Etowah River Downstream I-575 at Canton, GA
River level and flood forecast · Cherokee County
Normal2.8 ftas of Mon 3:45 PM
The river is 14.2 ft below flood stage (17 ft).
Flow: 474 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 | 27 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 23 ft |
| Flood stage | 17 ft |
| Action stage | 16 ft |
| Record crest (February 13, 2025) | 24.87 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 31 ftWidespread inundation flooding never seen before occurs generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. Flood waters will be up to 6 feet deep in all of the businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive. Flooding will occur on Riverstone Parkway between the Interstate and Riverstone Boulevard. Flood waters will enter the USGS gage house and will likely cause a data transmission loss.
- 29 ftMajor flooding continues with widespread inundation occurring generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. Flood waters will reach the foundation of a Cherokee County sewage pump station off of Riverstone Parkway and some businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive will be flooded with up to 4 feet of water. Flood waters will be up to 8 feet deep around the wooden structure supporting the USGS gage house behind the pump station.
- 27 ftMajor flooding begins. Widespread inundation flooding occurs generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. A sewer cover behind a pump station off of Riverstone Parkway and some businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive will be flooded with up to 3 feet of water. Flood waters will be up to 6 feet deep around the wooden structure supporting the USGS gage house behind the pump station.
- 26 ftSignificant flooding continues to expand further generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. A sewer cover behind a pump station off of Riverstone Parkway and some businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive will be flooded with up to two feet of water. Flood waters will be up to 5 feet deep around the wooden structure supporting the USGS gage house behind the pump station.
- 24 ftSignificant flooding continues generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. The flood waters will top a sewer cover behind a pump station off of Riverstone Parkway and affect the foundations of some businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive. Flood waters will be up to 3 feet deep around the wooden structure supporting the USGS gage house behind the pump station.
- 23 ftModerate flooding begins. Significant flooding occurs generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. The flood waters will approach the top of a sewer cover behind a pump station off of Riverstone Parkway and the foundations of some businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive. Flood waters will be up to two feet deep around the wooden structure supporting the USGS gage house behind the pump station.
- 22 ftMinor flooding expands much further into the woodlands and fields along the river generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. A grassy lot behind a pump station off of Riverstone Parkway and areas behind the businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive are flooded with up to 3 feet of water. An inground electrical box near the pump station and truck trailers at the end of Keith Drive will begin to flood. Flood waters will surround the wooden structure supporting the USGS gage house.
- 20 ftMinor flooding continues to expand in the woodlands and fields along the river generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. A rock landing and grassy lot behind a pump station off of Riverstone Parkway and areas behind the businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive are flooded with up to two feet of water.
- 18 ftMinor flooding continues in the woodlands and fields along the river generally east of Canton near the Interstate 575 bridge. A rock landing and grassy lot behind the pump station off of Riverstone Parkway begins to flood. Flooding also occurs in areas behind the businesses on Old Ball Ground Highway and Keith Drive.
- 17 ftFlood stage is reached. Minor flooding begins in the woodlands and fields along the river generally east of Canton. This includes the grassy lot behind a pump station off Riverstone Parkway and near the Interstate 575 bridge.
- 16 ftBankfull conditions are reached along the river generally east of Canton. The water begins to flood low lying areas behind a pump station off Riverstone Parkway and near the Interstate 575 bridge.
Highest crests on record
- 24.87 ft — February 13, 2025
- 24.36 ft — August 8, 2013
- 24.03 ft — February 7, 2020
- 23.01 ft — December 23, 2013
- 22.9 ft — February 22, 2019
Recent crests: 19.64 ft (January 11, 2026) · 24.87 ft (February 13, 2025) · 18.12 ft (January 26, 2024) · 21.46 ft (January 10, 2024) · 21.86 ft (January 5, 2023)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamEtowah River at GA 9 near Dawsonville, GA
- DownstreamEtowah River at Canton, GA
- Hickory Log Creek near Canton, GA
- Sharp Mountain Creek at Old GA 5 below Ball Ground, GA
- Shoal Creek at GA 108 near Waleska, GA
- Little River at GA 5 near Woodstock, GA
- Settingdown Creek near Ball Ground, GA
- Noonday Creek at Shallowford River near Woodstock, GA
- Noonday Creek at Hawkins Store Road near Blackwells, GA
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (ECTG1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.