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Weather Forecast Office Indianapolis, IN Ohio River Forecast Center

Hydrograph River at a Glance Download Weekly Chance of
Exceeding Levels		 Chance of Exceeding Levels
During Entire Period
Eel River at Bowling Green Observed crest: 12.13 ft at 10:00pm May 08 Observed: 14.29 ft at 11:00am May 2 Observed: 14.07 ft at 12:00pm May 2 Observed: 13.8 ft at 1:00pm May 2 Observed: 13.5 ft at 2:00pm May 2 Observed: 13.16 ft at 3:00pm May 2 Observed: 12.83 ft at 4:00pm May 2 Observed: 12.49 ft at 5:00pm May 2 Observed: 12.17 ft at 6:00pm May 2 Observed: 11.87 ft at 7:00pm May 2 Observed: 11.59 ft at 8:00pm May 2 Observed: 11.35 ft at 9:00pm May 2 Observed: 11.12 ft at 10:00pm May 2 Observed: 10.91 ft at 11:00pm May 2 Observed: 10.73 ft at 12:00am May 3 Observed: 10.55 ft at 1:00am May 3 Observed: 10.4 ft at 2:00am May 3 Observed: 10.25 ft at 3:00am May 3 Observed: 10.12 ft at 4:00am May 3 Observed: 10 ft at 5:00am May 3 Observed: 9.88 ft at 6:00am May 3 Observed: 9.78 ft at 7:00am May 3 Observed: 9.67 ft at 8:00am May 3 Observed: 9.57 ft at 9:00am May 3 Observed: 9.47 ft at 10:00am May 3 Observed: 9.38 ft at 11:00am May 3 Observed: 9.3 ft at 12:00pm May 3 Observed: 9.21 ft at 1:00pm May 3 Observed: 9.13 ft at 2:00pm May 3 Observed: 9.06 ft at 3:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.98 ft at 4:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.91 ft at 5:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.84 ft at 6:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.77 ft at 7:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.7 ft at 8:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.64 ft at 9:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.57 ft at 10:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.51 ft at 11:00pm May 3 Observed: 8.44 ft at 12:00am May 4 Observed: 8.38 ft at 1:00am May 4 Observed: 8.33 ft at 2:00am May 4 Observed: 8.27 ft at 3:00am May 4 Observed: 8.22 ft at 4:00am May 4 Observed: 8.17 ft at 5:00am May 4 Observed: 8.11 ft at 6:00am May 4 Observed: 8.06 ft at 7:00am May 4 Observed: 8.01 ft at 8:00am May 4 Observed: 7.96 ft at 9:00am May 4 Observed: 7.91 ft at 10:00am May 4 Observed: 7.86 ft at 11:00am May 4 Observed: 7.81 ft at 12:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.77 ft at 1:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.72 ft at 2:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.68 ft at 3:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.64 ft at 4:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.6 ft at 5:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.56 ft at 6:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.52 ft at 7:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.49 ft at 8:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.45 ft at 9:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.41 ft at 10:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.38 ft at 11:00pm May 4 Observed: 7.35 ft at 12:00am May 5 Observed: 7.31 ft at 1:00am May 5 Observed: 7.28 ft at 2:00am May 5 Observed: 7.24 ft at 3:00am May 5 Observed: 7.21 ft at 4:00am May 5 Observed: 7.18 ft at 5:00am May 5 Observed: 7.15 ft at 6:00am May 5 Observed: 7.11 ft at 7:00am May 5 Observed: 7.08 ft at 8:00am May 5 Observed: 7.05 ft at 9:00am May 5 Observed: 7.01 ft at 10:00am May 5 Observed: 6.99 ft at 11:00am May 5 Observed: 6.96 ft at 12:00pm May 5 Observed: 6.93 ft at 1:00pm May 5 Observed: 6.91 ft at 2:00pm May 5 Observed: 6.91 ft at 3:00pm May 5 Observed: 6.95 ft at 4:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.04 ft at 5:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.16 ft at 6:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.27 ft at 7:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.37 ft at 8:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.44 ft at 9:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.49 ft at 10:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.51 ft at 11:00pm May 5 Observed: 7.51 ft at 12:00am May 6 Observed: 7.51 ft at 1:00am May 6 Observed: 7.5 ft at 2:00am May 6 Observed: 7.48 ft at 3:00am May 6 Observed: 7.46 ft at 4:00am May 6 Observed: 7.44 ft at 5:00am May 6 Observed: 7.43 ft at 6:00am May 6 Observed: 7.41 ft at 7:00am May 6 Observed: 7.39 ft at 8:00am May 6 Observed: 7.37 ft at 9:00am May 6 Observed: 7.36 ft at 10:00am May 6 Observed: 7.34 ft at 11:00am May 6 Observed: 7.34 ft at 12:00pm May 6 Observed: 7.36 ft at 1:00pm May 6 Observed: 7.43 ft at 2:00pm May 6 Observed: 7.57 ft at 3:00pm May 6 Observed: 7.74 ft at 4:00pm May 6 Observed: 7.93 ft at 5:00pm May 6 Observed: 8.11 ft at 6:00pm May 6 Observed: 8.3 ft at 7:00pm May 6 Observed: 8.48 ft at 8:00pm May 6 Observed: 8.64 ft at 9:00pm May 6 Observed: 8.76 ft at 10:00pm May 6 Observed: 8.86 ft at 11:00pm May 6 Observed: 8.92 ft at 12:00am May 7 Observed: 8.98 ft at 1:00am May 7 Observed: 9.01 ft at 2:00am May 7 Observed: 9.04 ft at 3:00am May 7 Observed: 9.06 ft at 4:00am May 7 Observed: 9.07 ft at 5:00am May 7 Observed: 9.07 ft at 6:00am May 7 Observed: 9.07 ft at 7:00am May 7 Observed: 9.06 ft at 8:00am May 7 Observed: 9.04 ft at 9:00am May 7 Observed: 9.01 ft at 10:00am May 7 Observed: 8.99 ft at 11:00am May 7 Observed: 8.95 ft at 12:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.92 ft at 1:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.89 ft at 2:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.86 ft at 3:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.83 ft at 4:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.8 ft at 5:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.77 ft at 6:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.75 ft at 7:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.72 ft at 8:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.7 ft at 9:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.68 ft at 10:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.66 ft at 11:00pm May 7 Observed: 8.64 ft at 12:00am May 8 Observed: 8.63 ft at 1:00am May 8 Observed: 8.61 ft at 2:00am May 8 Observed: 8.61 ft at 3:00am May 8 Observed: 8.63 ft at 4:00am May 8 Observed: 8.67 ft at 5:00am May 8 Observed: 8.79 ft at 6:00am May 8 Observed: 9.03 ft at 7:00am May 8 Observed: 9.32 ft at 8:00am May 8 Observed: 9.61 ft at 9:00am May 8 Observed: 9.88 ft at 10:00am May 8 Observed: 10.14 ft at 11:00am May 8 Observed: 10.43 ft at 12:00pm May 8 Observed: 10.73 ft at 1:00pm May 8 Observed: 11.03 ft at 2:00pm May 8 Observed: 11.3 ft at 3:00pm May 8 Observed: 11.55 ft at 4:00pm May 8 Observed: 11.75 ft at 5:00pm May 8 Observed: 11.91 ft at 6:00pm May 8 Observed: 12.02 ft at 7:00pm May 8 Observed: 12.09 ft at 8:00pm May 8 Observed: 12.12 ft at 9:00pm May 8 Observed: 12.13 ft at 10:00pm May 8 Observed: 12.1 ft at 11:00pm May 8 Observed: 12.06 ft at 12:00am May 9 Observed: 12.01 ft at 1:00am May 9 Observed: 11.95 ft at 2:00am May 9 Observed: 11.88 ft at 3:00am May 9 Observed: 11.82 ft at 4:00am May 9 Observed: 11.75 ft at 5:00am May 9 Observed: 11.68 ft at 6:00am May 9 Observed: 11.62 ft at 7:00am May 9 Observed: 11.56 ft at 8:00am May 9 Observed: 11.49 ft at 9:00am May 9 Observed: 11.42 ft at 10:00am May 9 Observed: 11.35 ft at 11:00am May 9 Observed: 11.28 ft at 12:00pm May 9 Observed: 11.2 ft at 1:00pm May 9 Observed: 11.13 ft at 2:00pm May 9 Observed: 11.05 ft at 3:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.97 ft at 4:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.89 ft at 5:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.8 ft at 6:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.73 ft at 7:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.64 ft at 8:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.56 ft at 9:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.48 