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French River at Webster

Highest listed crest 26.05 ftFlood stage 8.5 ft27 crests since 1951

The French River at Webster crested above flood stage 8 times among the 27 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1951 to 2005. The highest, 26.05 ft on August 19, 1955, was minor flooding, 17.55 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.05 ft
August 19, 1955
Flood stage
8.5 ft
No major stage set
Crests at major
0
8 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
October 15, 2005
9.12 ft, minor flooding
Location
Worcester County
Near Southbridge Town (7.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, French River at Webster
Action stage7.019Mar 1, 1981The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.58Oct 15, 2005Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat

Every listed crest

27 crests from 1951 to 2005. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the French River at Webster, 1951 to 2005 51015202530ft Flood stage 8.5 ft Feb 8, 1951: 8.71 ft, minor floodingJun 3, 1952: 8.12 ft, action stage; 8,416 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1953: 9.06 ft, minor floodingSep 12, 1954: 11.64 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 1955: 26.05 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 1958: 8.29 ft, action stage; 11,606 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1959: 7.51 ft, action stage; 9,546 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1960: 7.56 ft, action stage; 10,206 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1962: 7.27 ft, action stage; 9,086 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1963: 7.41 ft, action stage; 9,086 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1967: 7.31 ft, action stage; 7,896 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1968: 7.92 ft, action stage; 10,006 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1969: 7.54 ft, action stage; 8,696 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1970: 7.33 ft, action stage; 7,966 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1971: 7.11 ft, action stage; 6,606 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1972: 7.83 ft, action stage; 9,326 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1973: 7.56 ft, action stage; 8,766 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1973: 7.43 ft, action stage; 8,316 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1975: 7.21 ft, action stage; 7,546 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1976: 7.74 ft, action stage; 9,386 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1977: 7.67 ft, action stage; 8,516 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1978: 8.50 ft, minor floodingJan 25, 1979: 8.54 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 1980: 7.98 ft, action stage; 8,486 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1981: 7.81 ft, action stage; 8,006 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1982: 9.30 ft, minor floodingOct 15, 2005: 9.12 ft, minor flooding Highest, 26.05 ft, Aug 19, 1955 19601970198019902000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, French River at Webster 1950s: 4 4 1960s: 0 1970s: 2 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s
  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, French River at Webster
1Aug 19, 195526.05+17.55Minor—
2Sep 12, 195411.64+3.14Minor—
3May 12, 19829.30+0.80Minor—
4Oct 15, 20059.12+0.62Minor—
5Mar 17, 19539.06+0.56Minor—
6Feb 8, 19518.71+0.21Minor—
7Jan 25, 19798.54+0.04Minor—
8Aug 7, 19788.500.00Minor—
9Apr 8, 19588.29−0.21Action11,606
10Jun 3, 19528.12−0.38Action8,416
11Mar 25, 19807.98−0.52Action8,486
12Mar 21, 19687.92−0.58Action10,006
13Mar 22, 19727.83−0.67Action9,326
14Mar 1, 19817.81−0.69Action8,006
15Jan 30, 19767.74−0.76Action9,386
16Mar 16, 19777.67−0.83Action8,516
17Apr 2, 19607.56−0.94Action10,206
18Feb 6, 19737.56−0.94Action8,766
19Mar 26, 19697.54−0.96Action8,696
20Jul 22, 19597.51−0.99Action9,546
21Dec 29, 19737.43−1.07Action8,316
22Mar 28, 19637.41−1.09Action9,086
23Feb 11, 19707.33−1.17Action7,966
24Apr 4, 19677.31−1.19Action7,896
25Apr 1, 19627.27−1.23Action9,086
26Feb 26, 19757.21−1.29Action7,546
27Mar 17, 19717.11−1.39Action6,606

Other gauges in Worcester County

Flood gauges in Worcester County
Northbridge9.016.74 ft, Aug 20, 19551
Athol13.515.79 ft, Jan 13, 20180
Fitchburg6.59.25 ft, Apr 5, 19870
Winchendon6.59.90 ft, Sep 21, 19380
Barre Plains5.57.49 ft, Mar 7, 20110

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WEBM3, 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.