St. Johns River at Buffalo Bluff, FL
River level and flood forecast · Putnam County
Normal0.6 ftas of Mon 2:15 PM
The river is 0.9 ft below flood stage (1.5 ft).
Flow: 18,500 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 | 3 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 2 ft |
| Flood stage | 1.5 ft |
| Action stage | 1 ft |
| Record crest (September 29, 2022) | 3.36 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 3 ftMajor Flooding - 3.0 feet above MHHW - Extensive inundation of structures and roads in the area is expected. Evacuations of people or transfer of property to higher ground is likely and the advice of Emergency Management should be heeded.
- 2 ftModerate Flooding - 2.0 feet above MHHW - Some flooding of structures and roads along the St. Johns River and other inland waterways is expected. Evacuation of people or property to higher ground is possible and the advice of Emergency Management or local officials should be heeded.
- 1.5 ftMinor Flooding - 1.5 feet above MHHW - Flooding of low lying areas, parks, campgrounds and normally flood prone roadways is likely. Some boat ramps and docks along the St. Johns River and other inland waterways will begin to flood.
- 1 ftAction Stage - 1.0 feet above MHHW - Minor Flooding possible. Should water levels continue rising...preparations to protect property should begin. Low lying roads in Sportsman Park and Stephens Point in Welaka may begin to flood above this level.
Highest crests on record
- 3.36 ft — September 29, 2022
- 3.23 ft — September 30, 2022
- 3.18 ft — October 7, 2016
- 3.18 ft — September 30, 2022
- 3.14 ft — October 10, 2024
Recent crests: 1.56 ft (September 27, 2026) · 1.53 ft (September 27, 2026) · 1.58 ft (September 26, 2026) · 1.54 ft (September 26, 2026) · 1.52 ft (September 25, 2026)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamSt. Johns River at Astor, FL
- Dunns Creek near Satsuma, FL
- Ocklawaha River below Kirkpatrick Dam, FL
- Deep Creek at Spuds, FL
- St. Johns River at Racy Point, FL
- Orange Creek at Orange Springs, FL
- Ocklawaha River at Eureka, FL
- Haw Creek above Russell Landing, FL
- South Fork Black Creek near Penney Farms, FL
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (PALF1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.