ft at 10:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.4 ft at 11:00pm May 9 Observed: 10.32 ft at 12:00am May 10 Observed: 10.24 ft at 1:00am May 10 Observed: 10.17 ft at 2:00am May 10 Observed: 10.1 ft at 3:00am May 10 Observed: 10.02 ft at 4:00am May 10 Observed: 9.95 ft at 5:00am May 10 Observed: 9.88 ft at 6:00am May 10 Observed: 9.82 ft at 7:00am May 10 Observed: 9.76 ft at 8:00am May 10 Observed: 9.7 ft at 9:00am May 10 Observed: 9.64 ft at 10:00am May 10 Observed: 9.58 ft at 11:00am May 10 Observed: 9.53 ft at 12:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.48 ft at 1:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.43 ft at 2:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.39 ft at 3:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.35 ft at 4:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.31 ft at 5:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.27 ft at 6:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.23 ft at 7:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.19 ft at 8:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.15 ft at 9:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.11 ft at 10:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.08 ft at 11:00pm May 10 Observed: 9.05 ft at 12:00am May 11 Observed: 9.02 ft at 1:00am May 11 Observed: 8.99 ft at 2:00am May 11 Observed: 8.96 ft at 3:00am May 11 Observed: 8.93 ft at 4:00am May 11 Observed: 8.9 ft at 5:00am May 11 Observed: 8.87 ft at 6:00am May 11 Observed: 8.85 ft at 7:00am May 11 Observed: 8.82 ft at 8:00am May 11 Observed: 8.8 ft at 9:00am May 11 Observed: 8.77 ft at 10:00am May 11 Observed: 8.75 ft at 11:00am May 11 Observed: 8.72 ft at 12:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.7 ft at 1:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.68 ft at 2:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.66 ft at 3:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.64 ft at 4:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.62 ft at 5:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.59 ft at 6:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.57 ft at 7:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.55 ft at 8:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.53 ft at 9:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.51 ft at 10:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.5 ft at 11:00pm May 11 Observed: 8.48 ft at 12:00am May 12 Observed: 8.46 ft at 1:00am May 12 Observed: 8.44 ft at 2:00am May 12 Observed: 8.42 ft at 3:00am May 12 Observed: 8.4 ft at 4:00am May 12 Observed: 8.38 ft at 5:00am May 12 Observed: 8.36 ft at 6:00am May 12 Observed: 8.34 ft at 7:00am May 12 Observed: 8.32 ft at 8:00am May 12 Observed: 8.3 ft at 9:00am May 12 Forecast: 8.2 ft at 2:00pm May 12 Forecast: 8 ft at 8:00pm May 12 Forecast: 7.8 ft at 2:00am May 13 Forecast: 7.6 ft at 8:00am May 13 Forecast: 7.4 ft at 2:00pm May 13 Forecast: 7.3 ft at 8:00pm May 13 Forecast: 7.3 ft at 2:00am May 14 Forecast: 7.2 ft at 8:00am May 14 Forecast: 7.2 ft at 2:00pm May 14 Forecast: 7.1 ft at 8:00pm May 14 Forecast: 7.1 ft at 2:00am May 15 Forecast: 7 ft at 8:00am May 15 Forecast: 7 ft at 2:00pm May 15 Forecast: 7 ft at 8:00pm May 15 Forecast: 6.9 ft at 2:00am May 16 Forecast: 6.9 ft at 8:00am May 16 Forecast: 6.9 ft at 2:00pm May 16 Forecast: 6.8 ft at 8:00pm May 16 Forecast: 6.8 ft at 2:00am May 17 Forecast: 6.8 ft at 8:00am May 17 Graph Created (10:21am May 12, 2009) Observed Forecast (issued 9:38am May 12) USGS--Water Resources of the United States BOLI3 (plotting HGIRG) Gage 0 Datum: 548.02 Latest observed value: 8.3 ft at 9:00 AM EDT 12-May-2009. Flood Stage is 17.0 ft. Stage (ft) Flow (kcfs)
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About this graph
Tabular Data
XML Data
RSS Files
Datum: N/A
Metadata
NOTE: Gauge reading affected by reservoir operations.

