Ocmulgee River at 5th Street Bridge at Macon
Georgia — Water Level & Flood Stage
Located in Bibb County, Georgia on the Ocmulgee River. Live water level data from USGS gauge 02213000, updated every 15 minutes.
Current Water Level
Gage Height
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Streamflow
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Last Reading
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Flood Stages
Major Flood
30 ft
65,359 cfs
Moderate Flood
26 ft
42,990 cfs
Minor Flood
18 ft
13,500 cfs
Action Stage
16 ft
9,507 cfs
Flood stages defined by the National Weather Service. Gage height data from USGS Water Resources.
What Floods at Each Level
36 ft
Widespread inundation flooding never seen before occurs in the Macon area. This flooding will be worse than July 6, 1994 with Tropical Storm Alberto. Two feet of water will be overflowing the levee. Flood waters several feet deep affect homes on the left bank near Glenridge Drive and businesses and other structures in southeast Macon. Water approaches the Macon Telegraph building. Portions of Interstate 16 and 75 in Macon will be flooded and closed. Water approaches the bottom of the MLK bridge.
35.4 ft
Record widespread inundation flooding occurs in the Macon area. This ties the record set on July 6, 1994 with Tropical Storm Alberto. The Macon levee was breeched at 34 feet flooding the Georgia State Fairgrounds area. Flood waters a few feet deep affect several homes on the left bank near Glenridge Drive and businesses off of Tuft Springs and Mead Roads and other structures in southeast Macon. Evacuations should have been completed. Portions of Interstate 16 and 75 in Macon will be flooded and closed.
34 ft
Dangerous flooding expands as the levee is topped on the east side of Macon. Water quickly covers several streets including portions of Martin Luther King Boulevard, Fifth Street, and Riverside Drive. The Georgia State Fairgrounds baseball complex floods. Several homes on the left bank near Glenridge Drive will be flooded up to 4 feet deep. Some businesses off of Tuft and Mead Roads will be flooded. Evacuations will be necessary. Portions of Interstate 16 and 75 will flood at on and off ramps in Macon.
32 ft
Dangerous flooding occurs as the water level approaches the top of the Macon levee. A few homes on the left bank near Glenridge Drive will be flooded up to two feet deep. Flood waters will be near the foundations of some businesses off of Tuft Springs and Mead Roads in south Macon. Some evacuations may be necessary! Low portions of Interstate 16 and 75 will begin to experience flooding especially at on and off ramps in Macon. Significant flooding of Amerson Park occurs.
30 ft
Major flooding begins. The Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail will be under 10 feet of water. A few homes on the left bank near Glenridge Drive will begin to flood. Flood waters will be approaching some businesses off of Tuft Springs and Mead Roads in south Macon. Large portions of the Southern Railroad tracks will be inundated. Agricultural lands just east and south of Macon will be flooded up to 12 feet deep. Significant flooding of Amerson Park occurs.
29 ft
Significant flooding expands over the Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail north of the U.S. Highway 80 bridge with some areas under 9 feet of water. Backyards of a few homes on the left bank near Glenridge Dr. will be completely flooded. Large portions of the Southern Railroad tracks around Mead Road will be a few feet under water. Agricultural lands just east and south of Macon will be under 1 to 10 feet of water. Significant flooding of Amerson Park occurs.
26 ft
Moderate flooding begins on the Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail north of the Martin Luther King Boulevard bridge with some areas under 6 feet of water. Backyards of a few homes on the left bank near Glenridge Drive will be flooded. Portions of the Southern Railroad tracks around Mead Road will become inundated. Large portions of agricultural lands just east and south of Macon will be under 1 to 8 feet of water. Significant flooding of Amerson Park occurs.
25 ft
Minor flooding expands further into the woodlands and over the Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail north of the Martin Luther King Boulevard bridge. The flood waters will be up to 5 feet deep on portions of the trail. Large portions of agricultural lands just east and south of Macon will be under 1 to 7 feet of water. Significant flooding of Amerson Park occurs.
