Westfield River at Westfield

Highest listed crest 34.20 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft35 crests since 1915

The Westfield River at Westfield crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 35 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1915 to 2023. The highest, 34.20 ft on August 19, 1955, was major flooding, 21.20 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
34.20 ft
August 19, 1955; 70,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
7
2nd of 65 gauges in Massachusetts
Most recent flood crest
December 18, 2023
15.39 ft, minor flooding
Location
Hampden County
Near West Springfield Town (2.8 mi), Westfield (3.7 mi), Agawam Town (3.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Westfield River at Westfield
Action stage12.08Nov 3, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.09Dec 18, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.010Aug 28, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.07Oct 16, 1955Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

35 crests from 1915 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Westfield River at Westfield, 1915 to 2023 101520253035ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Feb 25, 1915: 18.26 ft, moderate flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1920: 17.00 ft, moderate flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1924: 22.13 ft, major flooding; 32,500 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1928: 25.41 ft, major flooding; 42,500 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1933: 22.66 ft, major flooding; 34,600 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1934: 16.54 ft, moderate flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1935: 15.45 ft, minor flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1936: 27.20 ft, major flooding; 48,200 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1938: 17.90 ft, moderate flooding; 55,500 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1948: 22.00 ft, major flooding; 32,200 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1951: 16.51 ft, moderate flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 34.20 ft, major flooding; 70,300 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1955: 21.79 ft, major flooding; 31,100 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1960: 12.47 ft, action stage; 103,006 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1975: 12.92 ft, action stage; 111,006 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1980: 19.95 ft, moderate flooding; 26,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1981: 14.30 ft, minor flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1987: 17.91 ft, moderate flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1993: 12.22 ft, action stage; 99,206 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1995: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 6,440 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1996: 12.80 ft, action stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1999: 13.25 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1999: 13.10 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2000: 12.55 ft, action stage; 105,006 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2005: 12.87 ft, action stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2005: 16.63 ft, moderate flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2005: 12.90 ft, action stage; 11,090 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2007: 18.78 ft, moderate flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2011: 14.25 ft, minor flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 19.92 ft, moderate flooding; 26,200 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2018: 13.59 ft, minor floodingNov 3, 2018: 12.93 ft, action stageJul 19, 2021: 13.88 ft, minor flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 13.72 ft, minor flooding; 13,000 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 15.39 ft, minor flooding; 16,248 cubic feet per second Highest, 34.20 ft, Aug 19, 1955 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Westfield River at Westfield 1910s: 1 1920s: 3 1930s: 5 5 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 3 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 2020s: 3 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Westfield River at Westfield
1Aug 19, 195534.20+21.20Major70,300
2Mar 18, 193627.20+14.20Major48,200
3Nov 4, 192825.41+12.41Major42,500
4Jun 16, 193322.66+9.66Major34,600
5Apr 7, 192422.13+9.13Major32,500
6Dec 31, 194822.00+9.00Major32,200
7Oct 16, 195521.79+8.79Major31,100
8Mar 22, 198019.95+6.95Moderate26,300
9Aug 28, 201119.92+6.92Moderate26,200
10Apr 16, 200718.78+5.78Moderate23,400
11Feb 25, 191518.26+5.26Moderate22,200
12Apr 5, 198717.91+4.91Moderate21,200
13Sep 22, 193817.90+4.90Moderate55,500
14Apr 13, 192017.00+4.00Moderate19,200
15Oct 9, 200516.63+3.63Moderate18,500
16Apr 12, 193416.54+3.54Moderate18,000
17Nov 26, 195116.51+3.51Moderate18,100
18Jan 10, 193515.45+2.45Minor15,800
19Dec 18, 202315.39+2.39Minor16,248
20Feb 20, 198114.30+1.30Minor13,600
21Mar 7, 201114.25+1.25Minor13,500
22Jul 19, 202113.88+0.88Minor13,200
23Sep 2, 202113.72+0.72Minor13,000
24Jan 13, 201813.59+0.59Minor—
25Mar 22, 199913.25+0.25Minor11,700
26Sep 17, 199913.10+0.10Minor11,800
27Nov 3, 201812.93−0.07Action—
28Sep 26, 197512.92−0.08Action111,006
29Oct 15, 200512.90−0.10Action11,090
30Apr 3, 200512.87−0.13Action11,000
31Jan 28, 199612.80−0.20Action10,900
32Jun 7, 200012.55−0.45Action105,006
33Apr 5, 196012.47−0.53Action103,006
34Mar 29, 199312.22−0.78Action99,206
35Dec 24, 199510.00−3.00Below flood stage6,440

Other gauges in Hampden County

Flood gauges in Hampden County
Indian Orchard12.022.14 ft, Aug 19, 19551
Holyoke26.527.73 ft, Aug 30, 20110
Springfield20.028.60 ft, Mar 20, 19362
West Brimfield7.015.36 ft, Aug 19, 19551

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WSFM3, 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.