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Merrimack River near Haverhill

Highest listed crest 25.75 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft12 crests since 1936

The Merrimack River near Haverhill crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 12 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2010. The highest, 25.75 ft on March 20, 1936, was major flooding, 14.75 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Merrimack River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
25.75 ft
March 20, 1936
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
3
10th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
April 1, 2010
12.46 ft, minor flooding
Location
Essex County
Near Haverhill (3.1 mi), Amesbury (7.2 mi), Methuen (7.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Merrimack River near Haverhill
Action stage10.02Apr 18, 1996The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.05Apr 1, 2010Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.02Apr 19, 2007Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.03May 15, 2006Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

Listed crests at the Merrimack River near Haverhill, 1936 to 2010 1015202530ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 16.0 ft Mar 20, 1936: 25.75 ft, major floodingSep 13, 1938: 18.25 ft, major floodingApr 4, 1960: 13.75 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 1984: 10.95 ft, action stageApr 7, 1987: 15.11 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 1996: 10.75 ft, action stage; 55,000 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 1996: 11.87 ft, minor flooding; 55,300 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1998: 11.55 ft, minor floodingMay 15, 2006: 17.05 ft, major floodingApr 19, 2007: 15.64 ft, moderate floodingMar 16, 2010: 12.04 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 2010: 12.46 ft, minor flooding Highest, 25.75 ft, Mar 20, 1936 19401950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Merrimack River near Haverhill 1930s: 2 2 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 2 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, Merrimack River near Haverhill
1Mar 20, 193625.75+14.75Major—
2Sep 13, 193818.25+7.25Major—
3May 15, 200617.05+6.05Major—
4Apr 19, 200715.64+4.64Moderate—
5Apr 7, 198715.11+4.11Moderate—
6Apr 4, 196013.75+2.75Minor—
7Apr 1, 201012.46+1.46Minor—
8Mar 16, 201012.04+1.04Minor—
9Oct 23, 199611.87+0.87Minor55,300
10Jun 18, 199811.55+0.55Minor—
11Jun 2, 198410.95−0.05Action—
12Apr 18, 199610.75−0.25Action55,000

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.

March 20, 1936: 25.75 ft here, major flooding

  • LowellMA · Mar 20, 1936 · 68.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • NashuaNH · Mar 20, 1936 · 41.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • Franklin Jct.NH · Mar 19, 1936 · 36.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • Goffs FallsNH · Mar 20, 1936 · 35.19 ft · Major · its highest
  • ConcordNH · Mar 20, 1936 · 26.20 ft · Major · its highest

May 15, 2006: 17.05 ft here, major flooding

  • LowellMA · May 15, 2006 · 58.84 ft · Major
  • Goffs FallsNH · May 15, 2006 · 19.87 ft · Major
  • NashuaNH · May 15, 2006 · 26.00 ft · Moderate
  • ConcordNH · May 15, 2006 · 15.12 ft · Minor

April 19, 2007: 15.64 ft here, moderate flooding

  • LowellMA · Apr 17, 2007 · 58.09 ft · Major
  • Goffs FallsNH · Apr 17, 2007 · 16.79 ft · Moderate
  • NashuaNH · Apr 17, 2007 · 23.50 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.NH16.036.40 ft, Mar 19, 19363
ConcordNH14.026.20 ft, Mar 20, 19363
Goffs FallsNH11.035.19 ft, Mar 20, 19364
NashuaNH18.041.30 ft, Mar 20, 19361
LowellMA52.068.40 ft, Mar 20, 19365
LawrenceMA24.025.37 ft, Dec 20, 20230
Haverhill this gaugeMA11.025.75 ft, Mar 20, 19363

Other gauges in Essex County

Flood gauges in Essex County
Atlantic Coast at Gloucester (IN MLLW)11.513.13 ft, Jan 4, 20180
Ipswich7.010.53 ft, May 15, 20061
South Middleton7.08.46 ft, May 15, 20060
Lawrence24.025.37 ft, Dec 20, 20230
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 BATM3, 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.