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Buzzards Bay at New Bedford Hurricane Barrier (IN MLLW)

Highest listed crest 13.64 ftFlood stage 6.0 ft60 crests since 1815

The Buzzards Bay at New Bedford Hurricane Barrier (IN MLLW) crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 60 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1815 to 2024. The highest, 13.64 ft on September 21, 1938, was major flooding, 7.64 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.64 ft
September 21, 1938
Flood stage
6.0 ft
Major flooding from 9.5 ft
Crests at major
3
10th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
November 16, 2024
6.32 ft, minor flooding
Location
Bristol County
Near New Bedford (3.2 mi), Fall River (12.0 mi)
Identifiers
NWS NBDM3
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Buzzards Bay at New Bedford Hurricane Barrier (IN MLLW)
Action stage5.52Oct 7, 2009The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)6.049Nov 16, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage7.56Oct 29, 2012Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage9.53Aug 31, 1954Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

60 crests from 1815 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Buzzards Bay at New Bedford Hurricane Barrier (IN MLLW), 1815 to 2024 468101214ft Flood stage 6.0 ftMajor 9.5 ft Sep 23, 1815: 12.64 ft, major floodingSep 21, 1938: 13.64 ft, major floodingSep 14, 1944: 9.24 ft, moderate floodingNov 30, 1944: 7.94 ft, moderate floodingNov 7, 1953: 7.34 ft, minor floodingAug 31, 1954: 13.04 ft, major floodingDec 29, 1959: 6.94 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1960: 7.24 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 1960: 7.24 ft, minor floodingJul 30, 1960: 7.24 ft, minor floodingSep 12, 1960: 7.44 ft, minor floodingDec 29, 1966: 7.14 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 1971: 6.44 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1972: 6.44 ft, minor floodingNov 20, 1972: 7.24 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 1973: 6.54 ft, minor floodingDec 2, 1974: 6.84 ft, minor floodingOct 21, 1976: 6.54 ft, minor floodingJan 9, 1978: 7.44 ft, minor floodingSep 27, 1985: 6.34 ft, minor floodingNov 25, 1985: 7.04 ft, minor floodingDec 5, 1986: 6.54 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 1987: 7.54 ft, moderate floodingJan 23, 1987: 7.44 ft, minor floodingDec 4, 1990: 6.74 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 1991: 8.74 ft, moderate floodingOct 31, 1991: 6.74 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 1997: 7.54 ft, moderate floodingNov 1, 1997: 6.24 ft, minor floodingDec 12, 2000: 6.54 ft, minor floodingOct 17, 2001: 6.24 ft, minor floodingNov 6, 2002: 6.34 ft, minor floodingDec 9, 2005: 6.34 ft, minor floodingOct 28, 2006: 6.54 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 2007: 6.94 ft, minor floodingSep 28, 2007: 5.98 ft, action stageDec 16, 2007: 6.05 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 2008: 6.30 ft, minor floodingDec 12, 2008: 6.84 ft, minor floodingOct 7, 2009: 5.99 ft, action stageDec 3, 2009: 6.52 ft, minor floodingDec 9, 2009: 6.53 ft, minor floodingAug 28, 2011: 6.77 ft, minor floodingSep 29, 2011: 6.15 ft, minor floodingOct 29, 2012: 7.95 ft, moderate floodingDec 27, 2012: 6.61 ft, minor floodingSep 30, 2015: 6.34 ft, minor floodingFeb 9, 2016: 6.74 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 2017: 6.14 ft, minor floodingJan 4, 2018: 6.00 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 2018: 6.00 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 2020: 6.34 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 2020: 6.29 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 2022: 6.11 ft, minor floodingDec 23, 2022: 7.45 ft, minor floodingDec 18, 2023: 7.28 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 2024: 7.42 ft, minor floodingFeb 14, 2024: 6.06 ft, minor floodingMar 10, 2024: 6.58 ft, minor floodingNov 16, 2024: 6.32 ft, minor flooding Highest, 13.64 ft, Sep 21, 1938 18401880192019602000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Buzzards Bay at New Bedford Hurricane Barrier (IN MLLW) 1810s: 1 1820s: 0 1830s: 0 1840s: 0 1850s: 0 1860s: 0 1870s: 0 1880s: 0 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 3 1960s: 5 1970s: 7 1980s: 5 1990s: 5 2000s: 11 11 2010s: 9 2020s: 9 1810s1830s1850s1870s1890s1910s1930s1950s1970s1990s2010s
  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 60 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Buzzards Bay at New Bedford Hurricane Barrier (IN MLLW)
1Sep 21, 193813.64+7.64Major—
2Aug 31, 195413.04+7.04Major—
3Sep 23, 181512.64+6.64Major—
4Sep 14, 19449.24+3.24Moderate—
5Aug 19, 19918.74+2.74Moderate—
6Oct 29, 20127.95+1.95Moderate—
7Nov 30, 19447.94+1.94Moderate—
8Jan 10, 19877.54+1.54Moderate—
9Jan 10, 19977.54+1.54Moderate—
10Dec 23, 20227.45+1.45Minor—
11Sep 12, 19607.44+1.44Minor—
12Jan 9, 19787.44+1.44Minor—
13Jan 23, 19877.44+1.44Minor—
14Jan 10, 20247.42+1.42Minor—
15Nov 7, 19537.34+1.34Minor—
16Dec 18, 20237.28+1.28Minor—
17Feb 19, 19607.24+1.24Minor—
18Jun 10, 19607.24+1.24Minor—
19Jul 30, 19607.24+1.24Minor—
20Nov 20, 19727.24+1.24Minor—
21Dec 29, 19667.14+1.14Minor—
22Nov 25, 19857.04+1.04Minor—
23Dec 29, 19596.94+0.94Minor—
24Apr 16, 20076.94+0.94Minor—
25Dec 2, 19746.84+0.84Minor—
26Dec 12, 20086.84+0.84Minor—
27Aug 28, 20116.77+0.77Minor—
28Dec 4, 19906.74+0.74Minor—
29Oct 31, 19916.74+0.74Minor—
30Feb 9, 20166.74+0.74Minor—
31Dec 27, 20126.61+0.61Minor—
32Mar 10, 20246.58+0.58Minor—
33Apr 4, 19736.54+0.54Minor—
34Oct 21, 19766.54+0.54Minor—
35Dec 5, 19866.54+0.54Minor—
36Dec 12, 20006.54+0.54Minor—
37Oct 28, 20066.54+0.54Minor—
38Dec 9, 20096.53+0.53Minor—
39Dec 3, 20096.52+0.52Minor—
40Jan 26, 19716.44+0.44Minor—
41Feb 19, 19726.44+0.44Minor—
42Sep 27, 19856.34+0.34Minor—
43Nov 6, 20026.34+0.34Minor—
44Dec 9, 20056.34+0.34Minor—
45Sep 30, 20156.34+0.34Minor—
46Apr 10, 20206.34+0.34Minor—
47Nov 16, 20246.32+0.32Minor—
48Mar 9, 20086.30+0.30Minor—
49May 8, 20206.29+0.29Minor—
50Nov 1, 19976.24+0.24Minor—

Other gauges in Bristol County

Flood gauges in Bristol County
Taunton8.511.54 ft, Apr 1, 20100
Mount Hope Bay at Fall River (IN MLLW)7.08.96 ft, Oct 29, 20120
Dighton5.08.66 ft, Mar 30, 20100
Norton9.511.48 ft, Mar 31, 20100

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NBDM3, 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.