Reliability of the Forecast: Based on current and forecast river, weather and reservoir conditions

NOTE: Forecasts for the Eel River at Bowling Green are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.

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Flood Categories (in feet)
Major Flood Stage:23
Moderate Flood Stage:20
Flood Stage:17
Action Stage:12

Historical Crests
(1) 30.00 ft on 08/01/1875
(2) 24.80 ft on 03/26/1913
(3) 23.53 ft on 01/04/1950
(4) 23.48 ft on 06/07/2008
(5) 23.39 ft on 06/29/1957
(6) 22.19 ft on 05/08/1961
(7) 22.04 ft on 03/05/1963
(8) 21.59 ft on 12/30/1990
(9) 21.58 ft on 01/06/2005
(10) 21.55 ft on 11/15/1993
Show More Historical Crests

Low Water Records
(1) 0.3 ft on 10/08/1954
(2) 1.3 ft on 08/31/1970

 Eel River at Bowling Green location map

Flood Impacts & Photos Collapse
30.0 Record flood occurred in August 1875 and was estimated at 30 feet. With the completion of Cagles Mill Dam in 1953, it is unlikely that this height will ever be reached again. The river is nearly 1 mile wide and would submerge SR 46 & 59 by 2 feet. Great rural destruction occurs. Many rural evacuations, all roads in the flood plain and all levees are overtopped. Most river cabins and other structures in the flood plain are swept away. Residents on high ground are isolated.
25.0 Flood water isolate residents on high ground. Flood waters begin to cross State Road 46 just west of Bowling Green.
24.0 A very unusual flood. With Cagles Mill Reservoir in full operation since 1953, floods have not reached this level.
23.0 A large and unusual flood is in progress. Persons living in river cabins need to evacuate. SR 42 east of the Eel River extensively flooded. All county roads in the flood plain are underwater. Some residents on high ground need boats to reach or leave their homes. Levees protecting agricultural lands downstream failed or were overtopped in June 2008.
22.0 An unusual flood is in progress. Water covers both lanes of SR 42 east of the Eel River. Many county roads flood extensively. Flood waters isolate some farm houses. Water is near the top of most agricultural levees.
20.0 Flood waters on portions of SR 42 just east of the Eel River. Many county roads flood extensively. Persons in river cabins move cars and possibly belongings to high ground. Agricultural levees are threatened. Poland-Bowling Green Road is impassable.
18.0 Typical high water after heavy rains. This causes extensive flooding of bottomlands and floods many county roads. Persons living in river cabins are inconvenienced. Campers must move from low ground. Poland...Bowling Green road is impassable.
17.0 Flood waters covers considerable bottomlands and floods a few county roads including the Poland to Bowling Green Road.
16.0 Low land flooding is occurring along portions of the river. Sonnefield Road at Mcintyre Creek is impassable. Water is on portions of Pioneer Road in the vicinity of CR 50 N. A frequently reached level from December through June. An unusual level for September and October. This level threatens campers.
14.0 Flooding occurs along the lowest levels of the river. High water affects a few county roads. Normally, this level does not bother anyone if the river goes down in 1 to 2 days.
Photos
(1) Eel River at Bowling Green

About This Location Collapse
Latitude: 39.382800° N, Longitude: 87.020600° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD83

River Stage
Reference Frame		 Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses
NWS stage 0 ft 17 ft Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps
Vertical Datum Elevation
(gauge height = 0)		 Elevation
(gauge height = flood stage)		 Elevation information source
NAVD88 N/A N/A Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29 548.02 ft 565.02 ft Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL N/A N/A Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other N/A N/A  

Other Data Sources:
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data and Site Info for Bowling Green

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Hydrologic Resources
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Collaborative Agencies Collapse
The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

NWS Information
National Weather Service
Indianapolis Weather Forecast Office
6900 West Hanna Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46241
(317) 856-0360
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