Chattahoochee River at 14th Street at Columbus, GA

River level and flood forecast · Muscogee County

Normal16.5 ftas of Mon 3:45 PM

The river is 10.5 ft below flood stage (27 ft).

Flow: 1,020 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	47 ft
Moderate flood stage	42 ft
Flood stage	27 ft
Action stage	25 ft
Record crest (March 15, 1929)	55.2 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

55 ftRecord flooding occurs with a catastrophic and massive flood affecting Columbus and Phenix City. Most bridges will be closed with extensive damage to homes and businesses. The Weracoba and Bull Creeks will back up and cause additional damage to homes and businesses in Columbus. Portions of the Colonial Park area of south Columbus will be flooded 8 feet deep and will likely affect the water treatment plant. The USGS gage house at 14th Street will be under 6 feet of water with loss of data transmission.
52 ftWidespread inundation flooding expands further into Columbus and Phenix City causing extensive damage to many homes and businesses. Most bridges will be closed. The Weracoba and Bull Creeks will back up and cause additional damage to homes and businesses in Columbus. Portions of the Colonial Park area of south Columbus will be flooded 5 feet deep and will likely affect the water treatment plant. The USGS gage house at the 14th Street bridge will be under 3 feet of water with a loss of data transmission.
49 ftWidespread inundation flooding expands along the river upstream and downstream from Columbus and Phenix City causing damage to many homes and businesses. The Weracoba and Bull Creeks will back up in low lying areas and cause extensive damage to homes and businesses in Columbus. Portions of the Colonial Park area of south Columbus will be flooded two feet deep. Flood waters reach the top of USGS gage house at the 14th Street bridge with a loss of data transmission.
47 ftMajor flooding begins. Widespread inundation flooding occurs over portions of Bay Avenue and 14th Street in Columbus and 1st and 2nd Avenue in Phenix City. The Weracoba and Bull Creeks will back up in low lying areas and cause extensive damage to homes and businesses in Columbus. Portions of the Colonial Park area of south Columbus will begin to flood. Flood waters reach the bottom of the USGS gage house which may affect transmission of data.
45 ftSignificant flooding covers the River Walk in Columbus. Portions of Bay Avenue and 14th Street in Columbus and Second Avenue in Phenix City begin to flood. The Weracoba and Bull Creeks will back up and flood portions of roads and some homes in low lying areas in Columbus. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be completely flooded. Large portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under 15 feet of water.
44 ftSignificant flooding covers the River Walk in Columbus with flowing water up to 17 feet deep. Portions of Bay Avenue in Columbus begin to flood. The Weracoba and Bull Creeks will back up and begin to flood portions of roads and some homes in low lying areas in Columbus. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be completely flooded. Large portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under 14 feet of water.
42 ftModerate flooding begins. Significant flooding covers the River Walk in Columbus with flowing water up to 15 feet deep. The Weracoba Creek will back up and begin to flood portions of roads in south Columbus. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be completely flooded. Large portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under 12 feet of water. Portions of the Oxbow Creek Golf Course will be flooded with 7 feet of water.
41 ftMinor flooding expands upstream and downstream from the gage on 14th Street. The River Walk in Columbus will be covered with flowing water up to 14 feet deep. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be flooded up to 13 feet deep and the access road to the complex will be under 6 feet of water. Large portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under 11 feet of water. Portions of the Oxbow Creek Golf Course will be flooded with 6 feet of water.
38 ftMinor flooding expands upstream and downstream from the gage on 14th Street. Most of the River Walk in Columbus will be covered with flowing water up to 11 feet deep. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be flooded up to 10 feet deep and the access road to the complex will be under 3 feet of water. Large portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under 8 feet of water. Portions of the Oxbow Creek Golf Course in south Columbus will be flooded with 3 feet of water.
36 ftMinor flooding expands upstream and downstream from the gage at 14th Street. Most of the River Walk in Columbus will be covered with flowing water up to 9 feet deep. The restrooms by the River Walk will begin to flood. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be flooded up to 8 feet deep and the access road to the complex will be under a foot of water. Large portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under 6 feet of water. Portions of the Oxbow Creek Golf Course in south Columbus will be flooded.
35 ftMinor flooding expands upstream and downstream from the 14th Street bridge. The River Walk in Columbus will be covered with water up to 8 feet deep. A maintenance room under the Trade Center will be flooded 3 feet deep. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be flooded up to 7 feet deep and the access road to the complex will begin to flood. Large portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under 5 feet of water. Portions of the Oxbow Creek Golf Course in south Columbus will begin to flood.
32 ftMinor flooding continues to expand along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on the 14th Street bridge. Large portions of the River Walk in Columbus will be completely covered with flowing water up to 5 feet deep. Flood waters reach the maintenance doors underneath the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be flooded up to 4 feet deep. Portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under two feet of water.
31 ftMinor flooding continues along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on the 14th Street bridge. Large portions of the River Walk in Columbus will be completely covered with flowing water up to 4 feet deep. Flood waters approach the maintenance doors underneath the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be flooded up to 3 feet deep. Portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will be under one foot of water and will be closed to the public.
30 ftMinor flooding continues along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on the 14th Street bridge. Large portions of the River Walk in Columbus will be flooded up to 3 feet deep. The water level reaches the top of the boat ramp behind the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. The Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama will be flooded up to two feet deep. Portions of the River Walk in Phenix City will begin to flood.
28 ftMinor flooding continues along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on the 14th Street bridge. Portions of the River Walk in Columbus will be flooded around one foot deep and closed to the public. The Phenix City Amphitheater on the Alabama side will begin to flood.
27 ftFlood stage is reached. Minor flooding occurs along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on the 14th Street bridge. Portions of the River Walk in Columbus begin to flood and will be closed to the public. The water level continues to approach the foundation of the Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama.
25 ftBankfull conditions occur along the river upstream and downstream from the gage on the 14th Street bridge. The water level approaches the River Walk in downtown Columbus and the Phenix City Amphitheater in Alabama.

Highest crests on record

55.2 ft — March 15, 1929
52.6 ft — December 12, 1919
49.8 ft — February 26, 1961
48 ft — January 19, 1925
45.89 ft — April 8, 1964

Recent crests: 27.16 ft (May 28, 2025) · 28.75 ft (April 8, 2025) · 30.34 ft (February 16, 2025) · 27.41 ft (September 30, 2024) · 30.74 ft (September 28, 2024)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Muscogee County NWS gauge page USGS gauge 02341460

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (CBUG1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.