River Report

Sandusky River river

4 streamgauges 84% of normal Last updated 2026-05-30
Aggregate flow
2,179cfs
% of normal
84%
Daily volume
4,323AF
Seasonal avg
2,598cfs

Total streamflow across the Sandusky River was last observed at 2,179 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 4,323 acre-ft of water today; about 84% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,598 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2026-04-02 when daily discharge volume was observed at 41,390 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Sandusky River Near Fremont Oh reporting a streamflow rate of 1,060 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Sandusky River At Tiffin Oh with a gauge stage of 2.95 ft. 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.

Max discharge

Sandusky River Near Fremont Oh

1,060cfs
Highest stage

Sandusky River At Tiffin Oh

2.95ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Sandusky River Near Bucyrus Oh

957ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Sandusky River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Sandusky River

All 4 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Sandusky River Near Bucyrus Oh OH
USGS 04196000
41 1.09 -29.6 104% 0 7,620 957
Sandusky River Near Upper Sandusky Oh OH
USGS 04196500
195 2.03 -34.8 173% 2 9,270 796
Sandusky River At Tiffin Oh OH
USGS 04197137
883 2.95 -58.0 229% 16 15,300 738
Sandusky River Near Fremont Oh OH
USGS 04198000
1,060 2.17 -61.1 290% 16 25,200 627
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Sandusky River

The Sandusky River is a river in northwestern Ohio that flows for 133 miles before emptying into Lake Erie. Historically, the river has played an important role in transportation and industry, particularly during the 19th century when it was used to transport logging and agricultural products. Today, the river is primarily used for recreation, including fishing and boating. The river's hydrology is impacted by several reservoirs and dams, including the Tiffin and Ballville dams. These dams help to regulate water flow and prevent flooding. The river also serves as a source of irrigation for nearby agricultural land. Despite pollution concerns in the past, the Sandusky River has seen improvements in water quality and continues to be an important resource for the region.

Around the river

Recreation along the Sandusky River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Sandusky River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Sandusky River

Where does the data for the Sandusky River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.