Apalachicola River near Sumatra, FL

River level and flood forecast · Franklin County

Normal6.2 ftas of Mon 3:45 PM

The river is 3.3 ft below flood stage (9.5 ft).

Flow: 26,200 cubic feet per second (USGS).

The last 7 days and the forecast

NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 7 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

Major flood stage	13.5 ft
Moderate flood stage	11.5 ft
Flood stage	9.5 ft
Action stage	8 ft
Record crest (March 15, 1998)	15.36 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

14 ftIn Howard Creek in Gulf County, significant flooding will result in portions of the community being inaccessible. Water will be up to 3 feet deep in some areas, flooding even some homes that are elevated.
13.5 ftAt Howard Creek in Gulf County water will be up to 2 feet deep throughout portions of the community. Homes not elevated will be prone to flooding.
12.5 ftIn Howard Creek in Gulf County, numerous roads in the area are subject to closure. Water will begin to surround structures, with up to 1 foot of standing water in a few areas.
11.5 ftAt Howard Creek in Gulf County, water begins to cover roads and restrict access throughout the area.
11 ftFlooding begins on the east bank of the river at Fort Gadsden in Franklin County.
9.5 ftWater begins to flood low lying areas around Howard Creek in Gulf County.
8 ftThe boat ramp at Howard Creek Landing in Gulf County will be prone to flooding.

Highest crests on record

15.36 ft — March 15, 1998
15.05 ft — July 13, 1994
13.83 ft — January 1, 2016
13.82 ft — March 24, 1990
13.69 ft — April 5, 2005

Recent crests: 11.16 ft (March 16, 2024) · 10.91 ft (February 20, 2024) · 9.99 ft (September 25, 2020) · 13.13 ft (March 13, 2020) · 11.53 ft (February 27, 2020)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Franklin County NWS gauge page USGS gauge 02359170

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (SMAF1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.