Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool water level

Name: Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool 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, Pennsylvania, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

13.29ft Up 0.22 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 AM EDT (19 min ago)

Water temperature: 61 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to fall to 12.20 ft by Friday, October 23 at 02:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:56 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool shows 13.29 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.21 ft above the median of 13.08 ft for mid-October, based on 10 years of readings. It is 19.71 ft below the flood stage of 33.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 13.12 ft (+0.17 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.22 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 12.20 ft by Friday, October 23 at 02:00 AM. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 61 °F.

Compared with 10 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 13.08 ft0.21 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 12.37 ft – 13.24 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (10 years of records)
Same day last year: 13.12 ft+0.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 12.67 ft – 14.52 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 12.36 ft – 21.41 ft
Highest on record: 55.00 ftMarch 18, 1936
Forecast peak: 12.90 ftMonday, October 19 at 08:00 PM

High water at Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

What happens at each level

55.00 ft: This was the st. Patricks day flood of 1936. This crest occurred before flood control projects were in place at numerous locations upstream.
40.50 ft: Lock walls overtopped.
37.00 ft: Navigation suspended, lock out of service.
13.29 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: 7 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	55.00 ft	March 18, 1936
2	47.90 ft	December 31, 1942
3	43.10 ft	June 24, 1972
4	43.00 ft	January 19, 1996
5	43.00 ft	October 17, 1954
6	42.00 ft	March 11, 1966
7	42.00 ft	March 11, 1964
8	41.30 ft	January 23, 1959
9	41.00 ft	September 19, 2004
10	40.50 ft	January 28, 1952

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 65%

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	16.64 ft	Low	+0.12 ft	19 mi
Ohio River at Emsworth Dam Lower Pool @ EmsworthRiver gauge, Ohio River	15.68 ft	Very high	+0.02 ft	18 mi
Ohio River at SewickleyRiver gauge, Ohio River	15.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock & Dam (Upper)River gauge, Ohio River	12.63 ft	No reference yet	+0.28 ft	15 mi
Ohio River at New Cumberland Lock & Dam (Lower)River gauge, Ohio River	13.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.83 ft	15 mi
Ohio River at Pike Island Dam near Wheeling (Upper)River gauge, Ohio River	12.04 ft	No reference yet	−0.64 ft	38 mi
Ohio River at Pike Island Lock & Dam (Lower)River gauge, Ohio River	13.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.96 ft	38 mi
Ohio River at WheelingRiver gauge, Ohio River	16.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.42 ft	45 mi
Ohio River at Hannibal Lock and Dam (Upper)River gauge, Ohio River	13.09 ft	No reference yet	+0.13 ft	72 mi
Ohio River at Hannibal Lock and Dam (Lower)River gauge, Ohio River	13.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	72 mi
Ohio River above SardisRiver gauge, Ohio River	37,300 cfs	Very high	+35,700 cfs	75 mi
Ohio River at MariettaRiver gauge, Ohio River	16.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.34 ft	103 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Raccoon Creek at Moffatts MillRiver gauge, Raccoon Creek	2.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	3.0 mi
Little Beaver Creek near East Liverpool OHRiver gauge, Little Beaver Creek	215 cfs	Normal	−46.0 cfs	8 mi
Beaver River at Beaver FallsRiver gauge, Beaver River	5.18 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	9 mi
Ohio River (lower pool) at SewickleyRiver gauge, Ohio River (lower pool)	13.88 ft	Very high	−0.04 ft	12 mi
Connoquenessing Creek near ZelienopleRiver gauge, Connoquenessing Creek	2.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	14 mi
Beaver River at WampumRiver gauge, Beaver River	3.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	17 mi
Lowries Run at Camp Horne near EmsworthRiver gauge, Lowries Run	2.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	18 mi
Kings Creek at WeirtonRiver gauge, Kings Creek	44.4 cfs	High	−9.8 cfs	18 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool compare with last year?

It is 0.17 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 13.12 ft.

What is flood stage for the Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool?

The official flood stage is 33.00 ft. The level is currently 19.71 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 13.08 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 12.37 ft and 13.24 ft, based on 10 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 Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 AM EDT, the water level was 13.29 ft. Up 0.22 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool rising or falling?

Up 0.22 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.14 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 10 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:03108500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.64724, -80.38867 (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	13.29 ft	2026-10-20 04:45	Provisional
Water temperature	61 °F	2026-10-20 04:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ohio River at Montgomery Lock & Dam, Lower Pool (usgs:03108500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/ohio-river-at-montgomery-lock-and-dam-lower-pool

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