Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines
Georgia · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 02343241 — CHATTAHOOCHEE R BELOW WFG DAM AB FT. GAINES, GA · NWS forecast point FOGG1
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
About normal for the date
At — CFS, this gauge is running 107% of normal for late July — close to the 103 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 19 years of record (2007–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Fort Gaines
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge FOGG1, issued by WFO TAE. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 160.0 ft
- 160.0 ft Almost all of the natural floodplain of the Chattahoochee river will be inundated, including much agricultural land and many roads.
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Moderate flood 145.0 ft
- 145.0 ft Flood water will deny access to houses on the bluff below the Columbia Bridge near Gilbert Drive.
- 150.0 ft Low lying areas in the floodplain will flood extensively. Several river access roads will flood.
- 151.0 ft Flooding of river access roads and low lying areas near the river.
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Minor flood 134.0 ft
- 134.0 ft Minor lowland flooding will begin.
- 135.0 ft Minor lowland flooding in the area.
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Action 130.0 ft
- Right now 110.84 ft
NWS forecast: 103.10 ft by Jul 29, 6:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Fort Gaines
Daily values from USGS gauge 02343241. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Fort Gaines
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 158.50 ft | — | Mar 17, 1929 |
| 153.56 ft | — | Mar 18, 1990 |
| 150.44 ft | 150,000 CFS | Dec 26, 2015 |
| 149.60 ft | — | Jul 6, 1994 |
| 149.20 ft | — | Apr 10, 1964 |
| 145.70 ft | — | Jan 27, 1978 |
| 144.14 ft | — | Apr 15, 1975 |
| 143.80 ft | — | Mar 6, 1966 |
| 143.18 ft | — | Mar 9, 1998 |
| 142.70 ft | — | Mar 6, 1971 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines
This gauge sits on Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines, Georgia, immediately below Walter F. George Reservoir (Lake Eufaula). Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 103 CFS for late July, from 19 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Walter F. George Reservoir (Lake Eufaula). A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines — common questions
What is the current flow on Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines?
The live reading comes from USGS gauge 02343241, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes. The current value is shown at the top of this page.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 103 CFS, calculated from 19 years of record (2007–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
Is Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines wadeable right now?
That depends on the reach and on your own judgement — riverlvl will not tell you the water is safe to stand in. What it will tell you is whether today's flow is unusually high or low for the date, against a seasonal median of 103 CFS, which is the single most useful input to that decision. On a dam tailwater like this one, the bigger risk is a sudden generation release, which can raise the river several feet with little warning.
How do releases from Walter F. George Reservoir (Lake Eufaula) affect this stretch?
Directly and quickly. When the dam generates or spills, flow at this gauge climbs — often within an hour, often by an order of magnitude. The reservoir level itself is tracked on lakelvl.com, and the link on this page goes straight to it, so you can see whether the pool is high enough that releases are likely.
Where does this data come from?
Flow and gage height are public-domain USGS data from gauge 02343241. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge FOGG1. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.