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Housatonic River at Great Barrington

Highest listed crest 12.08 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft20 crests since 1927

The Housatonic River at Great Barrington crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 20 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1927 to 2011. The highest, 12.08 ft on January 1, 1949, was major flooding, 3.08 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Housatonic River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
12.08 ft
January 1, 1949; 12,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
1
29th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
September 9, 2011
10.18 ft, moderate 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, Housatonic River at Great Barrington
Action stage7.03Apr 4, 1960The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.05Aug 29, 2011Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.06Sep 9, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.01Jan 1, 1949Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

20 crests from 1927 to 2011. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Housatonic River at Great Barrington, 1927 to 2011 468101214ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 12.0 ft Nov 5, 1927: 10.00 ft, moderate flooding; 7,910 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 10.60 ft, moderate flooding; 8,990 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1938: 11.72 ft, moderate flooding; 11,520 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1949: 12.08 ft, major flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 9.65 ft, minor flooding; 6,060 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1956: 7.65 ft, action stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 7.83 ft, action stage; 2,120 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1960: 7.65 ft, action stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1984: 10.96 ft, moderate flooding; 10,300 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1994: 4.71 ft, below flood stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1995: 5.87 ft, below flood stage; 2,030 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1995: 4.57 ft, below flood stage; 1,130 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 1995: 5.88 ft, below flood stage; 2,030 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 9.68 ft, minor flooding; 6,490 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1996: 6.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1996: 9.84 ft, minor flooding; 6,740 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2005: 10.34 ft, moderate flooding; 8,080 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2011: 9.01 ft, minor flooding; 5,844 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2011: 9.62 ft, minor flooding; 6,782 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 2011: 10.18 ft, moderate flooding; 7,760 cubic feet per second Highest, 12.08 ft, Jan 1, 1949 1940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Housatonic River at Great Barrington 1920s: 1 1930s: 2 1940s: 1 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 3 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Housatonic River at Great Barrington
1Jan 1, 194912.08+3.08Major12,200
2Sep 22, 193811.72+2.72Moderate11,520
3May 31, 198410.96+1.96Moderate10,300
4Mar 19, 193610.60+1.60Moderate8,990
5Oct 9, 200510.34+1.34Moderate8,080
6Sep 9, 201110.18+1.18Moderate7,760
7Nov 5, 192710.00+1.00Moderate7,910
8Jul 13, 19969.84+0.84Minor6,740
9Jan 20, 19969.68+0.68Minor6,490
10Aug 19, 19559.65+0.65Minor6,060
11Aug 29, 20119.62+0.62Minor6,782
12Mar 8, 20119.01+0.01Minor5,844
13Mar 31, 19607.83−1.17Action2,120
14Apr 17, 19567.65−1.35Action2,010
15Apr 4, 19607.65−1.35Action2,010
16Jan 27, 19966.90−2.10Below flood stage3,000
17Nov 12, 19955.88−3.12Below flood stage2,030
18Mar 9, 19955.87−3.13Below flood stage2,030
19Apr 14, 19944.71−4.29Below flood stage1,220
20Oct 22, 19954.57−4.43Below flood stage1,130

The worst floods along the Housatonic River

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

January 1, 1949: 12.08 ft here, major flooding

September 22, 1938: 11.72 ft here, moderate flooding

May 31, 1984: 10.96 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Housatonic River

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

Flood gauges on the Housatonic River
E Br at ColtsvilleMA5.010.80 ft, Sep 21, 19383
Great Barrington this gaugeMA9.012.08 ft, Jan 1, 19491
Falls VillageCT7.019.00 ft, Jan 1, 19493
GaylordsvilleCT8.018.58 ft, Aug 19, 19552
StevensonCT11.024.50 ft, Aug 19, 19559

Other gauges in Berkshire County

Flood gauges in Berkshire County
W. Br. Nr. New Boston8.014.06 ft, Aug 19, 19552
Williamstown9.014.85 ft, Dec 31, 19484
E Br at Coltsville5.010.80 ft, Sep 21, 19383

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GTBM3, 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.