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Farmington River at W. Br. Nr. New Boston

Highest listed crest 14.06 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft28 crests since 1918

The Farmington River at W. Br. Nr. New Boston crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 28 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1918 to 2023. The highest, 14.06 ft on August 19, 1955, was major flooding, 6.06 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Farmington River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.06 ft
August 19, 1955; 34,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
2
18th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
July 16, 2023
8.18 ft, minor flooding
Location
Berkshire County
Massachusetts

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Farmington River at W. Br. Nr. New Boston
Action stage6.07Mar 4, 1999The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.012Jul 16, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.05Aug 28, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.02Aug 19, 1955Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

28 crests from 1918 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Farmington River at W. Br. Nr. New Boston, 1918 to 2023 46810121416ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 12.0 ft Feb 20, 1918: 8.90 ft, minor floodingOct 13, 1927: 7.76 ft, action stage; 3,960 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 1927: 9.42 ft, minor flooding; 6,610 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1928: 7.40 ft, action stage; 3,240 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1932: 8.00 ft, minor flooding; 3,610 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1936: 11.20 ft, moderate flooding; 5,080 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1936: 10.65 ft, moderate flooding; 9,080 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1938: 12.94 ft, major flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1948: 9.25 ft, minor floodingDec 31, 1948: 10.50 ft, moderate flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 1950: 10.06 ft, moderate flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 14.06 ft, major flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1955: 9.35 ft, minor flooding; 7,910 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1960: 7.42 ft, action stage; 3,340 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1989: 8.26 ft, minor flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1993: 6.96 ft, action stage; 2,590 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1994: 9.13 ft, minor flooding; 800 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1994: 6.15 ft, action stage; 1,740 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1996: 8.01 ft, minor flooding; 4,470 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1996: 6.78 ft, action stage; 2,380 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1998: 5.61 ft, below flood stageMar 9, 1998: 5.92 ft, below flood stageMar 4, 1999: 6.25 ft, action stage; 1,830 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2005: 8.93 ft, minor flooding; 6,800 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2007: 9.23 ft, minor flooding; 7,708 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 10.96 ft, moderate flooding; 14,608 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2011: 8.29 ft, minor flooding; 5,117 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2023: 8.18 ft, minor flooding; 4,858 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.06 ft, Aug 19, 1955 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Farmington River at W. Br. Nr. New Boston 1910s: 1 1920s: 1 1930s: 4 4 1940s: 2 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 2 2020s: 1 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Farmington River at W. Br. Nr. New Boston
1Aug 19, 195514.06+6.06Major34,300
2Sep 21, 193812.94+4.94Major18,500
3Mar 12, 193611.20+3.20Moderate5,080
4Aug 28, 201110.96+2.96Moderate14,608
5Mar 18, 193610.65+2.65Moderate9,080
6Dec 31, 194810.50+2.50Moderate11,700
7Nov 25, 195010.06+2.06Moderate10,100
8Nov 3, 19279.42+1.42Minor6,610
9Oct 16, 19559.35+1.35Minor7,910
10Mar 17, 19489.25+1.25Minor—
11Apr 16, 20079.23+1.23Minor7,708
12Mar 10, 19949.13+1.13Minor800
13Oct 9, 20058.93+0.93Minor6,800
14Feb 20, 19188.90+0.90Minor—
15Sep 29, 20118.29+0.29Minor5,117
16Oct 20, 19898.26+0.26Minor5,040
17Jul 16, 20238.18+0.18Minor4,858
18Jan 27, 19968.01+0.01Minor4,470
19Nov 19, 19328.000.00Minor3,610
20Oct 13, 19277.76−0.24Action3,960
21Apr 5, 19607.42−0.58Action3,340
22Aug 26, 19287.40−0.60Action3,240
23Apr 17, 19936.96−1.04Action2,590
24Nov 9, 19966.78−1.22Action2,380
25Mar 4, 19996.25−1.75Action1,830
26Dec 24, 19946.15−1.85Action1,740
27Mar 9, 19985.92−2.08Below flood stage—
28Jan 8, 19985.61−2.39Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Farmington River

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

August 19, 1955: 14.06 ft here, major flooding

  • SimsburyCT · Aug 20, 1955 · 30.10 ft · Major · its highest

September 21, 1938: 12.94 ft here, major flooding

  • TariffvilleCT · Sep 22, 1938 · 14.00 ft · Major · its highest

August 28, 2011: 10.96 ft here, moderate flooding

  • UnionvilleCT · Aug 28, 2011 · 18.55 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • SimsburyCT · Aug 29, 2011 · 16.98 ft · Moderate
  • TariffvilleCT · Aug 29, 2011 · 9.67 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Farmington River

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

Flood gauges on the Farmington River
W. Br. Nr. New Boston this gaugeMA8.014.06 ft, Aug 19, 19552
UnionvilleCT12.018.55 ft, Aug 28, 20110
SimsburyCT12.030.10 ft, Aug 20, 19553
TariffvilleCT9.014.00 ft, Sep 22, 19381

Other gauges in Berkshire County

Flood gauges in Berkshire County
Williamstown9.014.85 ft, Dec 31, 19484
E Br at Coltsville5.010.80 ft, Sep 21, 19383
Great Barrington9.012.08 ft, Jan 1, 19491

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NBSM3, 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.