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Blackstone River at Northbridge

Highest listed crest 16.74 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft43 crests since 1936

The Blackstone River at Northbridge crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 43 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2024. The highest, 16.74 ft on August 20, 1955, was major flooding, 7.74 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Blackstone River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.74 ft
August 20, 1955; 16,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
1
29th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
January 10, 2024
9.21 ft, minor flooding
Location
Worcester County
Near Worcester (11.3 mi), Woonsocket (13.1 mi), Franklin Town (13.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Blackstone River at Northbridge
Action stage8.012Sep 17, 1999The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.027Jan 10, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.03Oct 15, 2005Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.01Aug 20, 1955Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

43 crests from 1936 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Blackstone River at Northbridge, 1936 to 2024 81012141618ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Mar 19, 1936: 13.70 ft, moderate flooding; 7,510 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1940: 8.13 ft, action stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1951: 9.04 ft, minor flooding; 2,270 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1952: 8.03 ft, action stage; 1,750 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1953: 8.17 ft, action stage; 1,860 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1954: 11.36 ft, minor flooding; 4,510 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1955: 16.74 ft, major flooding; 16,900 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1955: 9.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,830 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1959: 8.25 ft, action stage; 2,870 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1962: 8.06 ft, action stage; 2,620 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1968: 10.90 ft, minor flooding; 4,760 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1969: 8.96 ft, action stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1970: 9.33 ft, minor flooding; 3,470 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1972: 8.28 ft, action stage; 2,820 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1973: 8.19 ft, action stage; 2,590 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1976: 8.27 ft, action stage; 2,840 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1979: 12.48 ft, moderate flooding; 6,190 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1982: 9.30 ft, minor flooding; 3,530 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1987: 9.40 ft, minor flooding; 3,610 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1996: 9.20 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1996: 9.29 ft, minor flooding; 3,310 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1996: 8.34 ft, action stage; 2,630 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1998: 10.70 ft, minor flooding; 4,440 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1998: 8.75 ft, action stageSep 17, 1999: 8.18 ft, action stage; 2,520 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2000: 9.22 ft, minor flooding; 3,260 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2001: 9.22 ft, minor flooding; 3,260 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2005: 13.65 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 2007: 10.50 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 2008: 9.24 ft, minor flooding; 3,272 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2008: 9.13 ft, minor flooding; 3,193 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 2008: 10.50 ft, minor flooding; 4,270 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2010: 9.40 ft, minor flooding; 3,393 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2010: 10.69 ft, minor flooding; 4,429 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2011: 9.32 ft, minor flooding; 3,333 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2011: 10.36 ft, minor flooding; 4,152 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2011: 10.54 ft, minor flooding; 4,303 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2017: 9.24 ft, minor flooding; 3,273 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2019: 9.11 ft, minor flooding; 3,179 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2021: 9.16 ft, minor flooding; 3,215 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 10.43 ft, minor flooding; 4,211 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2023: 9.78 ft, minor flooding; 3,684 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 9.21 ft, minor flooding; 3,251 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.74 ft, Aug 20, 1955 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Blackstone River at Northbridge 1930s: 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 4 1960s: 1 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 3 2000s: 7 7 2010s: 7 2020s: 4 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Blackstone River at Northbridge
1Aug 20, 195516.74+7.74Major16,900
2Mar 19, 193613.70+4.70Moderate7,510
3Oct 15, 200513.65+4.65Moderate—
4Jan 25, 197912.48+3.48Moderate6,190
5Sep 12, 195411.36+2.36Minor4,510
6Mar 19, 196810.90+1.90Minor4,760
7Mar 10, 199810.70+1.70Minor4,440
8Mar 31, 201010.69+1.69Minor4,429
9Sep 8, 201110.54+1.54Minor4,303
10Apr 16, 200710.50+1.50Minor—
11Dec 12, 200810.50+1.50Minor4,270
12Sep 2, 202110.43+1.43Minor4,211
13Aug 29, 201110.36+1.36Minor4,152
14Dec 19, 20239.78+0.78Minor3,684
15Oct 16, 19559.48+0.48Minor2,830
16Apr 5, 19879.40+0.40Minor3,610
17Feb 26, 20109.40+0.40Minor3,393
18Feb 4, 19709.33+0.33Minor3,470
19Mar 7, 20119.32+0.32Minor3,333
20Jun 7, 19829.30+0.30Minor3,530
21Apr 17, 19969.29+0.29Minor3,310
22Mar 9, 20089.24+0.24Minor3,272
23Oct 30, 20179.24+0.24Minor3,273
24Apr 22, 20009.22+0.22Minor3,260
25Mar 22, 20019.22+0.22Minor3,260
26Jan 10, 20249.21+0.21Minor3,251
27Jan 28, 19969.20+0.20Minor—
28Jul 10, 20219.16+0.16Minor3,215
29Sep 7, 20089.13+0.13Minor3,193
30Jan 25, 20199.11+0.11Minor3,179
31Feb 8, 19519.04+0.04Minor2,270
32Mar 25, 19698.96−0.04Action3,290
33Jun 14, 19988.75−0.25Action—
34Oct 21, 19968.34−0.66Action2,630
35Mar 23, 19728.28−0.72Action2,820
36Jan 28, 19768.27−0.73Action2,840
37Mar 7, 19598.25−0.75Action2,870
38Feb 3, 19738.19−0.81Action2,590
39Sep 17, 19998.18−0.82Action2,520
40Mar 16, 19538.17−0.83Action1,860
41Jan 15, 19408.13−0.87Action1,840
42Apr 1, 19628.06−0.94Action2,620
43Jun 2, 19528.03−0.97Action1,750

The worst floods along the Blackstone River

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

August 20, 1955: 16.74 ft here, major flooding

  • WoonsocketRI · Aug 19, 1955 · 21.80 ft · Major · its highest

March 19, 1936: 13.70 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WoonsocketRI · Mar 19, 1936 · 14.40 ft · Moderate

October 15, 2005: 13.65 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WoonsocketRI · Oct 16, 2005 · 15.34 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Blackstone River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Blackstone River
WoonsocketRI9.014.59 ft, Dec 19, 20230
Northbridge this gaugeMA9.016.74 ft, Aug 20, 19551
WoonsocketRI9.021.80 ft, Aug 19, 19551
Woonsocket Falls DamRI9.09.99 ft, Mar 31, 20140

Other gauges in Worcester County

Flood gauges in Worcester County
Webster8.526.05 ft, Aug 19, 19550
Athol13.515.79 ft, Jan 13, 20180
Fitchburg6.59.25 ft, Apr 5, 19870
Winchendon6.59.90 ft, Sep 21, 19380
Barre Plains5.57.49 ft, Mar 7, 20110

Worcester County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Massachusetts

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NBRM3, 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.