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Nashua River at East Pepperell

Highest listed crest 19.10 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft62 crests since 1936

The Nashua River at East Pepperell crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 62 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2025. The highest, 19.10 ft on March 20, 1936, was major flooding, 11.10 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.10 ft
March 20, 1936; 20,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
3
10th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
May 11, 2025
8.65 ft, minor flooding
Location
Middlesex County
Near Nashua (7.1 mi), Fitchburg (13.1 mi), Lowell (13.1 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Nashua River at East Pepperell
Action stage7.019Apr 14, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.037May 11, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.03Apr 1, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.03Mar 17, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

62 crests from 1936 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Nashua River at East Pepperell, 1936 to 2025 5101520ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Mar 20, 1936: 19.10 ft, major flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1936: 7.21 ft, action stage; 35,300 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 1938: 14.08 ft, moderate flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1940: 7.87 ft, action stage; 40,200 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1942: 8.79 ft, minor flooding; 4,710 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1944: 11.86 ft, minor flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1946: 7.51 ft, action stage; 34,400 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1948: 8.15 ft, minor flooding; 4,110 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1951: 7.67 ft, action stage; 34,106 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1951: 7.96 ft, action stage; 35,900 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1953: 8.90 ft, minor flooding; 4,170 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 1954: 9.85 ft, minor flooding; 4,860 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1954: 7.43 ft, action stage; 32,700 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1956: 11.02 ft, minor flooding; 5,880 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1958: 7.85 ft, action stage; 35,206 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1959: 8.63 ft, minor flooding; 3,520 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1960: 10.75 ft, minor flooding; 5,640 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1961: 7.01 ft, action stage; 31,406 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1962: 9.95 ft, minor flooding; 5,020 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1968: 11.77 ft, minor flooding; 6,900 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1969: 7.93 ft, action stage; 43,506 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1970: 8.23 ft, minor flooding; 4,560 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1972: 7.20 ft, action stage; 38,406 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1973: 7.53 ft, action stage; 40,500 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1973: 7.00 ft, action stage; 36,506 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1976: 7.15 ft, action stage; 37,600 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1978: 7.37 ft, action stage; 39,206 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1979: 10.56 ft, minor flooding; 6,110 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1980: 7.63 ft, action stage; 41,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1981: 7.39 ft, action stage; 39,400 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1982: 11.40 ft, minor flooding; 6,660 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1983: 9.88 ft, minor flooding; 5,570 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1984: 11.73 ft, minor flooding; 6,820 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1986: 8.17 ft, minor flooding; 4,520 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1987: 16.19 ft, major flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 3,480 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1996: 10.26 ft, minor flooding; 5,980 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1996: 10.16 ft, minor flooding; 5,900 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1998: 9.76 ft, minor flooding; 5,270 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1998: 8.23 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 2000: 8.95 ft, minor flooding; 4,660 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2001: 9.51 ft, minor flooding; 5,080 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2004: 10.81 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 2005: 8.52 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 2005: 9.06 ft, minor floodingOct 17, 2005: 9.00 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 2006: 9.38 ft, minor flooding; 4,981 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2007: 13.10 ft, moderate flooding; 8,144 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2008: 8.43 ft, minor flooding; 4,301 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2008: 8.20 ft, minor flooding; 3,911 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2010: 10.38 ft, minor flooding; 5,639 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2010: 15.75 ft, major flooding; 11,100 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2010: 8.18 ft, minor flooding; 3,896 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2010: 13.78 ft, moderate flooding; 8,771 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2011: 9.64 ft, minor flooding; 5,803 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2011: 7.92 ft, action stage; 4,200 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2014: 9.21 ft, minor flooding; 5,402 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2023: 9.41 ft, minor flooding; 5,222 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2024: 8.15 ft, minor flooding; 4,198 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2024: 7.09 ft, action stage; 3,400 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2024: 7.06 ft, action stage; 3,380 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2025: 8.65 ft, minor flooding; 4,525 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.10 ft, Mar 20, 1936 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Nashua River at East Pepperell 1930s: 2 1940s: 3 1950s: 4 1960s: 3 1970s: 2 1980s: 5 1990s: 5 2000s: 10 10 2010s: 6 2020s: 3 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 62 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Nashua River at East Pepperell
1Mar 20, 193619.10+11.10Major20,900
2Apr 7, 198716.19+8.19Major11,700
3Mar 17, 201015.75+7.75Major11,100
4Sep 23, 193814.08+6.08Moderate10,200
5Apr 1, 201013.78+5.78Moderate8,771
6Apr 18, 200713.10+5.10Moderate8,144
7Jun 26, 194411.86+3.86Minor7,100
8Mar 20, 196811.77+3.77Minor6,900
9Jun 2, 198411.73+3.73Minor6,820
10Jun 8, 198211.40+3.40Minor6,660
11Oct 17, 195611.02+3.02Minor5,880
12Apr 3, 200410.81+2.81Minor—
13Apr 6, 196010.75+2.75Minor5,640
14Mar 8, 197910.56+2.56Minor6,110
15Feb 28, 201010.38+2.38Minor5,639
16Apr 18, 199610.26+2.26Minor5,980
17Oct 22, 199610.16+2.16Minor5,900
18Apr 1, 199310.10+2.10Minor3,480
19Apr 3, 19629.95+1.95Minor5,020
20Mar 21, 19839.88+1.88Minor5,570
21Sep 13, 19549.85+1.85Minor4,860
22Mar 12, 19989.76+1.76Minor5,270
23Mar 9, 20119.64+1.64Minor5,803
24Mar 24, 20019.51+1.51Minor5,080
25Dec 20, 20239.41+1.41Minor5,222
26May 16, 20069.38+1.38Minor4,981
27Apr 2, 20149.21+1.21Minor5,402
28Apr 5, 20059.06+1.06Minor—
29Oct 17, 20059.00+1.00Minor—
30Apr 24, 20008.95+0.95Minor4,660
31Mar 17, 19538.90+0.90Minor4,170
32Mar 10, 19428.79+0.79Minor4,710
33May 11, 20258.65+0.65Minor4,525
34Apr 4, 19598.63+0.63Minor3,520
35Mar 31, 20058.52+0.52Minor—
36Mar 10, 20088.43+0.43Minor4,301
37Apr 4, 19708.23+0.23Minor4,560
38Jun 16, 19988.23+0.23Minor—
39Dec 14, 20088.20+0.20Minor3,911
40Mar 25, 20108.18+0.18Minor3,896
41Mar 17, 19868.17+0.17Minor4,520
42Mar 23, 19488.15+0.15Minor4,110
43Jan 15, 20248.15+0.15Minor4,198
44Nov 5, 19517.96−0.04Action35,900
45Mar 27, 19697.93−0.07Action43,506
46Sep 10, 20117.92−0.08Action4,200
47Apr 2, 19407.87−0.13Action40,200
48Apr 8, 19587.85−0.15Action35,206
49Feb 19, 19517.67−0.33Action34,106
50Apr 23, 19807.63−0.37Action41,200

Other gauges in Middlesex County

Flood gauges in Middlesex County
Maynard5.08.94 ft, Aug 20, 19556
Waltham5.07.56 ft, Mar 16, 20100
Lowell8.09.74 ft, Mar 17, 20100
Lowell52.068.40 ft, Mar 20, 19365
Wilmington7.010.54 ft, Mar 16, 20102
West Groton7.08.50 ft, Apr 17, 20070
Saxonville10.013.99 ft, Mar 31, 20103

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DNSM3, 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.