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Housatonic River at Gaylordsville

Highest listed crest 18.58 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft73 crests since 1907

The Housatonic River at Gaylordsville crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 73 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1907 to 2026. The highest, 18.58 ft on August 19, 1955, was major flooding, 10.58 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Housatonic River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
18.58 ft
August 19, 1955; 51,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
2
16th of 26 gauges in Connecticut
Most recent flood crest
March 13, 2026
8.31 ft, minor flooding
Location
Fairfield County
Connecticut

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Housatonic River at Gaylordsville
Action stage7.07Jun 3, 2001The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.031Mar 13, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.026Dec 19, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.02May 31, 1984Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

73 crests from 1907 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Housatonic River at Gaylordsville, 1907 to 2026 5101520ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Oct 30, 1907: 11.10 ft, moderate flooding; 16,900 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1913: 10.50 ft, moderate flooding; 14,900 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1927: 11.50 ft, moderate flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1936: 12.60 ft, moderate flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 11.50 ft, moderate flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1938: 14.50 ft, moderate flooding; 37,000 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1949: 14.85 ft, moderate flooding; 32,300 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 18.58 ft, major flooding; 51,800 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1955: 12.45 ft, moderate flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1960: 11.17 ft, moderate flooding; 17,100 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1963: 8.90 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1969: 8.70 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1970: 9.10 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1973: 9.50 ft, minor flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1973: 10.40 ft, moderate flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1975: 9.10 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1976: 9.00 ft, minor flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1977: 11.30 ft, moderate flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1980: 10.30 ft, moderate flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1983: 9.40 ft, minor flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1983: 8.29 ft, minor flooding; 9,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1984: 7.80 ft, action stage; 8,010 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1984: 6.89 ft, below flood stage; 6,160 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1984: 9.32 ft, minor flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1984: 7.20 ft, action stage; 6,770 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1984: 15.22 ft, major flooding; 34,000 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1987: 11.50 ft, moderate flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1989: 12.00 ft, moderate flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1989: 8.50 ft, minor flooding; 9,500 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1990: 8.60 ft, minor flooding; 9,790 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 1990: 7.48 ft, action stage; 7,330 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1991: 6.50 ft, below flood stage; 5,440 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1993: 9.84 ft, minor flooding; 13,000 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1994: 8.32 ft, minor flooding; 9,160 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1994: 6.89 ft, below flood stage; 6,170 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1996: 11.21 ft, moderate flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1996: 7.93 ft, action stage; 8,290 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1998: 7.25 ft, action stageMar 10, 1998: 6.53 ft, below flood stageMar 5, 1999: 6.92 ft, below flood stage; 6,220 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2000: 8.22 ft, minor flooding; 8,940 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2001: 6.86 ft, below flood stage; 6,110 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2001: 7.74 ft, action stage; 7,880 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2001: 8.81 ft, minor flooding; 10,300 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2001: 6.91 ft, below flood stage; 6,200 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2001: 7.45 ft, action stage; 7,270 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2005: 9.82 ft, minor flooding; 12,983 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2005: 10.23 ft, moderate flooding; 14,156 