Oconee River below Oconee, GA
River level and flood forecast · Wilkinson County
Normal1.5 ftas of Mon 2:45 PM
The river is 15.5 ft below flood stage (17 ft).
Forecast to rise to 1.8 ft Tue 2 AM, below the 17 ft flood stage.
Flow: 531 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 10:34 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 25 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 21 ft |
| Flood stage | 17 ft |
| Action stage | 14 ft |
| Record crest (March 10, 1998) | 29.9 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 29 ftNear record flooding occurs with widespread inundation of the woodlands along the river. Some areas will be up to 10 feet under water. Old Balls Ferry Road north of Georgia Highway 57 will be under 3 to 7 feet of water. The water level will be around 4 feet deep in the USGS gage house near the boat ramp. This will likely cause a loss of data transmission.
- 27 ftMajor flooding continues. Most of Old Balls Ferry Road north of Georgia Highway 57 will be under 3 to 5 feet of water. The water level will be around two feet deep in the USGS gage house near the boat ramp. This may affect data transmission. Widespread flooding up to several feet deep of the woodlands near the river occurs.
- 25 ftMajor flooding occurs. Most of Old Balls Ferry Road north of Georgia Highway 57 will be under one to three feet of water. The water level reaches the bottom of the USGS gaging equipment near the boat ramp. Widespread flooding up to several feet deep of the woodlands near the river occurs.
- 23 ftModerate flooding continues. Portions of the Old Balls Ferry Road leading to the boat ramp becomes flooded with a foot of water or more. The entire dirt parking lot near the boat ramp is under three to five feet of water. Extensive flooding of the woodlands near the river continues.
- 21 ftModerate flooding begins. The dirt parking lot by the Old Balls Ferry Road boat ramp is under one to three feet of water. The end of Old Balls Ferry Road begins to flood. Flooding continues and spreads further into the woodlands near the river.
- 19 ftThe water level begins to flood the dirt parking lot area near the Old Balls Ferry Road boat ramp...just upstream and rightbank from the Georgia Highway 57 bridge. Minor flooding continues and spreads further into the woodlands near the river.
- 18 ftThe water level begins to flood portions of the dirt parking lot area near the Old Balls Ferry Road boat ramp...just upstream and rightbank from the Georgia Highway 57 bridge. Minor flooding continues in the woodlands near the river.
- 17 ftFlood stage is reached. The water level reaches the top of the Old Balls Ferry Road boat ramp...just upstream and rightbank from the Georgia Highway 57 bridge. Minor flooding of woodlands near the river occurs.
- 14 ftBankfull conditions are reached along the river. The Old Balls Ferry Road boat ramp...just upstream and right bank from the Georgia Highway 57 bridge...will begin to flood.
Highest crests on record
- 29.9 ft — March 10, 1998
- 27.01 ft — December 26, 2015
- 26.39 ft — February 9, 2020
- 25.82 ft — February 20, 1995
- 25.55 ft — March 29, 2023
Recent crests: 18.19 ft (March 2, 2026) · 18.89 ft (August 9, 2025) · 20.64 ft (April 10, 2025) · 18.93 ft (February 18, 2025) · 19.36 ft (September 30, 2024)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamOconee River at Avant Mine near Oconee, GA
- DownstreamOconee River at Dublin, GA
- Buffalo Creek at GA 272 near Oconee, GA
- Big Sandy Creek at US 441 near Irwinton, GA
- Comissioner Creek at US 441 at McIntyre, GA
- Williamson Swamp Creek at Davisboro, GA
- Oconee River at Milledgeville, GA
- Ogeechee River at GA 88 near Grange, GA
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (OCNG1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.