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Deerfield River at West Deerfield

Highest listed crest 23.77 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft51 crests since 1941

The Deerfield River at West Deerfield crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 51 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1941 to 2023. The highest, 23.77 ft on August 28, 2011, was major flooding, 14.77 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Deerfield River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.77 ft
August 28, 2011; 103,160 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
2
18th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
December 18, 2023
11.91 ft, minor flooding
Location
Franklin County
Near Greenfield (6.2 mi), Amherst Town (14.0 mi), Northampton (14.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Deerfield River at West Deerfield
Action stage8.013Mar 29, 2003The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.026Dec 18, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.09Jul 10, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.02Aug 28, 2011Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

51 crests from 1941 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Deerfield River at West Deerfield, 1941 to 2023 510152025ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 16.0 ft Feb 8, 1941: 8.31 ft, action stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1943: 8.34 ft, action stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1943: 9.29 ft, minor flooding; 20,100 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1945: 9.56 ft, minor flooding; 21,300 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1947: 8.71 ft, action stage; 17,500 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1948: 15.43 ft, moderate flooding; 48,500 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1950: 10.50 ft, minor flooding; 24,400 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1952: 12.81 ft, moderate flooding; 34,800 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1953: 9.99 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 9.11 ft, minor flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 1955: 14.56 ft, moderate flooding; 43,700 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1960: 10.58 ft, minor flooding; 24,700 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1962: 8.00 ft, action stage; 14,200 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1968: 8.12 ft, action stage; 14,700 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1969: 8.68 ft, action stage; 16,900 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1973: 8.73 ft, action stage; 17,100 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1973: 12.25 ft, moderate flooding; 32,200 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 1975: 8.35 ft, action stage; 15,600 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1976: 11.69 ft, minor flooding; 29,700 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1977: 9.91 ft, minor flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1978: 9.63 ft, minor flooding; 20,600 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1979: 11.23 ft, minor flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1980: 12.48 ft, moderate flooding; 33,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1981: 12.35 ft, moderate flooding; 32,700 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1982: 9.65 ft, minor flooding; 20,800 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1983: 9.21 ft, minor flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1984: 13.45 ft, moderate flooding; 38,000 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1985: 10.55 ft, minor flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1986: 8.01 ft, action stage; 14,200 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1987: 17.71 ft, major flooding; 61,700 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1989: 8.16 ft, action stageOct 20, 1989: 10.91 ft, minor flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1992: 8.37 ft, action stage; 15,600 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1993: 9.35 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1995: 9.87 ft, minor flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1998: 8.29 ft, action stage; 15,300 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2000: 9.43 ft, minor flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2003: 8.14 ft, action stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2003: 9.76 ft, minor flooding; 21,240 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2004: 10.07 ft, minor flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2005: 9.59 ft, minor flooding; 20,560 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2005: 13.42 ft, moderate floodingOct 15, 2005: 7.79 ft, below flood stage; 13,360 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 23.77 ft, major flooding; 103,160 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2011: 9.00 ft, minor flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2016: 9.80 ft, minor flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2017: 11.42 ft, minor flooding; 28,203 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2018: 9.83 ft, minor flooding; 21,486 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2020: 9.50 ft, minor flooding; 20,200 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2023: 12.26 ft, moderate flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 11.91 ft, minor flooding; 30,411 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.77 ft, Aug 28, 2011 1960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Deerfield River at West Deerfield 1940s: 3 1950s: 5 1960s: 1 1970s: 5 1980s: 8 8 1990s: 2 2000s: 5 2010s: 5 2020s: 3 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 51 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Deerfield River at West Deerfield
1Aug 28, 201123.77+14.77Major103,160
2Apr 5, 198717.71+8.71Major61,700
3Dec 31, 194815.43+6.43Moderate48,500
4Oct 15, 195514.56+5.56Moderate43,700
5May 29, 198413.45+4.45Moderate38,000
6Oct 9, 200513.42+4.42Moderate—
7Jun 1, 195212.81+3.81Moderate34,800
8Apr 10, 198012.48+3.48Moderate33,300
9Feb 20, 198112.35+3.35Moderate32,700
10Jul 10, 202312.26+3.26Moderate32,000
11Dec 21, 197312.25+3.25Moderate32,200
12Dec 18, 202311.91+2.91Minor30,411
13Aug 10, 197611.69+2.69Minor29,700
14Oct 30, 201711.42+2.42Minor28,203
15May 25, 197911.23+2.23Minor27,600
16Oct 20, 198910.91+1.91Minor26,000
17Sep 12, 196010.58+1.58Minor24,700
18Sep 27, 198510.55+1.55Minor24,500
19Nov 26, 195010.50+1.50Minor24,400
20Apr 2, 200410.07+1.07Minor22,500
21Mar 24, 19539.99+0.99Minor22,200
22Mar 13, 19779.91+0.91Minor21,800
23Oct 22, 19959.87+0.87Minor21,600
24Sep 18, 20189.83+0.83Minor21,486
25Feb 25, 20169.80+0.80Minor21,400
26Oct 29, 20039.76+0.76Minor21,240
27Apr 18, 19829.65+0.65Minor20,800
28Jan 9, 19789.63+0.63Minor20,600
29Apr 3, 20059.59+0.59Minor20,560
30Apr 26, 19459.56+0.56Minor21,300
31Dec 25, 20209.50+0.50Minor20,200
32Dec 17, 20009.43+0.43Minor19,900
33Apr 23, 19939.35+0.35Minor19,600
34Nov 9, 19439.29+0.29Minor20,100
35Apr 11, 19839.21+0.21Minor19,000
36Aug 19, 19559.11+0.11Minor18,600
37Sep 8, 20119.000.00Minor18,200
38Mar 17, 19738.73−0.27Action17,100
39Apr 12, 19478.71−0.29Action17,500
40Apr 23, 19698.68−0.32Action16,900
41Mar 27, 19928.37−0.63Action15,600
42Jul 14, 19758.35−0.65Action15,600
43May 13, 19438.34−0.66Action15,700
44Feb 8, 19418.31−0.69Action10,000
45Jun 15, 19988.29−0.71Action15,300
46May 6, 19898.16−0.84Action—
47Mar 29, 20038.14−0.86Action14,800
48Apr 25, 19688.12−0.88Action14,700
49Mar 19, 19868.01−0.99Action14,200
50Apr 8, 19628.00−1.00Action14,200

The worst floods along the Deerfield River

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

August 28, 2011: 23.77 ft here, major flooding

April 5, 1987: 17.71 ft here, major flooding

December 31, 1948: 15.43 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Deerfield River

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

Flood gauges on the Deerfield River
CharlemontMA10.020.17 ft, Sep 21, 19386
West Deerfield this gaugeMA9.023.77 ft, Aug 28, 20112

Other gauges in Franklin County

Flood gauges in Franklin County
Montague28.049.20 ft, Mar 19, 19362
Charlemont10.020.17 ft, Sep 21, 19386
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 WDEM3, 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.