Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Connecticut River at Montague

Highest listed crest 49.20 ftFlood stage 28.0 ft76 crests since 1929

The Connecticut River at Montague crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 76 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1929 to 2025. The highest, 49.20 ft on March 19, 1936, was major flooding, 21.20 feet above flood stage. 9 other gauges on the Connecticut River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 8 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
49.20 ft
March 19, 1936; 236,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
28.0 ft
Major flooding from 40.0 ft
Crests at major
2
18th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
March 18, 2025
28.34 ft, minor flooding
Location
Franklin County
Near Greenfield (2.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Connecticut River at Montague
Action stage26.016Apr 16, 2002The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)28.039Mar 18, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage32.019Jul 11, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage40.02Sep 22, 1938Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

76 crests from 1929 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Connecticut River at Montague, 1929 to 2025 253035404550ft Flood stage 28.0 ftMajor 40.0 ft Mar 25, 1929: 27.41 ft, action stage; 757,000 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1931: 26.74 ft, action stage; 723,000 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1932: 30.32 ft, minor flooding; 91,900 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1933: 37.56 ft, moderate flooding; 137,000 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1934: 33.90 ft, moderate flooding; 114,000 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1935: 30.45 ft, minor flooding; 92,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 49.20 ft, major flooding; 236,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1937: 31.46 ft, minor flooding; 97,000 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1938: 44.74 ft, major flooding; 195,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1939: 31.74 ft, minor flooding; 98,200 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1940: 34.88 ft, moderate flooding; 119,000 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1942: 26.70 ft, action stage; 706,000 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1943: 26.84 ft, action stage; 711,000 cubic feet per secondNov 10, 1943: 26.50 ft, action stage; 696,000 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1945: 29.57 ft, minor flooding; 85,600 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1946: 27.41 ft, action stage; 71,000 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1947: 31.26 ft, minor flooding; 95,600 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1948: 35.90 ft, moderate flooding; 126,000 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1948: 37.76 ft, moderate flooding; 139,000 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1950: 28.43 ft, minor flooding; 79,400 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1951: 32.30 ft, moderate flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1952: 33.27 ft, moderate flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1953: 35.40 ft, moderate flooding; 123,000 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1955: 28.28 ft, minor flooding; 81,400 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1956: 31.80 ft, minor flooding; 99,400 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1958: 32.11 ft, moderate flooding; 101,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1959: 30.70 ft, minor flooding; 93,500 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1960: 38.13 ft, moderate flooding; 142,000 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1962: 30.34 ft, minor flooding; 91,700 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1963: 27.46 ft, action stage; 773,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1964: 27.93 ft, action stage; 796,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1967: 28.01 ft, minor flooding; 79,100 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1968: 32.11 ft, moderate flooding; 101,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1969: 34.46 ft, moderate flooding; 103,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1970: 27.33 ft, action stage; 755,000 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1971: 27.50 ft, action stage; 87,900 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1973: 31.65 ft, minor flooding; 98,600 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1974: 30.49 ft, minor flooding; 92,200 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1976: 32.25 ft, moderate flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1977: 33.15 ft, moderate flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1979: 30.94 ft, minor flooding; 94,600 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1980: 27.25 ft, action stage; 751,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1981: 29.64 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1982: 31.09 ft, minor flooding; 94,000 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1983: 26.80 ft, action stage; 728,000 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1983: 30.30 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 1984: 38.17 ft, moderate floodingApr 1, 1987: 35.89 ft, moderate flooding; 123,000 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1990: 30.30 ft, minor flooding; 91,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1993: 29.56 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1996: 30.91 ft, minor flooding; 94,800 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1996: 30.20 ft, minor floodingDec 3, 1996: 26.20 ft, action stage; 700,000 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1998: 28.82 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1998: 31.09 ft, minor floodingSep 17, 1999: 26.11 ft, action stage; 694,000 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2000: 26.04 ft, action stage; 691,000 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2001: 30.62 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 2002: 26.95 ft, action stage; 732,000 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2003: 28.40 ft, minor flooding; 81,000 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2003: 29.09 ft, minor flooding; 84,786 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2004: 29.45 ft, minor flooding; 86,700 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2005: 30.51 ft, minor flooding; 92,600 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2005: 35.04 ft, moderate flooding; 121,000 cubic feet per secondOct 26, 2005: 28.50 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 2007: 30.25 ft, minor flooding; 91,100 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2008: 28.62 ft, minor flooding; 82,200 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2010: 28.07 ft, minor flooding; 79,300 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2011: 29.43 ft, minor flooding; 86,622 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2011: 35.91 ft, moderate flooding; 127,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2014: 28.39 ft, minor flooding; 81,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2016: 28.75 ft, minor flooding; 82,900 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2019: 28.52 ft, minor flooding; 81,661 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 2023: 32.40 ft, moderate flooding; 103,000 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2023: 29.86 ft, minor flooding; 88,953 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2025: 28.34 ft, minor flooding; 65,400 cubic feet per second Highest, 49.20 ft, Mar 19, 1936 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Connecticut River at Montague 1920s: 0 1930s: 8 1940s: 5 1950s: 8 1960s: 5 1970s: 5 1980s: 5 1990s: 6 2000s: 9 9 2010s: 6 2020s: 3 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 76 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Connecticut River at Montague
1Mar 19, 193649.20+21.20Major236,000
2Sep 22, 193844.74+16.74Major195,000
3May 31, 198438.17+10.17Moderate—
4Apr 6, 196038.13+10.13Moderate142,000
5Dec 31, 194837.76+9.76Moderate139,000
6Apr 19, 193337.56+9.56Moderate137,000
7Aug 29, 201135.91+7.91Moderate127,000
8Mar 23, 194835.90+7.90Moderate126,000
9Apr 1, 198735.89+7.89Moderate123,000
10Mar 28, 195335.40+7.40Moderate123,000
11Oct 9, 200535.04+7.04Moderate121,000
12May 5, 194034.88+6.88Moderate119,000
13Apr 23, 196934.46+6.46Moderate103,000
14Apr 13, 193433.90+5.90Moderate114,000
15Jun 2, 195233.27+5.27Moderate108,000
16Mar 14, 197733.15+5.15Moderate108,000
17Jul 11, 202332.40+4.40Moderate103,000
18Apr 1, 195132.30+4.30Moderate102,000
19Apr 2, 197632.25+4.25Moderate102,000
20Apr 23, 195832.11+4.11Moderate101,000
21Mar 24, 196832.11+4.11Moderate101,000
22Apr 30, 195631.80+3.80Minor99,400
23Apr 23, 193931.74+3.74Minor98,200
24Jul 1, 197331.65+3.65Minor98,600
25May 16, 193731.46+3.46Minor97,000
26Apr 13, 194731.26+3.26Minor95,600
27Apr 19, 198231.09+3.09Minor94,000
28Apr 1, 199831.09+3.09Minor—
29Mar 26, 197930.94+2.94Minor94,600
30Apr 17, 199630.91+2.91Minor94,800
31Apr 4, 195930.70+2.70Minor93,500
32Apr 24, 200130.62+2.62Minor—
33Apr 4, 200530.51+2.51Minor92,600
34Dec 22, 197430.49+2.49Minor92,200
35Jan 11, 193530.45+2.45Minor92,500
36Apr 2, 196230.34+2.34Minor91,700
37Apr 13, 193230.32+2.32Minor91,900
38Dec 15, 198330.30+2.30Minor—
39Mar 18, 199030.30+2.30Minor91,000
40Apr 17, 200730.25+2.25Minor91,100
41May 13, 199630.20+2.20Minor—
42Dec 19, 202329.86+1.86Minor88,953
43Feb 25, 198129.64+1.64Minor—
44Mar 22, 194529.57+1.57Minor85,600
45Apr 17, 199329.56+1.56Minor—
46Apr 2, 200429.45+1.45Minor86,700
47Apr 13, 201129.43+1.43Minor86,622
48Oct 30, 200329.09+1.09Minor84,786
49Jan 9, 199828.82+0.82Minor—
50Feb 26, 201628.75+0.75Minor82,900

