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Neponset River at Norwood

Highest listed crest 14.65 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft49 crests since 1938

The Neponset River at Norwood crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 49 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1938 to 2024. The highest, 14.65 ft on August 19, 1955, was major flooding, 5.65 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.65 ft
August 19, 1955; 1,490 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
5
6th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
January 10, 2024
9.41 ft, minor flooding
Location
Norfolk County
Near Randolph Town (7.6 mi), Braintree Town (10.4 mi), Newton (10.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Neponset River at Norwood
Action stage8.017Mar 29, 2005The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.017Jan 10, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.010Jun 14, 1998Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.05Mar 30, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

49 crests from 1938 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Neponset River at Norwood, 1938 to 2024 810121416ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft Jul 24, 1938: 11.05 ft, major flooding; 440 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1940: 9.55 ft, minor flooding; 226 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1941: 9.86 ft, minor flooding; 240 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1945: 9.52 ft, minor flooding; 254 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 1945: 10.38 ft, moderate flooding; 414 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1947: 9.23 ft, minor flooding; 212 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1948: 10.30 ft, moderate flooding; 398 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1949: 8.68 ft, action stage; 165 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1951: 9.64 ft, minor flooding; 255 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1952: 10.08 ft, moderate flooding; 336 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1953: 10.14 ft, moderate flooding; 398 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1954: 10.90 ft, moderate flooding; 430 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 14.65 ft, major flooding; 1,490 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1955: 11.32 ft, major flooding; 486 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1957: 9.55 ft, minor flooding; 247 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1958: 10.69 ft, moderate flooding; 384 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1959: 10.25 ft, moderate flooding; 321 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 1962: 8.11 ft, action stage; 473 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1968: 10.48 ft, moderate flooding; 1,140 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1969: 8.52 ft, action stage; 636 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1969: 8.87 ft, action stage; 681 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1972: 8.25 ft, action stage; 427 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1973: 8.27 ft, action stage; 432 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1974: 8.19 ft, action stage; 410 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1978: 8.75 ft, action stage; 529 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1979: 9.89 ft, minor flooding; 837 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1979: 8.38 ft, action stage; 443 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1982: 9.24 ft, minor flooding; 653 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1983: 8.43 ft, action stage; 453 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1984: 10.22 ft, moderate flooding; 943 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1987: 9.38 ft, minor flooding; 691 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 1988: 8.12 ft, action stage; 386 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 1990: 9.14 ft, minor flooding; 626 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1993: 8.17 ft, action stage; 396 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1994: 8.05 ft, action stage; 371 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 8.06 ft, action stage; 373 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1996: 9.45 ft, minor flooding; 760 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1998: 10.89 ft, moderate flooding; 1,100 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1999: 8.37 ft, action stage; 468 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2001: 9.46 ft, minor flooding; 735 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2004: 8.26 ft, action stage; 442 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2005: 8.48 ft, action stage; 498 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2005: 9.96 ft, minor flooding; 860 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2006: 9.28 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 2010: 11.07 ft, major flooding; 1,149 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2010: 11.16 ft, major flooding; 1,180 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2020: 9.46 ft, minor flooding; 715 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2023: 9.07 ft, minor flooding; 620 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 9.41 ft, minor flooding; 703 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.65 ft, Aug 19, 1955 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Neponset River at Norwood 1930s: 1 1940s: 6 1950s: 9 9 1960s: 1 1970s: 1 1980s: 3 1990s: 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 2 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

Highest listed crests, Neponset River at Norwood
1Aug 19, 195514.65+5.65Major1,490
2Nov 5, 195511.32+2.32Major486
3Mar 30, 201011.16+2.16Major1,180
4Mar 15, 201011.07+2.07Major1,149
5Jul 24, 193811.05+2.05Major440
6May 9, 195410.90+1.90Moderate430
7Jun 14, 199810.89+1.89Moderate1,100
8Jan 27, 195810.69+1.69Moderate384
9Mar 18, 196810.48+1.48Moderate1,140
10Dec 7, 194510.38+1.38Moderate414
11Mar 21, 194810.30+1.30Moderate398
12Mar 7, 195910.25+1.25Moderate321
13May 31, 198410.22+1.22Moderate943
14Mar 30, 195310.14+1.14Moderate398
15Mar 12, 195210.08+1.08Moderate336
16Oct 15, 20059.96+0.96Minor860
17Jan 26, 19799.89+0.89Minor837
18Feb 8, 19419.86+0.86Minor240
19Apr 3, 19519.64+0.64Minor255
20Apr 22, 19409.55+0.55Minor226
21Jan 23, 19579.55+0.55Minor247
22Mar 7, 19459.52+0.52Minor254
23Jun 17, 20019.46+0.46Minor735
24Jun 28, 20209.46+0.46Minor715
25Oct 21, 19969.45+0.45Minor760
26Jan 10, 20249.41+0.41Minor703
27Apr 7, 19879.38+0.38Minor691
28Jun 8, 20069.28+0.28Minor—
29Jun 7, 19829.24+0.24Minor653
30Mar 3, 19479.23+0.23Minor212
31Aug 11, 19909.14+0.14Minor626
32Dec 19, 20239.07+0.07Minor620
33Dec 27, 19698.87−0.13Action681
34Mar 28, 19788.75−0.25Action529
35Apr 8, 19498.68−0.32Action165
36Mar 26, 19698.52−0.48Action636
37Mar 29, 20058.48−0.52Action498
38Apr 25, 19838.43−0.57Action453
39Oct 3, 19798.38−0.62Action443
40Jan 18, 19998.37−0.63Action468
41Feb 3, 19738.27−0.73Action432
42Apr 2, 20048.26−0.74Action442
43Mar 3, 19728.25−0.75Action427
44Mar 21, 19748.19−0.81Action410
45Mar 31, 19938.17−0.83Action396
46Jul 27, 19888.12−0.88Action386
47Oct 7, 19628.11−0.89Action473
48Jan 19, 19968.06−0.94Action373
49Mar 10, 19948.05−0.95Action371

Other gauges in Norfolk County

Flood gauges in Norfolk County
Dover5.09.24 ft, Aug 23, 19556
Medway5.07.21 ft, Mar 31, 20102
East Braintree4.55.60 ft, Mar 17, 20100
Weymouth4.55.92 ft, Oct 15, 20050

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NRWM3, 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.