River stage
Parkersburg, Ohio River
- River level
- 22.29 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- +0.45 ft
- Recent high
- 26.77 ft
- Recent low
- 21.16 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS PARW2
- 30-day change
- -0.26 ft
- Average
- 22.06 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 58.90 ft
In brief
The Ohio River at Parkersburg, WV read 22.29 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 11.71 ft below action stage. That is 0.26 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge PARW2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 58.90 ft | 1913-03-29 |
| 2 | 55.40 ft | 1937-01-26 |
| 3 | 53.90 ft | 1884-02-09 |
| 4 | 51.00 ft | 1907-03-16 |
| 5 | 49.50 ft | 1832-02-12 |
| 6 | 49.00 ft | 1943-01-01 |
| 7 | 48.50 ft | 1945-03-09 |
| 8 | 48.20 ft | 1900-03-26 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 36.00 ft
Backwater effects will start to cause problems along the Little Kanawha River. Happy Valley Road in Happy Valley starts to flood.
- 38.00 ft
Several homes flooded in the Happy Valley and Point Drive areas near Parkersburg, along the Little Kanawha River. A few homes are flooded on Annas Drive in Vienna, West Virginia. Dave's Marina, Walnut Street, and Scott Avenue in Belpre, Ohio, start to flood.
- 40.00 ft
Most of Happy Valley is flooded. Sections of Vienna, West Virginia along the Ohio River are flooded. Walnut and John Streets in Belpre, Ohio are flooded.
- 41.00 ft
In West Virginia, the railroad tracks on the south bank of the Little Kanawha are flooded. Several homes along the Little Kanawha are flooded. In Belpre, Ohio, a few homes along Walnut and John Streets, Sixth Street and Barclay Street, Main Street and Blennerhassett Avenue and State Route 618 near Shell Chemical are flooded.
- 42.00 ft
Blennerhassett Avenue, Stone Road, Seventh, Scott, Walnut and John Streets in Belpre, Ohio are flooded. Major flooding occurs along the Little Kanawha River in West Virginia.
- 43.00 ft
Blennerhassett, Lee, John, Walnut, Elm, Scott, Sixth, Seventh and the lower end of Main Street are flooded in Belpre, Ohio. Major flooding occurs along the Little Kanawha River and in sections of Vienna, West Virginia.
- 45.00 ft
Washington Blvd., Florence, Main Streets are flooded in Belpre, Ohio. Major flooding occurs along the Little Kanwaha River and in sections of Vienna, West Virginia.
- 48.00 ft
Main Street, Fifth Street, Walnut Street, O'Neal Street, along with most of the streets near the Ohio River in Belpre, Ohio, are flooded. Major flooding along the Little Kanwaha River and in Vienna, West Virginia. Most areas, homes, and businesses near the rivers are flooded.
- 58.90 ft
Record flood. The flood wall protects to 62 feet in Parkersburg. Record flooding is occurring outside the flood wall in both West Virginia and Ohio.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ohio River flooding at Parkersburg?
No. The Ohio River at Parkersburg is at 22.29 ft, 11.71 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Parkersburg?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 34 ft, minor flooding 36 ft, moderate flooding 38 ft and major flooding 42 ft.
What is the highest the Ohio River has been at Parkersburg?
The highest crest on record is 58.9 ft, on 1913-03-29.
Is the Ohio River high or low right now at Parkersburg?
At 22.29 ft it is higher than 77% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge PARW2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 03151000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.