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SwedenOhio River at Wheeling water level
River gauge, Ohio River, West Virginia, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Water temperature
- 63 °F
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 17.80 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:53 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Ohio River at Wheeling is at 17.17 ft, in the normal range.
It is 18.83 ft below the flood stage of 36.00 ft.
It has dropped 0.34 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 17.80 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 16.37 ft and 17.57 ft.
The water temperature at the gauge is 63 °F.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 45.40 ftJanuary 20, 1996
- Forecast peak
- 17.80 ftSunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM
Floating and fishing near Ohio River at Wheeling
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 36.00 ft, 18.83 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 47.70 ft
- Many areas of Warwood West Virginia are flooded.
- 46.70 ft
- All major streets in business district flood.
- 42.70 ft
- Much of southern half of Wheeling Island is flooded and up to Erie Street on the northern half of the island. Low lying sections of South Wheeling are flooded.
- 42.00 ft
- Flooding reaches the intersection of 39th and McColloch Streets and the intersection of Georgia and North Front Streets in Wheeling.
- 41.00 ft
- Water street in Wheeling is flooded near the intersctions with 12th, 21st, 45th, and 48th Streets.
- 40.00 ft
- Backwater flooding begins to affect Main Street near the water treatment plant in Wheeling.
- 39.00 ft
- The southern tip of Wheeling Island including Wheeling Downs Racetrack and Gaming and Wheeling Stadium are flooded.
- 38.00 ft
- Portions of Jacob and Wood Streets, south of 43rd Street begin to flood. Wheeling island Casino has to be closed.
- 37.70 ft
- Basement flooding begins in businesses along Main Street.
- 36.60 ft
- Wheeling Downs Racetrack on Wheeling Island floods.
- 36.00 ft
- Flooding begins in the vicinity or 25th and Market Streets, 34th and Market Streets, 36th and Chapline Streets in Wheeling. Water covers the lower parking lot at the Wheeling Island Casino.
- 34.00 ft
- Sewers begin to back up in the lower end of Wheeling Island.
- 17.17 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: 8 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45.40 ft | January 20, 1996 |
| 2 | 45.30 ft | September 19, 2004 |
| 3 | 42.17 ft | January 7, 2005 |
| 4 | 41.49 ft | April 5, 2024 |
| 5 | 39.30 ft | January 1, 1991 |
| 6 | 38.93 ft | February 18, 2018 |
| 7 | 38.34 ft | September 11, 2018 |
| 8 | 37.80 ft | February 26, 1979 |
| 9 | 37.80 ft | April 13, 2024 |
| 10 | 37.22 ft | March 12, 2011 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Ohio River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio River at Emsworth Dam Upper Pool @ EmsworthRiver gauge, Ohio River | 16.57 ft | Normal | −0.26 ft | 46 mi |
| Ohio River at Emsworth Dam Lower Pool @ EmsworthRiver gauge, Ohio River | 16.10 ft | High | −0.07 ft | 46 mi |
| Ohio River at SewickleyRiver gauge, Ohio River | 15.59 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 44 mi |
| Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower PoolRiver gauge, Ohio River | 13.71 ft | High | +0.33 ft | 45 mi |
| Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock & Dam (Upper)River gauge, Ohio River | 12.58 ft | No reference yet | +0.17 ft | 33 mi |
| Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock & Dam (Lower)River gauge, Ohio River | 14.65 ft | Below flood stage | −0.14 ft | 33 mi |
| Ohio River at Pike Island Dam near Wheeling (Upper)River gauge, Ohio River | 12.54 ft | No reference yet | −0.36 ft | 7 mi |
| Ohio River at Pike Island Lock & Dam (Lower)River gauge, Ohio River | 15.46 ft | Below flood stage | −0.49 ft | 7 mi |
| Ohio River at Hannibal Lock and Dam (Upper)River gauge, Ohio River | 13.09 ft | No reference yet | −0.15 ft | 28 mi |
| Ohio River at Hannibal Lock and Dam (Lower)River gauge, Ohio River | 13.85 ft | Below flood stage | −0.26 ft | 28 mi |
| Ohio River above SardisRiver gauge, Ohio River | 9,320 cfs | Normal | −1,680.0 cfs | 31 mi |
| Ohio River at MariettaRiver gauge, Ohio River | 17.06 ft | Below flood stage | +0.07 ft | 59 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling Creek at Elm GroveRiver gauge, Wheeling Creek | 2.69 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 3.7 mi |
| Wheeling Creek below Blaine OHRiver gauge, Wheeling Creek | 1.37 ft | Below flood stage | −0.08 ft | 4.3 mi |
| Short Creek near Dillonvale OHRiver gauge, Short Creek | 1.94 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 9 mi |
| Captina Creek at S.R. 148 at Armstrongs Mills OHRiver gauge, Captina Creek | 64.3 cfs | Normal | +1.3 cfs | 15 mi |
| Stillwater Creek above Piedmont Lake OHRiver gauge, Stillwater Creek | 1.55 ft | High | −0.16 ft | 21 mi |
| Standingstone Fork above Tappan Lake OHRiver gauge, Standingstone Fork | 4.62 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 27 mi |
| Kings Creek at WeirtonRiver gauge, Kings Creek | 68.1 cfs | Very high | −33.9 cfs | 27 mi |
| Boggs Fork at Piedmont OHRiver gauge, Boggs Fork | 11.1 cfs | Normal | −0.6 cfs | 27 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Ohio River at Wheeling?
The official flood stage is 36.00 ft. The level is currently 18.83 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 Wheeling today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 03:30 AM EDT, the water level was 17.17 ft. Down 0.34 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Ohio River at Wheeling rising or falling?
Down 0.34 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Ohio River at Wheeling 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 Wheeling?
The highest level on record is 45.40 ft on January 20, 1996.
Is Ohio River at Wheeling expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to rise to 17.80 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:03112500(Agency page)- Coordinates
40.05729, -80.72842(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 | 17.17 ft | 2026-10-18 07:30 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 63 °F | 2026-10-18 07:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Ohio River at Wheeling (usgs:03112500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/west-virginia/ohio-river-at-wheeling
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