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Hydrograph River at a Glance Download
Ohio River at Cairo Stage (ft)Highest Observation: 23.95 ft at 9:00PM Jan 13, 2021Observed: 23.84 ft at 10:00PM Jan 13, 2021Observed: 23.73 ft at 11:00PM Jan 13, 2021Observed: 23.63 ft at 12:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 23.52 ft at 1:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 23.43 ft at 2:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 23.34 ft at 3:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 23.25 ft at 4:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 23.16 ft at 5:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 23.07 ft at 6:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.98 ft at 7:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.88 ft at 8:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.77 ft at 9:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.65 ft at 10:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.53 ft at 11:00AM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.39 ft at 12:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.25 ft at 1:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 22.1 ft at 2:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.93 ft at 3:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.76 ft at 4:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.62 ft at 5:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.48 ft at 6:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.36 ft at 7:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.25 ft at 8:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.15 ft at 9:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 21.06 ft at 10:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 20.98 ft at 11:00PM Jan 14, 2021Observed: 20.9 ft at 12:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.83 ft at 1:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.76 ft at 2:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.7 ft at 3:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.65 ft at 4:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.61 ft at 5:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.58 ft at 6:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.54 ft at 7:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.51 ft at 8:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.46 ft at 9:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.43 ft at 10:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.39 ft at 11:00AM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.34 ft at 12:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.32 ft at 1:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.28 ft at 2:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.24 ft at 3:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.21 ft at 4:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.17 ft at 5:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.14 ft at 6:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.12 ft at 7:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.09 ft at 8:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.06 ft at 9:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.04 ft at 10:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 20.02 ft at 11:00PM Jan 15, 2021Observed: 19.96 ft at 12:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.84 ft at 1:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.74 ft at 2:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.67 ft at 3:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.61 ft at 4:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.57 ft at 5:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.53 ft at 6:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.49 ft at 7:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.44 ft at 8:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.41 ft at 9:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.37 ft at 10:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.3 ft at 11:00AM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.22 ft at 12:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.16 ft at 1:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.1 ft at 2:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.06 ft at 3:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 19.02 ft at 4:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.99 ft at 5:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.97 ft at 6:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.95 ft at 7:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.92 ft at 8:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.91 ft at 9:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.89 ft at 10:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.87 ft at 11:00PM Jan 16, 2021Observed: 18.85 ft at 12:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.84 ft at 1:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.83 ft at 2:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.82 ft at 3:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.82 ft at 4:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.8 ft at 5:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.79 ft at 6:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.78 ft at 7:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.78 ft at 8:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.76 ft at 9:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.75 ft at 10:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.74 ft at 11:00AM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.71 ft at 12:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.61 ft at 1:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.54 ft at 2:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.49 ft at 3:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.45 ft at 4:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.42 ft at 5:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.4 ft at 6:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.34 ft at 7:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.25 ft at 8:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.18 ft at 9:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.13 ft at 10:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.08 ft at 11:00PM Jan 17, 2021Observed: 18.04 ft at 12:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 18.02 ft at 1:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 18 ft at 2:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.96 ft at 3:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.87 ft at 4:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.8 ft at 5:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.73 ft at 6:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.58 ft at 7:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.4 ft at 8:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.19 ft at 9:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17 ft at 10:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.84 ft at 11:00AM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.7 ft at 12:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.59 ft at 1:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.52 ft at 2:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.49 ft at 3:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.52 ft at 4:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.57 ft at 5:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.62 ft at 6:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.7 ft at 7:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.81 ft at 8:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.9 ft at 9:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 16.98 ft at 10:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.11 ft at 11:00PM Jan 18, 2021Observed: 17.29 ft at 12:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.46 ft at 1:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.6 ft at 2:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.7 ft at 3:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.71 ft at 4:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.7 ft at 5:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.67 ft at 6:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.53 ft at 7:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.39 ft at 8:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.27 ft at 9:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.18 ft at 10:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.1 ft at 11:00AM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.06 ft at 12:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.06 ft at 1:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.07 ft at 2:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.07 ft at 3:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.06 ft at 4:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.05 ft at 5:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.04 ft at 6:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.03 ft at 7:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17.02 ft at 8:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 17 ft at 9:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 16.99 ft at 10:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 16.98 ft at 11:00PM Jan 19, 2021Observed: 16.96 ft at 12:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.9 ft at 1:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.86 ft at 2:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.82 ft at 3:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.78 ft at 4:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.75 ft at 5:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.73 ft at 6:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.72 ft at 7:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.69 ft at 8:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.67 ft at 9:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.66 ft at 10:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.65 ft at 11:00AM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.65 ft at 12:00PM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.65 ft at 1:00PM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.63 ft at 2:00PM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.63 ft at 3:00PM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.63 ft at 4:00PM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.62 ft at 5:00PM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.61 ft at 6:00PM Jan 20, 2021Observed: 16.61 ft at 7:00PM Jan 20, 2021Highest Forecast: 16.3 ft 12:00AM Jan 21, 2021Forecast: 16.2 ft 6:00AM Jan 21, 2021Forecast: 16.1 ft 12:00PM Jan 21, 2021Forecast: 16 ft 6:00PM Jan 21, 2021Forecast: 15.9 ft 12:00AM Jan 22, 2021Forecast: 15.8 ft 6:00AM Jan 22, 2021Forecast: 15.7 ft 12:00PM Jan 22, 2021Forecast: 15.6 ft 6:00PM Jan 22, 2021Forecast: 15.5 ft 12:00AM Jan 23, 2021Forecast: 15.4 ft 6:00AM Jan 23, 2021Forecast: 15.3 ft 12:00PM Jan 23, 2021Forecast: 15.2 ft 6:00PM Jan 23, 2021Forecast: 15.1 ft 12:00AM Jan 24, 2021Forecast: 15 ft 6:00AM Jan 24, 2021Forecast: 15 ft 12:00PM Jan 24, 2021Forecast: 14.9 ft 6:00PM Jan 24, 2021Forecast: 14.8 ft 12:00AM Jan 25, 2021Forecast: 14.7 ft 6:00AM Jan 25, 2021Forecast: 14.6 ft 12:00PM Jan 25, 2021Forecast: 14.5 ft 6:00PM Jan 25, 2021Forecast: 14.4 ft 12:00AM Jan 26, 2021Forecast: 14.3 ft 6:00AM Jan 26, 2021Forecast: 14.2 ft 12:00PM Jan 26, 2021Forecast: 14.1 ft 6:00PM Jan 26, 2021Forecast: 14 ft 12:00AM Jan 27, 2021Forecast: 14 ft 6:00AM Jan 27, 2021Forecast: 13.9 ft 12:00PM Jan 27, 2021Forecast: 13.8 ft 6:00PM Jan 27, 2021Forecast: 13.8 ft 12:00AM Jan 28, 2021Forecast: 13.7 ft 6:00AM Jan 28, 2021Forecast: 13.7 ft 12:00PM Jan 28, 2021Forecast: 13.6 ft 6:00PM Jan 28, 2021Forecast: 13.6 ft 12:00AM Jan 29, 2021Forecast: 13.5 ft 6:00AM Jan 29, 2021Forecast: 13.5 ft 12:00PM Jan 29, 2021Forecast: 13.5 ft 6:00PM Jan 29, 2021Forecast: 13.4 ft 12:00AM Jan 30, 2021Forecast: 13.4 ft 6:00AM Jan 30, 2021Forecast: 13.3 ft 12:00PM Jan 30, 2021Forecast: 13.3 ft 6:00PM Jan 30, 2021Forecast: 13.2 ft 12:00AM Jan 31, 2021Forecast: 13.2 ft 6:00AM Jan 31, 2021Forecast: 13.2 ft 12:00PM Jan 31, 2021Forecast: 13.1 ft 6:00PM Jan 31, 2021Forecast: 13.1 ft 12:00AM Feb 01, 2021Forecast: 13.1 ft 6:00AM Feb 01, 2021Forecast: 13.1 ft 12:00PM Feb 01, 2021Forecast: 13.1 ft 6:00PM Feb 01, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 12:00AM Feb 02, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 6:00AM Feb 02, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 12:00PM Feb 02, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 6:00PM Feb 02, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 12:00AM Feb 03, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 6:00AM Feb 03, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 12:00PM Feb 03, 2021Forecast: 13 ft 6:00PM Feb 03, 2021CIRI2(plotting HGIRG) Graph Created (8:17PM Jan 20, 2021)ObservedForecast (issued 8:31AM Jan 20)Latest observed value: 16.61 ft at 7:00 PM CST 20-Jan-2021. Flood Stage is 40 ft
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About this graph
Tabular Data (UTC)
Tabular Data (CST)
XML Data
RSS Files
Datum: Not Available
Metadata
NOTE: River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.

