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Charles River at Dover

Highest listed crest 9.24 ftFlood stage 5.0 ft47 crests since 1936

The Charles River at Dover crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 47 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2024. The highest, 9.24 ft on August 23, 1955, was major flooding, 4.24 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Charles River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
9.24 ft
August 23, 1955; 3,220 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
5.0 ft
Major flooding from 8.0 ft
Crests at major
6
3rd of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
April 7, 2024
5.28 ft, minor flooding
Location
Norfolk County
Near Newton (5.9 mi), Watertown (8.9 mi), Waltham (9.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Charles River at Dover
Action stage4.57Mar 12, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)5.030Apr 7, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage7.03Mar 18, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage8.06Apr 2, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

Listed crests at the Charles River at Dover, 1936 to 2024 246810ft Flood stage 5.0 ftMajor 8.0 ft Mar 25, 1936: 9.10 ft, major flooding; 3,170 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1938: 9.00 ft, major flooding; 3,110 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1945: 4.96 ft, action stage; 12,405 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1949: 6.44 ft, minor flooding; 2,060 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1952: 4.77 ft, action stage; 13,105 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1954: 5.39 ft, minor flooding; 1,240 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1955: 9.24 ft, major flooding; 3,220 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1956: 5.61 ft, minor flooding; 1,480 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1958: 6.09 ft, minor flooding; 1,770 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1961: 4.60 ft, action stage; 13,705 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1962: 4.66 ft, action stage; 13,905 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1968: 8.72 ft, major flooding; 3,220 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1972: 5.39 ft, minor flooding; 1,570 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1976: 6.12 ft, minor flooding; 1,860 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1977: 4.68 ft, action stage; 12,905 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1978: 6.37 ft, minor flooding; 1,970 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1979: 8.36 ft, major flooding; 3,000 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1982: 7.32 ft, moderate flooding; 2,290 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1983: 5.71 ft, minor flooding; 1,590 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1984: 7.36 ft, moderate flooding; 2,310 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1995: 3.00 ft, below flood stage; 690 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1996: 5.10 ft, minor flooding; 1,360 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 1996: 5.10 ft, minor flooding; 1,360 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1998: 5.30 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 1998: 6.84 ft, minor flooding; 2,070 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2001: 6.97 ft, minor flooding; 2,130 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2004: 4.85 ft, action stage; 1,350 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2005: 5.46 ft, minor floodingOct 19, 2005: 6.09 ft, minor floodingJun 11, 2006: 6.48 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 2007: 5.69 ft, minor flooding; 1,676 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2008: 5.06 ft, minor flooding; 1,424 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2008: 5.18 ft, minor flooding; 1,471 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2008: 5.43 ft, minor flooding; 1,564 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2010: 5.73 ft, minor flooding; 1,692 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2010: 7.76 ft, moderate flooding; 2,635 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2010: 8.05 ft, major flooding; 2,786 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2011: 5.54 ft, minor flooding; 1,616 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2013: 5.52 ft, minor flooding; 1,608 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 2018: 5.24 ft, minor flooding; 1,497 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2021: 5.63 ft, minor flooding; 1,649 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 2023: 6.86 ft, minor flooding; 2,188 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 5.12 ft, minor flooding; 1,451 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2024: 6.78 ft, minor flooding; 2,151 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 2024: 5.11 ft, minor flooding; 1,447 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2024: 4.50 ft, action stage; 1,229 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2024: 5.28 ft, minor flooding; 1,520 cubic feet per second Highest, 9.24 ft, Aug 23, 1955 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Charles River at Dover 1930s: 2 1940s: 1 1950s: 4 1960s: 1 1970s: 4 1980s: 3 1990s: 4 2000s: 8 8 2010s: 6 2020s: 6 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, Charles River at Dover
1Aug 23, 19559.24+4.24Major3,220
2Mar 25, 19369.10+4.10Major3,170
3Jun 27, 19389.00+4.00Major3,110
4Mar 22, 19688.72+3.72Major3,220
5Jan 28, 19798.36+3.36Major3,000
6Apr 2, 20108.05+3.05Major2,786
7Mar 18, 20107.76+2.76Moderate2,635
8Jun 4, 19847.36+2.36Moderate2,310
9Jun 9, 19827.32+2.32Moderate2,290
10Mar 25, 20016.97+1.97Minor2,130
11Dec 22, 20236.86+1.86Minor2,188
12Jun 18, 19986.84+1.84Minor2,070
13Jan 15, 20246.78+1.78Minor2,151
14Jun 11, 20066.48+1.48Minor—
15Mar 22, 19496.44+1.44Minor2,060
16Mar 31, 19786.37+1.37Minor1,970
17Feb 3, 19766.12+1.12Minor1,860
18Jan 30, 19586.09+1.09Minor1,770
19Oct 19, 20056.09+1.09Minor—
20Mar 1, 20105.73+0.73Minor1,692
21Mar 14, 19835.71+0.71Minor1,590
22Apr 20, 20075.69+0.69Minor1,676
23Jul 14, 20215.63+0.63Minor1,649
24Apr 11, 19565.61+0.61Minor1,480
25Mar 11, 20115.54+0.54Minor1,616
26Jun 19, 20135.52+0.52Minor1,608
27Apr 5, 20055.46+0.46Minor—
28Dec 16, 20085.43+0.43Minor1,564
29Sep 17, 19545.39+0.39Minor1,240
30Mar 23, 19725.39+0.39Minor1,570
31May 14, 19985.30+0.30Minor—
32Apr 7, 20245.28+0.28Minor1,520
33Nov 16, 20185.24+0.24Minor1,497
34Mar 12, 20085.18+0.18Minor1,471
35Jan 10, 20245.12+0.12Minor1,451
36Jan 21, 20245.11+0.11Minor1,447
37Jan 28, 19965.10+0.10Minor1,360
38Oct 24, 19965.10+0.10Minor1,360
39Feb 18, 20085.06+0.06Minor1,424
40Dec 11, 19454.96−0.04Action12,405
41Apr 5, 20044.85−0.15Action1,350
42Mar 15, 19524.77−0.23Action13,105
43Mar 26, 19774.68−0.32Action12,905
44Mar 19, 19624.66−0.34Action13,905
45Mar 1, 19614.60−0.40Action13,705
46Mar 12, 20244.50−0.50Action1,229
47Dec 28, 19953.00−2.00Below flood stage690

The worst floods along the Charles River

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

August 23, 1955: 9.24 ft here, major flooding

  • WalthamMA · Aug 19, 1955 · 5.35 ft · Minor

March 22, 1968: 8.72 ft here, major flooding

  • WalthamMA · Mar 22, 1968 · 5.15 ft · Minor

January 28, 1979: 8.36 ft here, major flooding

  • WalthamMA · Jan 25, 1979 · 6.48 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Charles River

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

Flood gauges on the Charles River
MedwayMA5.07.21 ft, Mar 31, 20102
Dover this gaugeMA5.09.24 ft, Aug 23, 19556
WalthamMA5.07.56 ft, Mar 16, 20100

Other gauges in Norfolk County

Flood gauges in Norfolk County
Medway5.07.21 ft, Mar 31, 20102
East Braintree4.55.60 ft, Mar 17, 20100
Norwood9.014.65 ft, Aug 19, 19555
Weymouth4.55.92 ft, Oct 15, 20050

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DOVM3, 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.