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Shawsheen River at Andover

Highest listed crest 37.45 ftFlood stage 29.0 ft18 crests since 2006

The Shawsheen River at Andover crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 18 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2006 to 2024. The highest, 37.45 ft on May 15, 2006, was major flooding, 8.45 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Shawsheen River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
37.45 ft
May 15, 2006
Flood stage
29.0 ft
Major flooding from 35.0 ft
Crests at major
2
18th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
January 12, 2024
30.84 ft, minor flooding
Location
Essex County
Near Lawrence (2.1 mi), Methuen (5.1 mi), Haverhill (8.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Shawsheen River at Andover
Action stage28.03Apr 6, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)29.010Jan 12, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage32.02Apr 1, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage35.02Mar 16, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

18 crests from 2006 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Shawsheen River at Andover, 2006 to 2024 2025303540ft Flood stage 29.0 ftMajor 35.0 ft May 15, 2006: 37.45 ft, major floodingApr 18, 2007: 34.15 ft, moderate flooding; 1,470 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2008: 29.09 ft, minor flooding; 1,190 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2008: 29.59 ft, minor flooding; 1,570 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2010: 36.16 ft, major flooding; 3,050 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2010: 33.98 ft, moderate flooding; 2,110 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2011: 29.68 ft, minor flooding; 988 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2014: 30.56 ft, minor flooding; 1,120 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2014: 29.90 ft, minor flooding; 1,010 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2020: 25.85 ft, below flood stageSep 4, 2021: 29.21 ft, minor flooding; 891 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2023: 29.37 ft, minor flooding; 936 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 2023: 29.09 ft, minor flooding; 874 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2023: 30.80 ft, minor flooding; 1,279 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2024: 30.84 ft, minor flooding; 1,289 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2024: 28.20 ft, action stage; 696 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2024: 28.50 ft, action stage; 747 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2024: 28.83 ft, action stage; 800 cubic feet per second Highest, 37.45 ft, May 15, 2006 2010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Shawsheen River at Andover 2000s: 4 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 5 2000s2010s2020s
  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, Shawsheen River at Andover
1May 15, 200637.45+8.45Major—
2Mar 16, 201036.16+7.16Major3,050
3Apr 18, 200734.15+5.15Moderate1,470
4Apr 1, 201033.98+4.98Moderate2,110
5Jan 12, 202430.84+1.84Minor1,289
6Dec 20, 202330.80+1.80Minor1,279
7Apr 1, 201430.56+1.56Minor1,120
8Dec 11, 201429.90+0.90Minor1,010
9Mar 8, 201129.68+0.68Minor988
10Dec 14, 200829.59+0.59Minor1,570
11Mar 16, 202329.37+0.37Minor936
12Sep 4, 202129.21+0.21Minor891
13Mar 10, 200829.09+0.09Minor1,190
14Sep 21, 202329.09+0.09Minor874
15Apr 6, 202428.83−0.17Action800
16Mar 30, 202428.50−0.50Action747
17Mar 25, 202428.20−0.80Action696
18Dec 17, 202025.85−3.15Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Shawsheen River

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

May 15, 2006: 37.45 ft here, major flooding

  • WilmingtonMA · May 15, 2006 · 8.94 ft · Moderate

March 16, 2010: 36.16 ft here, major flooding

  • WilmingtonMA · Mar 16, 2010 · 10.54 ft · Major · its highest

April 18, 2007: 34.15 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Shawsheen River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Shawsheen River
WilmingtonMA7.010.54 ft, Mar 16, 20102
Andover this gaugeMA29.037.45 ft, May 15, 20062

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
Byfield5.57.85 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 ANDM3, 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.