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West Branch Westfield River at Huntington

Highest listed crest 16.78 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft38 crests since 1936

The West Branch Westfield River at Huntington crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 38 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2023. The highest, 16.78 ft on August 28, 2011, was major flooding, 7.78 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.78 ft
August 28, 2011; 32,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
4
8th of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
December 18, 2023
9.85 ft, minor flooding
Location
Hampshire County
Near Westfield (9.9 mi), Easthampton (11.7 mi), Northampton (12.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, West Branch Westfield River at Huntington
Action stage8.012Sep 18, 2004The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.015Dec 18, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.07Apr 16, 2007Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.04Aug 28, 2011Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

38 crests from 1936 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the West Branch Westfield River at Huntington, 1936 to 2023 81012141618ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Mar 18, 1936: 12.95 ft, moderate floodingSep 21, 1938: 15.50 ft, major floodingDec 31, 1949: 11.93 ft, moderate floodingNov 26, 1951: 11.17 ft, moderate floodingAug 19, 1955: 15.27 ft, major floodingOct 15, 1956: 10.47 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 1972: 9.08 ft, minor floodingDec 21, 1974: 9.69 ft, minor floodingAug 10, 1976: 8.65 ft, action stage; 8,550 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1977: 8.32 ft, action stage; 7,920 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1978: 8.23 ft, action stage; 7,740 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1980: 12.49 ft, moderate floodingFeb 20, 1981: 9.73 ft, minor floodingJun 6, 1982: 8.43 ft, action stage; 8,120 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1983: 8.63 ft, action stage; 8,510 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1984: 10.78 ft, minor floodingSep 27, 1985: 8.61 ft, action stage; 8,470 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1987: 11.08 ft, moderate floodingOct 20, 1990: 11.32 ft, moderate floodingOct 24, 1990: 8.96 ft, action stage; 4,730 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1992: 8.91 ft, action stage; 4,340 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1993: 8.71 ft, action stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1999: 9.60 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 2000: 8.22 ft, action stage; 4,510 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2000: 8.32 ft, action stage; 4,710 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2004: 8.82 ft, action stage; 5,760 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2005: 10.93 ft, minor flooding; 9,500 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2005: 14.33 ft, major floodingApr 16, 2007: 12.87 ft, moderate flooding; 16,480 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2008: 9.30 ft, minor flooding; 5,480 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 2008: 9.30 ft, minor flooding; 5,480 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 16.78 ft, major flooding; 32,400 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2011: 9.65 ft, minor flooding; 7,001 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2011: 9.53 ft, minor flooding; 6,704 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 2018: 9.13 ft, minor flooding; 5,846 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 2021: 10.92 ft, minor flooding; 10,551 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 9.30 ft, minor flooding; 6,223 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 9.85 ft, minor flooding; 7,523 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.78 ft, Aug 28, 2011 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, West Branch Westfield River at Huntington 1930s: 2 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 2 1980s: 4 1990s: 2 2000s: 5 5 2010s: 4 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, West Branch Westfield River at Huntington
1Aug 28, 201116.78+7.78Major32,400
2Sep 21, 193815.50+6.50Major—
3Aug 19, 195515.27+6.27Major—
4Oct 9, 200514.33+5.33Major—
5Mar 18, 193612.95+3.95Moderate—
6Apr 16, 200712.87+3.87Moderate16,480
7Mar 21, 198012.49+3.49Moderate—
8Dec 31, 194911.93+2.93Moderate—
9Oct 20, 199011.32+2.32Moderate—
10Nov 26, 195111.17+2.17Moderate—
11Apr 4, 198711.08+2.08Moderate—
12Apr 3, 200510.93+1.93Minor9,500
13Jul 19, 202110.92+1.92Minor10,551
14May 29, 198410.78+1.78Minor—
15Oct 15, 195610.47+1.47Minor—
16Dec 18, 20239.85+0.85Minor7,523
17Feb 20, 19819.73+0.73Minor—
18Dec 21, 19749.69+0.69Minor—
19Sep 7, 20119.65+0.65Minor7,001
20Mar 22, 19999.60+0.60Minor—
21Sep 29, 20119.53+0.53Minor6,704
22Mar 8, 20089.30+0.30Minor5,480
23Dec 12, 20089.30+0.30Minor5,480
24Sep 2, 20219.30+0.30Minor6,223
25Nov 3, 20189.13+0.13Minor5,846
26Jun 30, 19729.08+0.08Minor—
27Oct 24, 19908.96−0.04Action4,730
28Jun 6, 19928.91−0.09Action4,340
29Sep 18, 20048.82−0.18Action5,760
30Mar 29, 19938.71−0.29Action4,540
31Aug 10, 19768.65−0.35Action8,550
32Apr 19, 19838.63−0.37Action8,510
33Sep 27, 19858.61−0.39Action8,470
34Jun 6, 19828.43−0.57Action8,120
35Mar 13, 19778.32−0.68Action7,920
36Dec 17, 20008.32−0.68Action4,710
37Jan 9, 19788.23−0.77Action7,740
38Jun 7, 20008.22−0.78Action4,510

Other gauges in Hampshire County

Flood gauges in Hampshire County
Holyoke - Upper9.016.80 ft, Mar 19, 193610
Northampton112.0129.40 ft, Mar 19, 19363
Northampton11.016.42 ft, Aug 28, 20110
Gibbs Crossing7.018.20 ft, Sep 21, 19383

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HNTM3, 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.