Whitewater River at Brookville, IN
River level and flood forecast · Franklin County
Normal2.9 ftas of Mon 3:45 PM
The river is 17.1 ft below flood stage (20 ft).
Forecast to hold near 2.9 ft through Sat, Oct 17, 8 AM.
Flow: 589 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 10:22 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 29 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 23 ft |
| Flood stage | 20 ft |
| Action stage | 14 ft |
| Record crest (March 25, 1913) | 39 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 39 ftThis will equal the previous flood of record. Many residents and businesses in Brookville will be completely inundated by water. Major flooding is widespread along the river from Stavetown, Indiana to Harrison, Ohio. Many roads, including Route 52, will be closed forcing residences and businesses to be evacuated.
- 36 ftNumerous evacuations within the flood plain will be necessary. Great destruction occurs to any development within the flood plain, including county roads, bridges and much of Route 52, as well as many of the homes in southern Brookville.
- 30 ftThe flood waters will cause significant damage within the floodplain, with numerous homes and businesses affected. Low areas of New Trenton, Stavetown, West Harrison, Indiana, and Harrison, Ohio are most impacted. Portions of Route 52 and low-lying secondary roads become flooded in areas. Much of the south side of Brookville is flooded.
- 28 ftThis is equivalent to the FEMA 500-year or 0.2 Percent flood. Extensive flooding occurs south of Broadway Street in Harrison Ohio, as well as structures along Longnecker Road near West Harrison. Flooding occurs south of Cleaver Street in Brookville.
- 26 ftNumerous county roads and Route 52 near Brookville are flooded. Campgrounds and mobile homes near the river would flood. Significant flooding can be expected in the southern area of Brookville, with structures flooded along the river from Mound Haven, Cedar Grove, New Trenton and to Harrison, Ohio.
- 25 ftFlooding occurs on numerous secondary roads near the river in Franklin and Dearborn Counties, as well as Route 52. Several structures are flooded from Mound Haven to Cedar Grove to New Trenton.
- 24 ftThis stage is roughly the FEMA 1 percent flood. Some homes along the river in New Trenton along St. Peters Road, with flooding also along Barber Road, as well as stretches of Highway 52 through Franklin County. Flooding occurs along Old Blue Creek Road near Brookville.
- 22 ftFlood waters close some county roads and may affect portions of Route 52. Agricultural lands, campgrounds and trailer parks flood extensively at this stage. Low areas of Cedar Grove, New Trenton, West Harrison, Indiana, and Harrison, Ohio are impacted.
- 20 ftFlooding approaches structures in areas of Cedar Grove and New Trenton, as well as West Harrison, Indiana and Harrison, Ohio, with some lowland roads affected near the river. Particularly affected are low areas from Stavetown, Indiana to Harrison, Ohio. Some secondary roads become flooded, and residents near the river may need to move to higher ground in these areas.
- 19 ftSome new developments downstream of Brookville experience basement flooding, while flooding of low areas continues along the river in New Trenton and Cedar Grove, Indiana, as well as West Harrison, Indiana and Harrison, Ohio.
- 18 ftLowland flooding can be expected in Cedar Grove, New Trenton and West Harrison, Indiana, as well as Harrison, Ohio. Homes along Lawrenceburg Road have flooded basements. Homes and businesses in Whitewater Township, Ohio along the river incur basement and some first-level flooding. Portions of Lawrenceburg Road and Sustpension Bridge Road are flooded in Miami Township Ohio. Campgrounds and recreational areas near Brookville are affected.
- 16 ftLowland flooding can be expected near Cedar Grove and New Trenton, with lowland flooding also occurring in West Harrison, Indiana and Harrison, Ohio.
- 15 ftThe river overflows into some yards, as well as campgrounds near Cedar Grove and New Trenton, with lowland flooding also occurring in West Harrison, Indiana and Harrison, Ohio, especially near the Lawrenceburg Road area.
- 14 ftCampground and recreational areas flood in the Cedar Grove and New Trenton areas in southern Franklin County.
Highest crests on record
- 39 ft — March 25, 1913
- 27.78 ft — January 21, 1959
- 25.29 ft — August 14, 2026
- 24.91 ft — March 5, 1963
- 23.55 ft — May 24, 1968
Recent crests: 25.29 ft (August 14, 2026) · 20.36 ft (April 5, 2025) · 19.18 ft (March 20, 2020) · 20.32 ft (February 8, 2019) · 20.3 ft (April 3, 2018)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BRKI3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.