Merrimack River at Lawrence

Highest listed crest 25.37 ftFlood stage 24.0 ft3 crests since 2014

The Merrimack River at Lawrence crested above flood stage 1 time among the 3 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2014 to 2023. The highest, 25.37 ft on December 20, 2023, was minor flooding, 1.37 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Merrimack River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest: 25.37 ft; December 20, 2023
Flood stage: 24.0 ft; Major flooding from 34.0 ft
Crests at major: 0; 1 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest: December 20, 2023; 25.37 ft, minor flooding
Location: Essex County; Near Lawrence (0.5 mi), Methuen (2.9 mi), Haverhill (6.3 mi)
Identifiers: NWS LAWM3; USGS 01100500

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Merrimack River at Lawrence

Action stage	22.0	2	Apr 28, 2019	The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)	24.0	1	Dec 20, 2023	Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage	29.0	0	—	Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage	34.0	0	—	Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

3 crests from 2014 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

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.
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, Merrimack River at Lawrence

1	Dec 20, 2023	25.37	+1.37	Minor	—
2	Apr 28, 2019	22.60	−1.40	Action	—
3	Apr 1, 2014	22.48	−1.52	Action	—

The worst floods along the Merrimack River

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

December 20, 2023: 25.37 ft here, minor flooding

LowellMA · Dec 20, 2023 · 53.16 ft · Minor
Goffs FallsNH · Dec 19, 2023 · 11.41 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Merrimack River

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

Flood gauges on the Merrimack River

Franklin Jct.	NH	16.0	36.40 ft, Mar 19, 1936	3
Concord	NH	14.0	26.20 ft, Mar 20, 1936	3
Goffs Falls	NH	11.0	35.19 ft, Mar 20, 1936	4
Nashua	NH	18.0	41.30 ft, Mar 20, 1936	1
Lowell	MA	52.0	68.40 ft, Mar 20, 1936	5
Lawrence this gauge	MA	24.0	25.37 ft, Dec 20, 2023	0
Haverhill	MA	11.0	25.75 ft, Mar 20, 1936	3

Other gauges in Essex County

Flood gauges in Essex County

Atlantic Coast at Gloucester (IN MLLW)	11.5	13.13 ft, Jan 4, 2018	0
Ipswich	7.0	10.53 ft, May 15, 2006	1
South Middleton	7.0	8.46 ft, May 15, 2006	0
Haverhill	11.0	25.75 ft, Mar 20, 1936	3
Byfield	5.5	7.85 ft, May 15, 2006	2
Andover	29.0	37.45 ft, May 15, 2006	2
Methuen	8.0	12.15 ft, May 16, 2006	1

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LAWM3, 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.