River stage
Dayton, Mad River
- River level
- 2.88 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- +0.11 ft
- Recent high
- 6.36 ft
- Recent low
- 2.48 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS MRDO1
- 30-day change
- -0.22 ft
- Average
- 3.23 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 32.00 ft
In brief
The Mad River at Dayton, OH read 2.88 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 12.12 ft below action stage. That is 0.22 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge MRDO1
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32.00 ft | 1959-01-23 |
| 2 | 28.20 ft | 1929-02-26 |
| 3 | 27.10 ft | 1963-03-05 |
| 4 | 24.00 ft | 1937-01-21 |
| 5 | 23.80 ft | 1952-01-27 |
| 6 | 22.80 ft | 1937-01-15 |
| 7 | 22.30 ft | 1948-02-14 |
| 8 | 21.00 ft | 1924-03-29 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 21.00 ft
Water impacts lowland areas near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base with water approaching the main runway.
- 22.00 ft
Lowland flooding occurs in the area of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with water beginning to spill onto the main runway.
- 25.00 ft
Flooding occurs along the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base runway as well as low areas around the base. Backwater flooding along Mud Creek approaches homes in the Fairway Terrace mobile home community along Lower Spring Valley Pike.
- 30.00 ft
Substantial backwater flooding occurs on Mud Creek. Much of the Fairway Terrace mobile home community is flooded, especially between Welington Drive and Mud Creek.
- 32.00 ft
Moderate flooding occurs. This equals the highest crest on record, which occurred in January 1959. Runway flooding continues at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with additional roads on the base flooding. Flooding also occurs near Valley Pike.
- 33.00 ft
Moderate flooding expands. In addition to flooding within portions of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, some areas of State Route 4 begin to flood between Valley Pike and Lower Valley Pike. The City of Dayton near the Mad River is protected to a stage of 58 feet.
- 35.00 ft
This is equivalent to the FEMA 1 percent flood, with significant flooding of structures and the runway at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Over half of the Fairway Terrace Mobile Home community is flooded.
- 40.00 ft
This exceeds the flood of 1959 by 5 feet. In addition to road and runway flooding at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, flooding occurs along Route 4 in numerous locations from near Huffman Metropark and northward. Flooding also occurs near Osborn Road.
- 52.00 ft
Significant and widespread flooding occurs. Major inundation occurs in Fairborn, Riverside and portions of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Much of Dayton itself along the Mad River is protected by levees to 58 feet.
- 58.00 ft
This is the height of the emergency spillway at Huffman. While the dam would still be storing water at this point, heights above this level would substantially worsen flooding downstream of Huffman in unprotected areas.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mad River flooding at Dayton?
No. The Mad River at Dayton is at 2.88 ft, 12.12 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Dayton?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 15 ft, minor flooding 25 ft, moderate flooding 32 ft and major flooding 52 ft.
What is the highest the Mad River has been at Dayton?
The highest crest on record is 32.0 ft, on 1959-01-23.
Is the Mad River high or low right now at Dayton?
At 2.88 ft it is higher than 34% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge MRDO1); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 03270000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.