Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry water level

Name: Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry 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, Ocmulgee River, Georgia, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.29ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT (44 min ago)

Flow: 528 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry, where the gauge shows 3.29 ft.

The median for mid-October is 3.41 ft, based on 17 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.12 ft below typical. It is 12.71 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.42 ft, a difference of −0.13 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.99 ft – 5.17 ft.

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

Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.41 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.00 ft – 4.71 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.42 ft−0.13 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.99 ft – 5.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.99 ft – 6.16 ft
Highest on record: 19.07 ftDecember 27, 2015

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft: Minor flooding expands into woodlands upstream and downstream from the gage on Dames Ferry Road or Georgia Highway 18. Low lying areas and portions of river access roads will become inundated with water.
16.00 ft: Minor flooding of woodlands in the natural flood plain begins along the river. Low lying areas and portions of river access roads...upstream and downstream from the gage on Dames Ferry Road or Georgia Highway 18 will begin to flood.
15.00 ft: Bankfull conditions are reached upstream and downstream from the gage located on Dames Ferry Road or Georgia Highway 18.
3.29 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.07 ft	December 27, 2015
2	18.99 ft	September 29, 2024
3	18.62 ft	March 28, 2023
4	18.48 ft	January 1, 2016
5	16.29 ft	February 13, 2024
6	16.22 ft	February 7, 2020
7	16.22 ft	February 20, 2020
8	15.40 ft	November 12, 2009

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:43 AM Sunset 06:58 PM Daylight 11 hr, 15 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Ocmulgee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ocmulgee River near JacksonRiver gauge, Ocmulgee River	4.07 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Ocmulgee River at MaconRiver gauge, Ocmulgee River	5.54 ft	Low	−0.09 ft	14 mi
Ocmulgee River at GA 96, near BonaireRiver gauge, Ocmulgee River	2.20 ft	Normal	−0.54 ft	35 mi
Ocmulgee River at US 341, at HawkinsvilleRiver gauge, Ocmulgee River	1.69 ft	Normal	−0.53 ft	53 mi
Ocmulgee River at AbbevilleRiver gauge, Ocmulgee River	2.02 ft	Normal	−1.08 ft	75 mi
Ocmulgee River at Lumber CityRiver gauge, Ocmulgee River	3.01 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	98 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Falling Creek near JulietteRiver gauge, Falling Creek	1.03 ft	Low	±0	5.8 mi
Towaliga River at GA 83 near JulietteRiver gauge, Towaliga River	1.52 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	11 mi
Tobesofkee Creek near MaconRiver gauge, Tobesofkee Creek	1.81 ft	Normal	±0	14 mi
Murder Creek below EatontonRiver gauge, Murder Creek	1.08 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Echeconnee Creek at Houston Road, near ByronRiver gauge, Echeconnee Creek	5.99 ft	Low	±0	23 mi
Little River near EatontonRiver gauge, Little River	2.39 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	27 mi
Oconee River at MilledgevilleRiver gauge, Oconee River	7.08 ft	Low	±0	30 mi
Potato Creek at County Line Road, near Orchard HillRiver gauge, Potato Creek	6.04 ft	Very high	−0.14 ft	31 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry higher than last year?

No, it is 0.13 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.42 ft.

What is flood stage for the Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 12.71 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.41 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.00 ft and 4.71 ft, based on 17 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 Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT, the water level was 3.29 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 1.88 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 17 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:02212735 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 33.01686, -83.72719 (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	3.29 ft	2026-10-19 22:00	Provisional
Flow	528 cfs	2026-10-19 22:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ocmulgee River at GA 18, at Dames Ferry (usgs:02212735). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/georgia/ocmulgee-river-at-ga-18-at-dames-ferry

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