Live streamflow across the country.

# Major Rivers Surge Across Nation as Spring Runoff and Storms Drive Exceptional Streamflows

Rivers across the United States are experiencing dramatically elevated flows this week, with the Ohio River leading the surge at 259,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) at Old Shawneetown on the Illinois-Kentucky border. Major waterways from Minnesota to Florida are running well above normal, driven by a combination of spring snowmelt, persistent rainfall, and dam releases. The most striking conditions appear in the Midwest and Northeast, where some watersheds are running at 10 to 48 times their historical averages, creating both opportunities for water managers and challenges for riverside communities.

The Mississippi River basin is experiencing particularly robust flows, with multiple gauges reporting elevated levels. At Hastings, Minnesota, the Mississippi is moving 27,700 cfs, while the St. Paul gauge shows 23,900 cfs under partly sunny skies. Tributaries are contributing significantly to these volumes—the Minnesota River near Jordan is flowing at 16,900 cfs, representing 673% of normal at its upper reaches. Meanwhile, the White River in Arkansas shows sustained high flows across multiple monitoring points, with Batesville recording 43,800 cfs. The Arkansas River at Tulsa is pushing 10,700 cfs amid chances of thunderstorms, while the Snake River system in Idaho and Oregon displays exceptional activity, with Hells Canyon Dam reporting 19,200 cfs under scattered snow showers.

In the Southeast, Georgia's river systems are commanding attention as the Savannah River near Port Wentworth flows at 25,700 cfs under sunny conditions, impacting communities from Augusta downstream. Florida's St. Johns River at Jacksonville stands at 152,000 cfs—the second-highest flow nationally—with the Lower St. Johns watershed running at 151% of normal. The Upper Chariton watershed in Missouri presents the most extreme departure from normal at 4,853% of historical flows, while Pennsylvania's Middle Allegheny-Redbank watershed runs at nearly 1,500% of normal. For anglers and rafters, these conditions offer exceptional opportunities on western rivers like the Snake, though caution is warranted. Water managers face a delicate balance between flood control and reservoir management as these high flows continue across multiple regions simultaneously.