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2005: 12.24 ft, moderate floodingApr 17, 2007: 12.97 ft, moderate flooding; 23,380 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 2008: 10.57 ft, moderate flooding; 15,195 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2010: 8.04 ft, minor flooding; 8,529 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2010: 9.04 ft, minor flooding; 10,896 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2011: 13.75 ft, moderate flooding; 26,300 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2011: 11.71 ft, moderate flooding; 18,856 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2011: 12.50 ft, moderate floodingSep 8, 2011: 12.90 ft, moderate floodingDec 8, 2011: 8.14 ft, minor flooding; 8,753 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2013: 9.96 ft, minor flooding; 13,404 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2014: 8.64 ft, minor floodingFeb 26, 2016: 8.32 ft, minor flooding; 9,242 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 2018: 8.45 ft, minor flooding; 9,488 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2019: 8.55 ft, minor flooding; 9,725 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 2020: 8.36 ft, minor flooding; 9,278 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 2021: 8.40 ft, minor flooding; 9,371 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 10.78 ft, moderate flooding; 15,819 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2023: 10.95 ft, moderate flooding; 16,348 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2023: 8.35 ft, minor flooding; 9,255 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2023: 8.02 ft, minor flooding; 8,502 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2023: 10.26 ft, moderate flooding; 14,260 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 2024: 9.32 ft, minor flooding; 11,656 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2024: 8.44 ft, minor flooding; 9,501 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2026: 8.31 ft, minor flooding; 9,211 cubic feet per second Highest, 18.58 ft, Aug 19, 1955 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Housatonic River at Gaylordsville 1900s: 1 1910s: 1 1920s: 1 1930s: 3 1940s: 1 1950s: 2 1960s: 3 1970s: 6 1980s: 8 1990s: 4 2000s: 7 2010s: 12 12 2020s: 10 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 73 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Housatonic River at Gaylordsville
1Aug 19, 195518.58+10.58Major51,800
2May 31, 198415.22+7.22Major34,000
3Jan 1, 194914.85+6.85Moderate32,300
4Sep 22, 193814.50+6.50Moderate37,000
5Mar 7, 201113.75+5.75Moderate26,300
6Apr 17, 200712.97+4.97Moderate23,380
7Sep 8, 201112.90+4.90Moderate—
8Mar 13, 193612.60+4.60Moderate26,000
9Aug 29, 201112.50+4.50Moderate—
10Oct 16, 195512.45+4.45Moderate21,600
11Oct 15, 200512.24+4.24Moderate—
12Mar 7, 198912.00+4.00Moderate19,800
13Mar 12, 201111.71+3.71Moderate18,856
14Nov 4, 192711.50+3.50Moderate21,000
15Mar 19, 193611.50+3.50Moderate21,000
16Apr 5, 198711.50+3.50Moderate18,200
17Mar 15, 197711.30+3.30Moderate17,400
18Jan 27, 199611.21+3.21Moderate17,200
19Apr 5, 196011.17+3.17Moderate17,100
20Oct 30, 190711.10+3.10Moderate16,900
21Jul 10, 202310.95+2.95Moderate16,348
22Sep 2, 202110.78+2.78Moderate15,819
23Dec 13, 200810.57+2.57Moderate15,195
24Mar 28, 191310.50+2.50Moderate14,900
25Dec 22, 197310.40+2.40Moderate14,800
26Mar 22, 198010.30+2.30Moderate14,400
27Dec 19, 202310.26+2.26Moderate14,260
28Apr 4, 200510.23+2.23Moderate14,156
29Jun 15, 20139.96+1.96Minor13,404
30Mar 31, 19939.84+1.84Minor13,000
31Mar 30, 20059.82+1.82Minor12,983
32Feb 3, 19739.50+1.50Minor12,200
33Apr 25, 19839.40+1.40Minor11,900
34Apr 6, 19849.32+1.32Minor11,600
35Jan 11, 20249.32+1.32Minor11,656
36Apr 3, 19709.10+1.10Minor11,000
37Sep 27, 19759.10+1.10Minor11,000
38Mar 31, 20109.04+1.04Minor10,896
39Jan 28, 19769.00+1.00Minor10,700
40Mar 28, 19638.90+0.90Minor10,600
41Apr 11, 20018.81+0.81Minor10,300
42Apr 24, 19698.70+0.70Minor10,100
43Apr 1, 20148.64+0.64Minor—
44Mar 21, 19908.60+0.60Minor9,790
45Dec 15, 20198.55+0.55Minor9,725
46Oct 21, 19898.50+0.50Minor9,500
47Nov 4, 20188.45+0.45Minor9,488
48Mar 24, 20248.44+0.44Minor9,501
49Jul 18, 20218.40+0.40Minor9,371
50Dec 26, 20208.36+0.36Minor9,278

The worst floods along the Housatonic River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Housatonic River that crested above flood stage within a week.

August 19, 1955: 18.58 ft here, major flooding

May 31, 1984: 15.22 ft here, major flooding

January 1, 1949: 14.85 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Housatonic River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Housatonic River
E Br at ColtsvilleMA5.010.80 ft, Sep 21, 19383
Great BarringtonMA9.012.08 ft, Jan 1, 19491
Falls VillageCT7.019.00 ft, Jan 1, 19493
Gaylordsville this gaugeCT8.018.58 ft, Aug 19, 19552
StevensonCT11.024.50 ft, Aug 19, 19559

Other gauges in Fairfield County

Flood gauges in Fairfield County
Bridgeport Harbor (IN MLLW)8.713.26 ft, Oct 29, 20123
Brookfield12.019.00 ft, Mar 7, 20119

Fairfield County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Connecticut

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GAYC3, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.