2026-03-07T00:00:00-07:00
* WHAT...Snow and blowing snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 5 and 8 inches, with the heaviest snow south of Castle Rock. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph. * WHERE...Castle Rock. * WHEN...From 6 AM this morning to midnight MST tonight. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions will impact the Friday morning and evening commutes.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Sandusky River
was last observed at
5,310
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
10,532
acre-ft of water today; about 113%
of normal.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
4,680 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2013-12-23 when daily discharge volume was observed at
36,000 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Sandusky River Near Upper Sandusky Oh
reporting a streamflow rate of 2,560 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Sandusky River, with a gauge stage of
5.55 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Sandusky River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 957 ft, the
Sandusky River Near Bucyrus Oh.
15-Day Weather Outlook
River Details
| Last Updated | 2026-03-06 |
| Discharge Volume | 10,532 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
5,310.0 cfs
+4648.2 cfs (+702.36%) |
| Percent of Normal | 113.47% |
| Maximum |
36,000.0 cfs
2013-12-23 |
| Seasonal Avg | 4,680 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sandusky River Near Bucyrus Oh
USGS 04196000 |
1150 cfs | 5.52 ft | 68.31 | |||||
|
Sandusky River Near Upper Sandusky Oh
USGS 04196500 |
2560 cfs | 5.55 ft | 11.61 | |||||
|
Sandusky River At Tiffin Oh
USGS 04197137 |
205 cfs | 1.97 ft | 3.54 | |||||
|
Sandusky River Near Fremont Oh
USGS 04198000 |
1600 cfs | 2.54 ft | -10.28 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Sandusky River (Wyandot: saandusti; Shawnee: Potakihiipi ) is a tributary to Lake Erie in north-central Ohio in the United States. It is about 133 miles (214 km) long and flows into Lake Erie at the southwest side of Sandusky Bay.
The Sandusky River, like the Maumee River to the west, is home to the annual walleye run in the spring, specifically March–April. The river also receives a run of white bass around the same time in the spring. The numbers of walleye that return to spawn upstream are not as great as those that return to the Maumee River. The Ballville Dam, built on the Sandusky River in Fremont, Ohio, blocked migration for walleye and other fish. As fish can swim farther upstream in the Maumee, they have access to more spawning areas and have developed a larger population than in the Sandusky River.
Opponents of the dam projected that its removal would improve access for walleye and other migratory fish to areas upstream and lead to an increase in their population, as has happened on other rivers where dams have been removed. The Ballville Dam was no longer used for power generation or navigation improvements. The city of Fremont undertook a study to explore the options of tearing it down or repairing it. A 2014 study found that removal would have little adverse effect on city conditions and would strongly improve the fisheries. In 2016 voters approved taking down the dam. (Note: The Balville dam was demolished in July 2018).
The river's name derives from the Wyandot words saandusti, meaning "water (within water-pools)" or from andusti, meaning "cold water". It was transliterated in various spellings by French and English colonists.