23 ft
Minor flooding continues to expand. Large portions of the Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail floods north of the Martin Luther King Boulevard bridge. The flood waters will be up to 3 feet deep on portions of the trail. Large portions of agricultural lands east of Macon and well downstream will be under 1 to 5 feet of water. Flooding continues to spread to access roads, trails, foot bridges, and parking lots in Amerson Park upstream of the gage site.
21 ft
Minor flooding expands. An increasing amount of the Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail floods north of the Martin Luther King Boulevard bridge. The flood waters will be up to two feet deep on portions of the trail and both banks overflow upstream from the bridge. Large portions of agricultural lands east of Macon and well downstream will be under 1 to 4 feet of water. Flooding continues to spread to access roads, trails, foot bridges, and parking lots in Amerson Park upstream of the gage site.
20 ft
Minor flooding expands. An increasing amount of the Macon GreenWay Ocmulgee Heritage Trail floods north of the Martin Luther King Boulevard bridge and Spring Street Landing. The flood waters will be around one foot deep on portions of the trails and both banks overflow upstream from the bridge. Large portions of agricultural lands well downstream will be under 1 to 3 feet of water. Flooding continues to spread to access roads, trails, foot bridges, and parking lots in Amerson Park upstream of the gage site.
19 ft
Minor flooding continues. The Macon Greenway Ocmulgee Heritage Trail will begin to flood in areas just north of the Martin Luther King Boulevard bridge, as well as near the Spring Street Landing. The public should not use these portions of the trail. In addition, the lowest sections of the Charles Jones Gateway Park will flood. Flooding spreads to access roads, trails, and lower parking lots in Amerson Park upstream of the gage site.
18 ft
Flood stage is reached. Minor flooding begins along the river upstream and downstream from the gage at U.S. Highway 80 or Martin Luther King Boulevard. Portions of the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail and agricultural lands well downstream will be under a foot of water. Access roads and trails in Amerson Park upstream of the gage site begin to flood.
16 ft
Bankfull conditions occur along the river upstream and downstream from the gage at U.S. Highway 80 or Martin Luther King Boulevard. Some flooding of low lying areas begins in portions of the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail and agricultural lands well downstream. Recreational access to the river may be limited or closed, particularly in the Amerson Park area upstream of the gage.
10 ft
Flow at this stage height could be dangerous and recreational access of the Ocmulgee River through Amerson Park will be closed.
Impact statements from the National Weather Service, describing what typically happens at each water level.
7-Day Water Level Chart
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Historic Crests
| Date | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 6, 1994 | 35.4 ft | 107,000 cfs |
| Jul 6, 1994 | 35.4 ft | 107,000 cfs |
| Mar 17, 1990 | 29.9 ft | 64,700 cfs |
| Mar 17, 1990 | 29.9 ft | 64,700 cfs |
| Mar 18, 1990 | 29.8 ft | 70,500 cfs |
Flood Inundation Map
NOAA has mapped what areas flood at different water levels for this gauge. View the interactive flood inundation map →
About This Gauge
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current water level of Ocmulgee River at 5th Street Bridge at Macon?
The Ocmulgee River at 5th Street Bridge at Macon gauge is maintained by USGS (site 02213000) and reports water levels every 15 minutes. Visit this page to see the latest reading updated live, or download StormCast to get push alerts when levels rise.
What is flood stage for Ocmulgee River at 5th Street Bridge at Macon?
The NWS-defined flood stage for Ocmulgee River at 5th Street Bridge at Macon is 18 feet. Action stage begins at 16 feet. Moderate flooding starts at 26 feet, and major flooding at 30 feet.
How do I get alerts when Ocmulgee River rises?
Download StormCast free on Google Play, go to River Gauges, and add Ocmulgee River at 5th Street Bridge at Macon to your watchlist. StormCast will send a push notification to your phone whenever the water level crosses into a new NWS flood category — even when your screen is off.
Where is the Ocmulgee River at 5th Street Bridge at Macon gauge located?
The gauge is located in Bibb County, Georgia at coordinates 32.8386°N, 83.6206°W. USGS site number: 02213000. Data is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service.
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Source & Notes
Data provided by: US Geological Survey, Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey, Observations courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Automated gauge readings are now available, courtesy of the USGS.
- River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.