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Parker River at Byfield

Highest listed crest 7.85 ftFlood stage 5.5 ft11 crests since 1958

The Parker River at Byfield crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 11 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1958 to 2010. The highest, 7.85 ft on May 15, 2006, was major flooding, 2.35 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
7.85 ft
May 15, 2006; 812 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
5.5 ft
Major flooding from 7.5 ft
Crests at major
2
18th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
March 31, 2010
6.28 ft, minor flooding
Location
Essex County
Near Newburyport (5.1 mi), Amesbury (6.8 mi), Haverhill (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, Parker River at Byfield
Action stage5.02Mar 12, 1983The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)5.55Mar 31, 2010Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage6.52Mar 16, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage7.52May 15, 2006Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

11 crests from 1958 to 2010. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Parker River at Byfield, 1958 to 2010 5678ft Flood stage 5.5 ftMajor 7.5 ft Jan 27, 1958: 5.49 ft, action stage; 479 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1968: 5.61 ft, minor flooding; 489 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1983: 5.05 ft, action stage; 382 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1987: 7.35 ft, moderate flooding; 790 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1993: 5.68 ft, minor flooding; 485 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1996: 7.82 ft, major flooding; 883 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2001: 6.32 ft, minor flooding; 641 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2004: 5.86 ft, minor flooding; 560 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2006: 7.85 ft, major flooding; 812 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2010: 7.24 ft, moderate flooding; 750 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2010: 6.28 ft, minor flooding; 575 cubic feet per second Highest, 7.85 ft, May 15, 2006 196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Parker River at Byfield 1950s: 0 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2000s: 3 3 2010s: 2 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Parker River at Byfield
1May 15, 20067.85+2.35Major812
2Oct 22, 19967.82+2.32Major883
3Apr 7, 19877.35+1.85Moderate790
4Mar 16, 20107.24+1.74Moderate750
5Mar 23, 20016.32+0.82Minor641
6Mar 31, 20106.28+0.78Minor575
7Apr 2, 20045.86+0.36Minor560
8Mar 31, 19935.68+0.18Minor485
9Mar 19, 19685.61+0.11Minor489
10Jan 27, 19585.49−0.01Action479
11Mar 12, 19835.05−0.45Action382

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
Haverhill11.025.75 ft, Mar 20, 19363
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 BYFM3, 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.