Olentangy River near Worthington, OH

River level and flood forecast · Franklin County

Normal1.7 ftas of Mon 4:15 PM

The river is 9.3 ft below flood stage (11 ft).

Forecast to hold near 1.7 ft through Sat, Oct 17, 8 AM.

Flow: 52 cubic feet per second (USGS).

The last 7 days and the forecast

NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 10:11 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

Major flood stage	15 ft
Moderate flood stage	13 ft
Flood stage	11 ft
Action stage	8 ft
Record crest (January 21, 1959)	15.68 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

18.5 ftThis would roughly equal the FEMA 500 year or 0.2 percent flood event. Significant flooding of homes on Plumtree and Edgecliff Drives in Mount Air occurs east of Route 315, with the Powell Waste Water Treatment Plant in southern Delaware County also flooded. Substantial flooding occurs along Rivers Edge Drive and Mount Air Place. Flooding would occur on The Ohio State campus, from along and north of Herrick Drive to Woody Hayes Drive, in areas west of Tuttle Park Place.
18 ftWidespread flooding occurs in sections of Worthington near the river, with homes flooded along Edgecliff and Plumtree Drives in Mount Air. Some flooding begins at the Powell Waste Water Treatment Plant.
17 ftThis is above the FEMA 1 percent flood. Homes flood along Rosslyn and Kanawha Avenues and Tucker Drive in Worthington, with severe flooding along Edgecliff and Plumtree Drives in Mount Air, and along Olentangy River Road in Powell. Much of Olentangy Park and the bike trail are flooded. Flooding extends onto the back of properties along Masefield Street. The OhioHealth Primary Care facility also floods, with water also approaching the Powell Waste Water Treatment Plant. Whetstone High School may also flood.
15 ftHomes in Mt. Air are severely flooded along Edgecliff and Plumtree Drives close to the river, with Olentangy River Road flooded in areas from near Hyatts Road to Jewett Road. Flooding worsens near Worthington near Olentangy Park and along the bike trail.
13 ftSeveral homes along Edgecliff Drive in Mt. Air flood, and flooding worsens in low areas along the Olentangy River in Mount Air, and lowland areas near the river in Worthington experience flooding. Olentangy River Road near Powell also is flooded, with backwater flooding also affecting some side streets onto Olentangy River Road. Flooding in and near Worthington is confined to Olentangy Park and along the bike trail.
12 ftHomes along Edgecliff Drive in Mt. Air flood, as well as the playground of Olentangy Park. Olentangy River Road is flooded and impassible from near Powell Road to near Jewett Road.
11 ftFloodwater surrounds homes along Edgecliff Drive, as well as Plum Tree Drive in Worthington, cutting off residents.
10 ftFlood waters approach residences along the river in Mount Air, between Olentangy River Road and the river itself.
9 ftFlooding spreads further into yards of homes near the river in Mount Air, between Olentangy River Road and the river.
8 ftFlooding of yards begins along the Olentangy River near Mount Air in northern Franklin County, only in low-lying areas between Olentangy River Road and the river.

Highest crests on record

15.68 ft — January 21, 1959
15.3 ft — January 10, 1952
13.57 ft — May 19, 2020
12.66 ft — March 10, 1964
12.41 ft — June 23, 2016

Recent crests: 13.57 ft (May 19, 2020) · 10.37 ft (July 3, 2019) · 9.62 ft (November 19, 2017) · 12.41 ft (June 23, 2016) · 7.49 ft (June 26, 2015)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Franklin County NWS gauge page USGS gauge 03226800

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (WRTO1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.