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Weather Forecast Office Indianapolis, IN

Ohio River Forecast Center

Hydrograph

River at a Glance

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Tabular Data (UTC)

Tabular Data (EDT)

Datum: NGVD29

Metadata

NOTE: The future pool levels are furnished by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

NOTE: Forecasts for the Salt Creek (IN) at Monroe Lake are issued routinely year-round.

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Upstream Gauge

Downstream Gauge

Flood Categories (in feet)

Major Flood Stage:	556
Moderate Flood Stage:	556
Flood Stage:	556
Action Stage:	556
Low Stage (in feet):	536

Historic Crests
(1) 557.28 ft on 05/04/2011
(2) 556.25 ft on 05/15/2002
(3) 555.03 ft on 04/13/2008
(4) 554.95 ft on 05/16/1996
(5) 553.10 ft on 02/26/2019
(6) 552.83 ft on 06/30/2019
(7) 551.55 ft on 05/17/1983
(8) 551.39 ft on 01/18/2005
(9) 551.27 ft on 06/25/1998
(10) 551.10 ft on 01/24/2007
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 552.83 ft on 06/30/2019
(2) 553.10 ft on 02/26/2019
(3) 551.01 ft on 04/16/2018
(4) 545.76 ft on 05/20/2017
(5) 542.27 ft on 01/29/2017
(6) 545.64 ft on 03/17/2016
(7) 549.57 ft on 07/26/2015
(8) 546.62 ft on 04/16/2014
(9) 545.57 ft on 01/12/2014
(10) 546.41 ft on 01/30/2012
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
(1) 528.98 ft on 03/01/1984
(2) 533.20 ft on 11/03/1988
(3) 533.65 ft on 11/13/2005
(4) 534.43 ft on 11/25/2007
(5) 534.80 ft on 10/30/1966
Show More Low Water Records

For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov.

Show FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers

Zoom Level:12

	Gauge Location	Disclaimer
Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.

Flood Impacts & Photos

If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
574	Top of Dam.
566	Top of Stored Emergency Gage.
556.7	On May 3, 2011 WISH-TV toured the the lake and found submerged beaches, parking lot, hiking paths and boat slips nearly inaccessible. At the Four Winds Resort walkways were flooded and only the roof of the wedding tiki hut above water.
556.6	Valley Mission Road is closed at this level or slightly higher because of water going through the emergency spillway.
556	Flood Pool Elevation. South Dam access road closed. North Fork of Cleve Butcher Road floods. Flood Pool covers 18,450 acres and stretchs for 44 miles. There is a 3.3% annual chance of occurrence of this level.
555	Lake Monroe Sailing Association, visitor parking lot, service road to Area D, campsites in Area B, Area C and Area H at Paynetown flooded. Brummett Creek Road and Old State Road 46 begin to flood. Brummett Creek Road often flooded by Salt Creek and not the dam. There is a 6.7% annual chance of occurrence of this level.
554	Playground at Paynetown campground flooded. There is a 10% annual chance of occurrence of this level.
553.25	Four campsites in Area A of Paynetown Campground flooded. Boom for multi-level jib crane under water.
552	Brummett Creek Road flooded. Pit toilet flooded in Paynetown Campground.
551.7	Allen's Creek SRA Road floods. Approach road to Hardin Ridge Beach closed. IDNR storage building at Crooked Creek, boat storage at Lake Monroe Sailing Association, Pine Grove ramp access road and Crooked Creek ramp flooded. Cutright highwater gravel access ramp begins to flood. There is about a 20% annual chance of occurrence of this level. Public report on April 6, 2018 indicated this road was open at 550.7 feet and estimated the road would flood near 552 feet rather than at 550 feet.
551.5	Cutright access road goes underwater near the main boat ramp. Access to ramp, picnic areas and Pleasure Craft Marina is unavailable by vehicle.
551	Lower end of Moore's Creek Road flooded.
549	North fork of Cleve Butcher Road flooded.
548	Approach road to Paynetown docks flooded.
547	Emergency bypass bulkhead under water.
546	Fairfax, Paynetown and Cutright ramps flooded.
545	Fairfax and Hardin Ridge beaches closed. There is a 50% annual chance of occurrence of this level.
544	Friendship, Stipp, and upper end of Moores Creek roads closed.
543	Paynetown beach and McGowan road to Northfork flooded. Water covers back platform of tower including emergency gate and bypass bulkhead slots. There is a 100% annual chance of occurrence of this level.
541	Drainage for marshes stopped. Many crop lease fields flooded.
540	Lake Monroe Sailing Association jib cranes flooded.
538	Year Round Pool Elevation. Normal Pool covers 10,750 acres and stretches for 37 miles.
537	Courtesy Dock adjusted.
536	Crooked Creek ramp closed.
535	Upper end of lake and east of causeway difficult to use.
534	Low lake level affects many areas around Monroe Lake. Allens Creek and Pinegrove ramps are closed. Nine slips on courtesy dock for campers impossible to use at Paynetown. Beach at Paynetown is down to mud. Left side of Paynetown launching ramp is closed. Impossible to launch boats with keel at Sailing Assoc. Boat docks difficult to use at Sailing Assoc. Difficult to launch boats with jib crane at Sailing Assoc. Problems with buoy fields at Fairfax Marina. Community Group Docks have to be adjusted.
515	Minimum Pool.
497	Elevation of low outlet.
Photos (1) Southwest view of lake tower with a lake elevation of 554.95 feet on April 14, 2008. (2) West view of lake tower with a lake elevation of 554.95 feet on April 14, 2008. (3) Northeast view of lake tower with a lake elevation of 554.95 feet on April 14, 2008. (4) North view of lake with an elevation of 554.95 feet on April 14, 2008. (5) East view of Lake at 554.95 feet through emergency spillway. (6) Looking away from dam in far northeast part of the emergency spillway. (7) Looking southeast at the lake full marker in the emergency spillway.. (8) Looking northwest at the lake full marker in the emergency spillway.. (9) Looking towards the dam at far southwest part of the emergency spillway. (10) Lowest spot of the emergency spillway. (11) Water through emergency spillway returns to Salt Creek this way. (12) April 6, 2008. Paynetown SRA. Lake pool 554.94 feet. SR 446 far right background. Credit: A Brooks.

Low Water Impacts

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538	Normal Pool Elevation of Monroe Lake.

About This Location

Latitude: 39.007222° N, Longitude: 86.513333° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD27

River Stage Reference Frame	Gauge Height	Flood Stage	Uses
NWS stage	0 ft	556 ft	Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps
Vertical Datum	Elevation (gauge height = 0)	Elevation (gauge height = flood stage)	Elevation information source
NAVD88	Not Available	Not Available	Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29	0.0	556.0	Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL	Not Available	Not Available	Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other	Not Available	Not Available

Current/Historical Observations:

Additional Information

Total Precipitation at Lake Monroe

Resources

Hydrologic Resources

Additional Resources

Collaborative Agencies

The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

NWS Information

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6900 West Hanna Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46241
(317) 856-0360
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Page last modified: 30-Oct-2020 4:10 PM

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