The worst floods along the Connecticut River

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

March 19, 1936: 49.20 ft here, major flooding

  • NorthamptonMA · Mar 19, 1936 · 129.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • North WalpoleNH · Mar 19, 1936 · 43.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • HartfordCT · Mar 21, 1936 · 37.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • West LebanonNH · Mar 19, 1936 · 32.60 ft · Major
  • SpringfieldMA · Mar 20, 1936 · 28.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • ThompsonvilleCT · Mar 20, 1936 · 26.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • DaltonNH · Mar 20, 1936 · 25.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • Holyoke - UpperMA · Mar 19, 1936 · 16.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • North StratfordNH · Mar 13, 1936 · 16.66 ft · Moderate · its highest

September 22, 1938: 44.74 ft here, major flooding

May 31, 1984: 38.17 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Connecticut River

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

Flood gauges on the Connecticut River
DaltonNH18.025.60 ft, Mar 20, 19363
HartfordCT16.037.60 ft, Mar 21, 19367
HolyokeMA26.527.73 ft, Aug 30, 20110
Holyoke - UpperMA9.016.80 ft, Mar 19, 193610
Middle HaddamCT7.011.20 ft, Dec 21, 20230
Montague this gaugeMA28.049.20 ft, Mar 19, 19362
North StratfordNH13.016.66 ft, Mar 13, 19360
North WalpoleNH28.043.80 ft, Mar 19, 19362
NorthamptonMA112.0129.40 ft, Mar 19, 19363
SpringfieldMA20.028.60 ft, Mar 20, 19362
ThompsonvilleCT15.026.60 ft, Mar 20, 19367
Wells RiverVT12.017.35 ft, Jul 1, 19731
West LebanonNH23.035.00 ft, Nov 4, 19274

Other gauges in Franklin County

Flood gauges in Franklin County
Charlemont10.020.17 ft, Sep 21, 19386
West Deerfield9.023.77 ft, Aug 28, 20112
Colrain7.013.31 ft, Aug 28, 20111
Erving7.013.37 ft, Sep 22, 19381
Shattuckville9.017.66 ft, Aug 28, 20111

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MNTM3, 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.