S. Chickamauga Creek near Chickamauga, TN
River level and flood forecast · Hamilton County
Normal5.1 ftas of Mon 4:15 PM
The river is 12.9 ft below flood stage (18 ft).
Forecast to fall to 3.9 ft by Sat, Oct 17, 8 AM.
Flow: 375 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 9:23 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 27 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 22 ft |
| Flood stage | 18 ft |
| Action stage | 16 ft |
| Record crest (May 8, 2003) | 29.29 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 30 ftThe airport is closed. Interstates 24 and 75 in East Ridge are impassable.
- 29 ftThe airport can still function at a reduced level. Access to the airport becomes difficult.
- 28 ftMajor flooding occurs in areas around the airport in Chattanooga. Several roads are blocked, including Highway 153 near Shepherd Road. Many homes in East Ridge are flooded, and some businesses affected.
- 27 ftHomes on Arlena Circle (off Shallowford Road) are evacuated. Evacuations also take place at the Fountainbleau Apartments on Spring Creek Road in East Ridge.
- 24 ftA few homes in the East Ridge area are flooded.
- 23 ftEvacuations begin in some of the low lying areas around Spring Creek in the East Ridge area.
- 22 ftAirport Road is closed to traffic. A couple of homes are slightly flooded near intersection of Mack Smith Road and May Street. Flooding becomes extensive around the north end of the airport.
- 21 ftMack Smith Road and Lovell Field Loop become impassable. Water begins to come onto Airport Road, just north of the terminal complex. West Chickamauga Creek increases to near a half mile wide in places, becoming hazardous to adjacent travel in East Ridge.
- 20 ftMack Smith Road is closed. Water crosses Lovell Field Loop, the access road around the north end of the airport runway.
- 19 ftWater across Mack Smith Road begins to impede traffic. West Chickamauga Creek overflows its banks near the Georgia state line and inundates several roads and properties in the area.
- 18 ftWater begins to cross Mack Smith Road in Catoosa County, Georgia. Flooding begins at golf courses near the confluence of South and West Chickamauga Creeks. West Chickamauga Creek begins to overflow its banks, as well.
- 16 ftAt 16 feet, water continues to spread into the natural floodplain near the levee, including an area where unsheltered individuals may be present. Water may be up to 1 feet deep.
Highest crests on record
- 29.29 ft — May 8, 2003
- 28.72 ft — February 17, 1990
- 28.7 ft — March 17, 1973
- 28.54 ft — September 22, 2009
- 27.73 ft — March 30, 1951
Recent crests: 18.8 ft (February 14, 2025) · 17.48 ft (May 10, 2024) · 17.93 ft (January 10, 2024) · 18.85 ft (February 24, 2022) · 20.2 ft (April 1, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamSouth Chickamauga Creek at Ringgold, GA
- West Chickamauga Creek at GA 146 near Lakeview, GA
- Chattanooga Creek at GA 193 near Flintstone, GA
- Lookout Creek near New England, GA
- Mill Creek at Dalton, GA
- Sequatchie River near Whitwell, TN
- Conasauga River at GA 286 near Eton, GA
- Coahulla Creek at Keiths Mill Road near Dalton, GA
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (CHKT1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.