Olentangy River near Worthington OH water level

Name: Olentangy River near Worthington 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, Olentangy River, Ohio, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.79ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:30 AM EDT (37 min ago)

Flow: 55.9 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:14 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Olentangy River near Worthington OH is at 1.79 ft, in the normal range.

It is 9.21 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.79 ft and 1.95 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.68 ftJanuary 21, 1959
Forecast peak: 1.80 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Olentangy River near Worthington OH

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 9.21 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

18.50 ft: This would roughly equal the FEMA 500 year or 0.2 percent flood event. Significant flooding of homes on Plumtree and Edgecliff Drives in Mount Air occurs east of Route 315, with the Powell Waste Water Treatment Plant in southern Delaware County also flooded. Substantial flooding occurs along Rivers Edge Drive and Mount Air Place. Flooding would occur on The Ohio State campus, from along and north of Herrick Drive to Woody Hayes Drive, in areas west of Tuttle Park Place.
18.00 ft: Widespread flooding occurs in sections of Worthington near the river, with homes flooded along Edgecliff and Plumtree Drives in Mount Air. Some flooding begins at the Powell Waste Water Treatment Plant.
17.00 ft: This is above the FEMA 1 percent flood. Homes flood along Rosslyn and Kanawha Avenues and Tucker Drive in Worthington, with severe flooding along Edgecliff and Plumtree Drives in Mount Air, and along Olentangy River Road in Powell. Much of Olentangy Park and the bike trail are flooded. Flooding extends onto the back of properties along Masefield Street. The OhioHealth Primary Care facility also floods, with water also approaching the Powell Waste Water Treatment Plant. Whetstone High School may also flood.
15.00 ft: Homes in Mt. Air are severely flooded along Edgecliff and Plumtree Drives close to the river, with Olentangy River Road flooded in areas from near Hyatts Road to Jewett Road. Flooding worsens near Worthington near Olentangy Park and along the bike trail.
13.00 ft: Several homes along Edgecliff Drive in Mt. Air flood, and flooding worsens in low areas along the Olentangy River in Mount Air, and lowland areas near the river in Worthington experience flooding. Olentangy River Road near Powell also is flooded, with backwater flooding also affecting some side streets onto Olentangy River Road. Flooding in and near Worthington is confined to Olentangy Park and along the bike trail.
12.00 ft: Homes along Edgecliff Drive in Mt. Air flood, as well as the playground of Olentangy Park. Olentangy River Road is flooded and impassible from near Powell Road to near Jewett Road.
11.00 ft: Floodwater surrounds homes along Edgecliff Drive, as well as Plum Tree Drive in Worthington, cutting off residents.
10.00 ft: Flood waters approach residences along the river in Mount Air, between Olentangy River Road and the river itself.
9.00 ft: Flooding spreads further into yards of homes near the river in Mount Air, between Olentangy River Road and the river.
8.00 ft: Flooding of yards begins along the Olentangy River near Mount Air in northern Franklin County, only in low-lying areas between Olentangy River Road and the river.
1.79 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.68 ft	January 21, 1959
2	15.30 ft	January 10, 1952
3	13.57 ft	May 19, 2020
4	12.66 ft	March 10, 1964
5	12.41 ft	June 23, 2016
6	11.68 ft	March 4, 1963
7	11.58 ft	May 20, 1957
8	11.55 ft	June 20, 1973
9	11.53 ft	June 14, 2004
10	11.45 ft	September 14, 1979

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.39 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

19 Mon 70° 37° – Wind 4 mph

20 Tue 69° 39° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 69° 39° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 68° 46° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 67° 46° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 69° 47° – Wind 6 mph

25 Sun 69° 49° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:49 AM Sunset 06:47 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on the Olentangy River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Olentangy River at Claridon OHRiver gauge, Olentangy River	1.57 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	33 mi
Olentangy River near Delaware OHRiver gauge, Olentangy River	23.8 cfs	Normal	±0	17 mi
Olentangy River at J H Herrick Dr at Columbus OHRiver gauge, Olentangy River	74.1 cfs	Normal	−8.5 cfs	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Scioto River below O'Shaughnessy Dam near Dublin OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	97.3 cfs	Normal	−5.7 cfs	5.2 mi
Alum Creek at Africa OHRiver gauge, Alum Creek	91.1 cfs	Normal	−2.0 cfs	6.2 mi
Big Walnut Creek at Central College OHRiver gauge, Big Walnut Creek	3.75 ft	Below flood stage	±0	8 mi
Hoover Reservoir at Central College OHReservoir, Hoover Reservoir	891.44 ft	Very high	−0.10 ft	8 mi
Scioto River at 5th Ave at Columbus OHRiver gauge, Scioto River	138 cfs	Normal	−2.0 cfs	9 mi
Mill Creek near Bellepoint OHRiver gauge, Mill Creek	24.1 cfs	Normal	−7.8 cfs	12 mi
Alum Creek at Columbus OHRiver gauge, Alum Creek	2.51 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Big Walnut Creek at Sunbury OHRiver gauge, Big Walnut Creek	7.8 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	13 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Olentangy River near Worthington OH?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 9.21 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 Olentangy River near Worthington OH today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.79 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Olentangy River near Worthington OH rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Olentangy River near Worthington OH normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Olentangy River near Worthington OH?

The highest level on record is 15.68 ft on January 21, 1959.

Is Olentangy River near Worthington OH expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:03226800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.11034, -83.03185 (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	1.79 ft	2026-10-20 05:30	Provisional
Flow	55.9 cfs	2026-10-20 05:30	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/13603?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Olentangy River near Worthington OH water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Olentangy River near Worthington OH (usgs:03226800). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/ohio/olentangy-river-near-worthington-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