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The Ohio River Basin

The Ohio River drains America's Heartland, stretching more than 981 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cairo, Illinois where it joins the Mississippi River. Its 204,000 square mile watershed stretches north to south from New York to Alabama and east to west from Pennsylvania to Illinois. 14 major tributaries and 11 minor tributaries supply the river. Flows at its outlet range from 15,000 cubic feet per second to 1.85 million cubic feet per second (3 orders of magnitude and nearly 9 times the flow over Niagara Falls). There are 78 multi-purpose reservoirs. In addition, there are 31 projects that are operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The projects are maintained and operated by five districts, with the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division having oversight and operational Ohio/Mississippi River flood control responsibilities. Even with all these structures only approximately 1/3 of the Ohio River Basin runoff is controlled.

The most recent appropriations for the Department of War expired at 11:59 p.m. EST on September 30, 2025. Military personnel will continue in a normal duty status without pay until such time as a continuing resolution or appropriations are passed by Congress and signed into law. Civilian personnel not engaged in exempted or excepted activities will be placed in a non-work, non-pay status.

Water Management Data

Water management data has moved to a central location

Realtime and historical water information for LRD reservoirs, rivers, and dams now lives at the  USACE Water Management website.

Go to water.usace.army.mil

How to find water data

  1. Open water.usace.army.mil.
  2. Use Search (project name, river/lake) or the Map View to zoom into your area of interest.
  3. Select your project to view current pool, releases/flows, inflow, tailwater, precipitation, and available history.

How to find district-specific information

  1. Open water.usace.army.mil.
  2. Click Locations and the district's Office Link

Need help?

I can’t find my project on the new portal.

Try these tips:

  • Search by official project name and common name (e.g., “J. Percy Priest Lake” and “Percy Priest”).
  • Filter by district and zoom the map to your state/river reach.
  • Check nearby upstream/downstream structures (locks/dams) for linked pages.
Where are releases, tailwater, pool elevations, and history?

Open your project on water.usace.army.mil, then use the project tabs/sections to view current values and historical charts/exports.

I need to contact someone about an LRD reservoir or river operation.

Contact your district’s Public Affairs or Water Management Office via the district website above. For time-sensitive safety concerns, use local emergency channels.

Not sure what district you're in?

Click here to see which LRD places fall under which district.

Planning a trip or moved to a new area?

Find reservoirs, rivers, and dams nearby to explore local water systems and recreational options.

New to using the portal?

Here’s a guide to help you get started with navigating the new portal.

Links of Interest