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Quinebaug River at Putnam

Highest listed crest 26.50 ftFlood stage 9.5 ft36 crests since 1931

The Quinebaug River at Putnam crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 36 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1931 to 2013. The highest, 26.50 ft on August 19, 1955, was major flooding, 17.00 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Quinebaug River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.50 ft
August 19, 1955; 48,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.5 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
3
10th of 26 gauges in Connecticut
Most recent flood crest
October 15, 2005
9.55 ft, minor flooding
Location
Windham County
Near Southbridge Town (12.1 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Quinebaug River at Putnam
Action stage7.522Jun 14, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.510Oct 15, 2005Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.01Sep 12, 1954Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.03Aug 19, 1955Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

36 crests from 1931 to 2013. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Quinebaug River at Putnam, 1931 to 2013 51015202530ft Flood stage 9.5 ftMajor 15.0 ft Jun 11, 1931: 8.44 ft, action stage; 3,930 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1933: 8.59 ft, action stage; 4,130 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1934: 10.87 ft, minor flooding; 6,830 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1935: 9.88 ft, minor flooding; 5,600 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 17.28 ft, major flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1936: 8.80 ft, action stage; 4,350 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1938: 19.45 ft, major flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1939: 8.25 ft, action stage; 3,190 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1940: 10.31 ft, minor flooding; 5,710 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1942: 9.19 ft, action stage; 4,430 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1942: 8.35 ft, action stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1948: 9.92 ft, minor flooding; 5,290 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1951: 9.81 ft, minor flooding; 5,180 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1951: 8.67 ft, action stage; 4,040 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1953: 9.84 ft, minor flooding; 5,180 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1954: 12.80 ft, moderate flooding; 8,990 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 26.50 ft, major flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1955: 10.34 ft, minor flooding; 5,150 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 1955: 10.34 ft, minor flooding; 51,506 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1958: 8.59 ft, action stage; 3,940 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1959: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 5,510 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 8.55 ft, action stage; 3,940 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1962: 8.60 ft, action stage; 3,940 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1963: 7.95 ft, action stage; 3,340 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1968: 7.81 ft, action stage; 3,220 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1996: 8.51 ft, action stage; 4,050 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1998: 8.67 ft, action stage; 4,170 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2001: 8.04 ft, action stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2003: 7.69 ft, action stage; 3,260 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2005: 9.55 ft, minor flooding; 5,060 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2007: 7.93 ft, action stage; 3,730 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 2008: 7.76 ft, action stageDec 12, 2008: 8.53 ft, action stage; 4,290 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2010: 7.83 ft, action stage; 3,770 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2011: 7.66 ft, action stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2013: 7.79 ft, action stage; 3,740 cubic feet per second Highest, 26.50 ft, Aug 19, 1955 1940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Quinebaug River at Putnam 1930s: 4 1940s: 2 1950s: 7 7 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 2010s: 0 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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

Highest listed crests, Quinebaug River at Putnam
1Aug 19, 195526.50+17.00Major48,000
2Sep 21, 193819.45+9.95Major20,900
3Mar 19, 193617.28+7.78Major17,200
4Sep 12, 195412.80+3.30Moderate8,990
5Mar 6, 193410.87+1.37Minor6,830
6Oct 17, 195510.34+0.84Minor5,150
7Nov 17, 195510.34+0.84Minor51,506
8Apr 1, 194010.31+0.81Minor5,710
9Apr 3, 195910.10+0.60Minor5,510
10Mar 22, 19489.92+0.42Minor5,290
11Jan 10, 19359.88+0.38Minor5,600
12Mar 16, 19539.84+0.34Minor5,180
13Feb 8, 19519.81+0.31Minor5,180
14Oct 15, 20059.55+0.05Minor5,060
15Mar 9, 19429.19−0.31Action4,430
16Dec 20, 19368.80−0.70Action4,350
17Dec 21, 19518.67−0.83Action4,040
18Mar 10, 19988.67−0.83Action4,170
19Apr 1, 19628.60−0.90Action3,940
20Sep 18, 19338.59−0.91Action4,130
21Apr 8, 19588.59−0.91Action3,940
22Mar 31, 19608.55−0.95Action3,940
23Dec 12, 20088.53−0.97Action4,290
24Apr 17, 19968.51−0.99Action4,050
25Jun 11, 19318.44−1.06Action3,930
26Dec 31, 19428.35−1.15Action3,600
27Feb 16, 19398.25−1.25Action3,190
28Mar 31, 20018.04−1.46Action3,590
29Mar 28, 19637.95−1.55Action3,340
30Apr 18, 20077.93−1.57Action3,730
31Apr 2, 20107.83−1.67Action3,770
32Mar 22, 19687.81−1.69Action3,220
33Jun 14, 20137.79−1.71Action3,740
34Feb 20, 20087.76−1.74Action—
35Dec 18, 20037.69−1.81Action3,260
36Mar 7, 20117.66−1.84Action3,590

The worst floods along the Quinebaug River

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

August 19, 1955: 26.50 ft here, major flooding

  • Jewett CityCT · Aug 20, 1955 · 29.00 ft · Major · its highest

March 19, 1936: 17.28 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Quinebaug River

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

Flood gauges on the Quinebaug River
Putnam this gaugeCT9.526.50 ft, Aug 19, 19553
Jewett CityCT17.529.00 ft, Aug 20, 19554

Other gauges in Windham County

Flood gauges in Windham County
Warrenville7.014.50 ft, Sep 21, 19384
Willimantic13.027.60 ft, Sep 21, 19384

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PUTC3, 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.