.0 cfs	45 mi
Scioto River at Columbus OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	5.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	39 mi
Scioto River near Commercial Point OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	743 cfs	Normal	−195.0 cfs	30 mi
Scioto River at Circleville OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	2.49 ft	Below flood stage	−0.31 ft	18 mi
Scioto River at Higby OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	2,300 cfs	High	−170.0 cfs	11 mi
Scioto River at Piketon OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	2.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.25 ft	19 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Paint Creek at Chillicothe OHRiver gauge, Paint Creek	322 cfs	Normal	−13.0 cfs	1.5 mi
Paint Creek near Bourneville OHRiver gauge, Paint Creek	2.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	12 mi
Deer Creek at Williamsport OHRiver gauge, Deer Creek	3.67 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	19 mi
Paint Creek near Greenfield OHRiver gauge, Paint Creek	42.3 cfs	Normal	+6.3 cfs	22 mi
Deer Creek near Pancoastburg OHRiver gauge, Deer Creek	1.71 ft	High	±0	23 mi
Rocky Fork near Barretts Mills OHRiver gauge, Rocky Fork	38.1 cfs	Normal	−5.9 cfs	24 mi
Walnut Creek at Ashville OHRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	137 cfs	High	−22.0 cfs	26 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Scioto River at Chillicothe OH?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 12.67 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 Scioto River at Chillicothe OH today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:45 PM EDT, the water level was 3.33 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Scioto River at Chillicothe OH rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Scioto River at Chillicothe OH normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Scioto River at Chillicothe OH?

The highest level on record is 32.50 ft on January 23, 1959.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03231500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.34145, -82.97101 (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	3.33 ft	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional
Flow	2,400 cfs	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Scioto River at Chillicothe OH (usgs:03231500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/ohio/scioto-river-at-chillicothe-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