NOTE: Forecasts for the Ohio River at Cairo are issued routinely year-round.

Return to Area Map
Upstream Gauge - at Olmsted Lock and Dam Tailwater Upstream Gauge Downstream Gauge Downstream Gauge - above Wickliffe
Flood Categories (in feet)
Major Flood Stage: 53
Moderate Flood Stage: 47
Flood Stage: 40
Action Stage: 32
Low Stage (in feet): 9.4

Historic Crests
(1) 61.72 ft on 05/02/2011
(2) 59.50 ft on 02/03/1937
(3) 56.50 ft on 04/03/1975
(4) 56.40 ft on 04/20/1927
(5) 56.20 ft on 03/11/1997
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 46.74 ft on 06/01/2020
(2) 44.72 ft on 05/01/2020
(3) 52.64 ft on 03/31/2020
(4) 51.60 ft on 02/22/2020
(5) 49.46 ft on 01/16/2020
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
(1) -1.00 ft on 12/24/1871
(2) 0.30 ft on 12/30/1876
(3) 1.10 ft on 01/01/1877
Show More Low Water Records

For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov.
Zoom Level:16
KML Image
Gauge LocationGauge Map Marker
 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 Collapse
If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
65 The river will reach the top of the protection at Mounds and Mound City.
64 The river will reach the top of the protection of Cairo.
61.72 This flood will exceed the highest stage on record.
56 U.S. Highway 51 near Wickliffe is flooded.
50 The first gate is closed at Cairo.
40 Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly agricultural bottomland and low lying areas.
32 Cairo begins pumping operations.
Photos
(1) Gage House
(2) Ohio River Downstream
(3) Confluence Looking Toward Cairo
(4) Confluence at Fort Defiance
(5) Confluence Looking Up Mississippi
About This Location Collapse

Latitude: 37.000000° N, Longitude: 89.162500° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD83/WGS84

River Stage
Reference Frame		 Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses
NWS stage 0 ft 40 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 270.87 310.87 Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29 270.47 310.47 Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL Not Available Not Available Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other 270.9 ft 310.9 ft Ohio River Datum
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Collaborative Agencies Collapse
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
National Weather Service
Paducah Weather Forecast Office
8250 Highway 3520
West Paducah, KY 42086-6440
(270) 744-6440
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