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Middle Oconee River at US 78 at Athens — water level right now

Clarke County, Georgia · NWS gauge MOCG1
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
18
minor flood stage
 
25.5
record crest
set 1902-02-28
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 15
minor · 18
moderate · 20
major · 22
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage22extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage20some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage18low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage15water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
125.51902-02-28+7.5 above
223.61929-03-05+5.6 above
3231939-08-19+5 above
421.31929-10-02+3.3 above
521.21998-02-05+3.2 above
620.841990-03-08+2.84 above
720.841990-03-18+2.84 above
820.621976-05-30+2.62 above
920.541969-01-21+2.54 above
1020.31940-08-14+2.3 above
1120.11977-11-07+2.1 above
1219.961979-04-15+1.96 above

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

North Oconee River at College Street at Athens 3 mi away · loading… Middle Oconee River near Arcade 10 mi away · loading… Apalachee River near Bostwick 11 mi away · loading… Parks Creek at Lyle Field Road near Jefferson 16 mi away · loading… Oconee River near Penfield 17 mi away · loading… Mulberry Creek (GA) near Winder 18 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDMOCG1
USGS site02217500
CountyClarke
StateGeorgia
NWS forecast officePeachtree City
River forecast centerSoutheast River Forecast Center
Coordinates33.947, -83.423
Time zoneEST5EDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Middle Oconee River at US 78 at Athens

Is Middle Oconee River at US 78 at Athens flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 18 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Middle Oconee River at US 78 at Athens?

major flood stage 22 ft, moderate flood stage 20 ft, minor flood stage 18 ft, action stage 15 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Middle Oconee River at US 78 at Athens?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 25.5 ft, reached on 1902-02-28 — that is 7.5 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Peachtree City and local emergency management.