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Ipswich River at Ipswich

Highest listed crest 10.53 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft19 crests since 1936

The Ipswich River at Ipswich crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 19 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2010. The highest, 10.53 ft on May 15, 2006, was major flooding, 3.53 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Ipswich River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
10.53 ft
May 15, 2006; 4,520 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 10.0 ft
Crests at major
1
29th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
April 2, 2010
8.53 ft, minor flooding
Location
Essex County
Near Beverly (7.5 mi), Peabody (9.5 mi), Newburyport (10.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Ipswich River at Ipswich
Action stage6.52Jan 29, 1958The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.014Apr 2, 2010Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage9.02Mar 17, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage10.01May 15, 2006Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

19 crests from 1936 to 2010. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ipswich River at Ipswich, 1936 to 2010 67891011ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 10.0 ft Mar 15, 1936: 7.70 ft, minor flooding; 2,610 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1948: 6.62 ft, action stageJan 29, 1958: 6.88 ft, action stageOct 9, 1962: 7.40 ft, minor flooding; 2,070 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1968: 8.41 ft, minor flooding; 2,680 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1969: 7.12 ft, minor flooding; 1,910 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1979: 7.47 ft, minor flooding; 2,110 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1982: 7.78 ft, minor flooding; 2,280 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1983: 7.15 ft, minor flooding; 1,930 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1984: 7.17 ft, minor flooding; 1,940 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1987: 9.43 ft, moderate flooding; 3,550 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 8.16 ft, minor flooding; 2,510 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1998: 7.20 ft, minor floodingMar 24, 2001: 8.88 ft, minor flooding; 3,040 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2004: 8.01 ft, minor flooding; 2,420 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2006: 10.53 ft, major flooding; 4,520 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2010: 7.09 ft, minor flooding; 1,890 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2010: 9.96 ft, moderate flooding; 3,951 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2010: 8.53 ft, minor flooding; 2,762 cubic feet per second Highest, 10.53 ft, May 15, 2006 19401950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ipswich River at Ipswich 1930s: 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 3 1970s: 1 1980s: 4 4 1990s: 2 2000s: 3 2010s: 3 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Ipswich River at Ipswich
1May 15, 200610.53+3.53Major4,520
2Mar 17, 20109.96+2.96Moderate3,951
3Apr 8, 19879.43+2.43Moderate3,550
4Mar 24, 20018.88+1.88Minor3,040
5Apr 2, 20108.53+1.53Minor2,762
6Mar 20, 19688.41+1.41Minor2,680
7Apr 1, 19938.16+1.16Minor2,510
8Apr 4, 20048.01+1.01Minor2,420
9Jun 8, 19827.78+0.78Minor2,280
10Mar 15, 19367.70+0.70Minor2,610
11Jan 27, 19797.47+0.47Minor2,110
12Oct 9, 19627.40+0.40Minor2,070
13Jun 17, 19987.20+0.20Minor—
14Jun 4, 19847.17+0.17Minor1,940
15Mar 13, 19837.15+0.15Minor1,930
16Mar 29, 19697.12+0.12Minor1,910
17Feb 28, 20107.09+0.09Minor1,890
18Jan 29, 19586.88−0.12Action—
19Mar 23, 19486.62−0.38Action—

The worst floods along the Ipswich River

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

May 15, 2006: 10.53 ft here, major flooding

March 17, 2010: 9.96 ft here, moderate flooding

April 8, 1987: 9.43 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Ipswich River

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

Flood gauges on the Ipswich River
South MiddletonMA7.08.46 ft, May 15, 20060
Ipswich this gaugeMA7.010.53 ft, May 15, 20061

Other gauges in Essex County

Flood gauges in Essex County
Atlantic Coast at Gloucester (IN MLLW)11.513.13 ft, Jan 4, 20180
South Middleton7.08.46 ft, May 15, 20060
Lawrence24.025.37 ft, Dec 20, 20230
Haverhill11.025.75 ft, Mar 20, 19363
Byfield5.57.85 ft, May 15, 20062
Andover29.037.45 ft, May 15, 20062
Methuen8.012.15 ft, May 16, 20061

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge IPSM3, 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.